Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 4 pages
of 4
Variation of Barnabas
"son of comfort"
The name Barney is hot among hip Londoners and it has been above the Top 500 in the UK since 2012. You can see why - it's got a friendly happy sound and a lovely meaning and is more easily worn than…
English
"triangular field"
Despite the presidential pedigree, it's still hard to shake the image of the cartoon cat (named after his creator Jim Davis's grandfather). However, there are other Garfields, such as Barbadian…
Irish
"lad"
With the jaunty rhythm of other Irish surnames like Finnegan and Sullivan, plus the possibility for cool nickname Gil, this seems like a good candidate for the first name slot. It was the name of the…
English variation of Robert
"bright fame"
All varieties of Hob are antiquated nicknames for Robert, though this one has the "Calvin and Hobbes" cartoon association too. It may also be linked to philosopher Thomas Hobbes, giving it a more…
Word name and literary name
Everybody knows Huckleberry Finn, the Mark Twain character named, Twain said, for the 19th century slang term for "humble." A few modern parents have put it on a birth certificate, including "Man Vs.…
Flower name, from English
"yellow wildflower"
Though Buttercup is most often reserved for cows (and pets of other kinds), this humble flower name was given to the princess in "The Princess Bride" and to one of The Power Puff Girls . Yet to rank…
Jiminy is a masculine name that gained recognition primarily through the character Jiminy Cricket in Disney's 'Pinocchio.' Rather than having ancient roots, this whimsical name evolved from the…
Literary name
"tiger"
Rudyard Kipling created the name Bagheera for the black panther character in his classic collection The Jungle Book . It was derived from the Hindi word bagh , meaning "tiger." Today, Bagheera is a…
Modern invented name
Gidget was the surfer girl who started it all. She was the subject of six novels by Frederick Kohner, and the 1959 film in which she made her theatrical debut, starring Sandra Dee, helped make…
Urdu
It's most commonly associated with the French elephant, but Babar ironically means "tiger."
Daffy is a masculine name that originated primarily as a nickname or diminutive form. It can be short for names like Daffyd (the Welsh form of David) or may simply be used as an independent given…
Dory is a masculine name with Greek origins, though it's used for both genders. Traditionally, it's a diminutive of names like Isidore, Theodore, or Dorothy. The name gained modern recognition…
Diminutive of Giuseppa, Italian
"Jehovah increases"
Not long ago, Peppa may have been at risk for confusion with the name Pepper. But thanks to the British children's TV series Peppa Pig , Peppa is now a household name. If your household contains…
Italian from German
"protector"
Elmo, like fellow Sesame Street characters Kermit and Grover, has a hard time being taken seriously. (It isn't easy being red either.) But Elmo also calls to mind the image of St. Elmo's fire--the…
Norse variation of Philippa
"lover of horses"
Pippi may be cute but isn't very practical. In addition to being forever Pippi Longstocking, there is that variant pee-pee spelling to consider. Try Pippa instead.
Greek
"nobody"
One of the best known early Nemos was the captain in Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea , while the more familiar modern one is the animated little orange fish in the Disney movie. Unusual name…
American invented name
Binx is a popular name among black cats thanks to the character Thackery Binx in the cult classic Hocus Pocus . It makes a one-of-a-kind, spirited name for a boy. If it's too bold for the birth…
Invented name
The adorable and iconic bunny character Miffy was created in 1955 by Dutch artist Dick Bruna. Her Dutch name is Nijntje, a contraction of the Dutch word for "little bunny", konijntje . Bruna searched…
The name Lassie originates from Scottish culture, where it was traditionally used as a term for a young girl or maiden. However, its widespread recognition comes primarily from the fictional female…
German occupational name
"tailor; beer porter, wine porter"
Charles Schulz adopted Schroeder as a first name for his piano-playing character in the "Peanuts" comic strip, but it hasn't really caught on. More likely to be heard as a last name, it comes from…
