By Linda Rosenkrantz
Let’s face it—most TV character names are predictable and dull. It’s almost as though the screenwriters close their eyes and stick a pin into a list of what seem like age-appropriate monikers—Jim for Grandpa, Jack for Dad, Jackson for Son or Betty for Grandma, Beth for Mom and Becca for Girl.
But luckily there are some exceptions, the creative minority that shine out from the others like glistening gems. The names below are drawn from the character lists of current shows or those that have recently expired—running on a bewildering number of channels—network, cable and online. Reality and animated shows not included.
I’ve starred the names that have already seemed to have had an influence in the real world.
GIRLS
Adalind—Grimm
*Amelia—Private Practice
Artemis—It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
*Arya—Game of Thrones
Astor—Dexter
Astrid—Fringe
Bay—Switched at Birth
*Cecelia/Cece—_The Office (_baby)
Cerie—30 Rock
Clea—Touched
Geneva—The Good Wife
Irisa—Defiance
Ivy—Good Luck Charlie, 90210, Smash
Kalinda—The Good Wife
Kenya—Defiance
Kenzi—Lost Girl
*Lyla—Sons of Anarchy
Maeby—Arrested Development
Mellie—Scandal
Mercedes—Glee
Morning—Episodes
Nellie—The Office
Quinn*Quinn — Glee
Roya—Homeland
Saxa—Spartacus
Shoshanna—Girls
Summer—The Mentalist
Sutton—The Lying Game
*Temperance—Bones
Ziva—NCIS
BOYS
Alaric—Vampire Diaries
Axl—The Middle
Brick—Hart of Dixie, The Middle
Bjorn—Vikings
Creed—_The Office (_also the name of the actor playing him)
*Crosby—Parenthood
*Cyrus—Scandal
Deacon—Nashville
*Declan—Revenge
Elijah—Girls
*Finn—Glee
Fitch—Nurse Jackie
Fitzgerald—Scandal
Gob—Arrested Development
Happy—Sons of Anarchy
Huck—Scandal
Lane—Mad Men
Lip (nickname for Phillip)—Shameless
Lugo—Spartacus
McCall—Boss
Merc—Episodes
Odafin ‘Fin’—Law & Order: Special Victgims Unit
Oleg—2 Broke Girls
Piermont—Sons of Anarchy
Rafe –Defiance
*Raylan—Justified
Roe—Unforgettable
Rollo—Vikings
Thayer—The Lying Game
Tobias—Elementary
Zane—Eureka
Zeek—Parenthood
Do any of these inspire you?
Linda Rosenkrantz
Linda Rosenkrantz is the co-founder of Nameberry, and co-author with Pamela Redmond of the ten baby naming books acknowledged to have revolutionized American baby naming. You can follow her personally at Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. She is also the author of the highly acclaimed New York Review Books Classics novel Talk and a number of other books.