Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
Updated September 2026
Across 8 pages
of 8
Greek
"most beautiful"
Spelled with either one 'l' or two, Calista came to the fore in 1997 when Calista Flockhart hit it big as Ally McBeal. Flockhart, who bears her mother's middle name, didn't just introduce a name, she…
Variation of Bennett, English form of Benedict, Latin
"blessed"
This spelling of Bennett is typically seen as a surname, but gets moderate use as a first name for baby boys and girls.
Greek from Latin
"dragon"
For as long as we all shall live, Harry Potter's sneering nemesis.
Literature
A character name in George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series, a dragonrider played by Emma D'Arcy in the GOT prequel House of the Dragon .
Literary name, possibly inspired by Turkish or Irish
"moon, light or desired"
This character name from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas has an ancient appeal, even though it seems to be a modern coinage. It may have been inspired by similar sounding names, like the…
Turkish; Azerbaijani
"moon flood"
A pretty Turkish name popular in the 1980s and 90s, with the wonderfully evocative meaning of "moon flood". Similar in sound to the likes of Isla, Ayla, and Aylin, it can also be written as Aisel.
Latin diminutive of Judith or variation of Judah, Hebrew, Arabic
"praised; to be generous and good to others"
Jude may be a popular boys' name, thanks to Jude Law, but boyish nicknames for girls - like Frankie and Teddy - are on trend and Jude is also a new way to spin Judy or Judith. It's long been used…
Scottish surname
"speckled, freckled"
Bryce is the preferred spelling over Brice for both genders, with nearly 70 girls named Bryce in one recent year vs. only five called Brice. But note that there were over 3000 boys named Bryce and…
Eastern European
"morning star"
Spelling variation of Danica with a modern update.
Dianna is a feminine name that represents a variant spelling of Diana, which derives from the Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, and childbirth. With Latin origins, the name means 'divine' or…
Persian or Urdu
"prosperous or successful"
Kamran is one of the most easily-translated boys' names from a Middle Eastern to a Western culture, sounding nearly identical to the stylish English name Cameron. While it is not an Islamic name,…
Irish, English
"strong man or ironworker"
It's been four decades decades since Ferris Bueller took his famous day off in the cult classic 1986 teen comedy movie, but we think the time for this name could and should be now! Especially with…
English word name
" a metallic chemical element with atomic number 47"
Among the first wave of word names used in the hippie era, it actually is a legitimate girl's name with a lot of luster.
Variation of Tara or Tyrone, English, Irish
"rocky hill, elevated place; land of Eoghan"
Taryn is an offshoot of Tara that has a variety of meanings in a variety of cultures. In 1953, Taryn was presented to the public as an invention by actors Tyrone Power and Linda Christian for their…
Arabic
"growth and progress"
A Quranic name — sometimes spelled Zidane — that's also familiar as a surname, especially of French soccer star Zinedine Zidane.
Kaz is a compact, modern masculine name with multicultural roots. It can function as a standalone name or as a shortened form of longer names like Kazimir (Slavic, meaning 'destroyer of peace' or…
Persian
"light, bright"
The name of the sweet human baby in the film Ice Age , Roshan is a handsome Persian name that is the origin of the female name Roxanne, via its feminine form Roshanak.
Arin is a versatile name used for both genders, though here specifically feminine. With multicultural origins, it appears in Turkish meaning 'pure, clean,' in Hebrew as a variant of Aaron meaning…
Suraya is a beautiful feminine name with multicultural origins, primarily from Persian and Arabic languages. It means 'the Pleiades' or 'star cluster,' referring to the constellation. The name has…
"calm, healer"
Many will associate this name with Galen of Pergamon, the second-century physician considered to be the founding father of medicine. A more recent reference is Star Wars character Galen Erso. The…