Video Game Baby Names

Tifa is a feminine name that gained significant recognition through the character Tifa Lockhart in the popular video game series Final Fantasy VII. While the name has Japanese associations due to its appearance in Japanese gaming culture, it doesn't have traditional Japanese roots. The name has a melodic quality with its soft consonants and open vowel ending. Prior to the game's release in 1997, Tifa was extremely rare, but has since developed a small but dedicated following among gaming enthusiasts and parents drawn to its modern, distinctive sound. The name carries associations of strength and loyalty based on the character's traits. Beyond gaming culture, Tifa appears occasionally in various cultures, sometimes as a variant of Tiffany or as a standalone modern creation.

Tifa

Triss is a short form of Beatrice used for one of the heroic characters in The Witcher. She is a sorceress and ally of the protagonist Geralt whose magic is used for good.

Triss

A more substantial but less-popular feminization of Tristan, the originally-male mythological name now used for girls as well as boys.

Tristana

While Vanilla might be too bland, the French version is more flavorful. 

Vanille

Quistis is an uncommon feminine name that gained recognition through the popular video game Final Fantasy VIII, where it belongs to an intelligent, composed instructor character. The name has no traditional historical origins, having been created for the game released in 1999. This makes Quistis a modern invented name, similar to many names that emerged from fiction and pop culture in the late 20th century. The name has a distinctive sound combining strength and elegance with its crisp consonants and flowing 's' ending. While relatively rare in everyday use, it appeals to parents seeking unique names with contemporary cultural connections. The pronunciation is typically 'KWIS-tis', with emphasis on the first syllable.

Quistis

Paine is an uncommon feminine name with English origins, derived from a surname that originally referred to someone from a place called Paine or Payne, particularly in Normandy. The surname is also associated with the Old French word 'pain' meaning 'bread,' possibly indicating a baker. As a given name, Paine remains rare, though it may call to mind historical figures like Thomas Paine. It has a clean, simple sound while maintaining a distinctive edge. The name might appeal to parents seeking a minimalist yet meaningful option or those looking to honor family surnames. Despite its connection to the English word 'pain,' the pronunciation difference (payn rather than payn) helps distinguish it as a name with its own identity.

Paine

Used for a character in the animated Pokémon series, Liko is a romanization of the name Riko, which in the context of Pokémon, was likely chosen for its botanical meaning, "white jasmine". The name coincides with a Hawaiian masculine name meaning "bud".

Liko

In Ancient Greece, Pneuma translated to "breath", though more philosophically, it's related the vital spirit, lifeforce, or soul of a person. Now, it may be associated with a character from the Xenoblade franchise, or with, well, pneumonia (or maybe a pneumothorax). 
 
Nevertheless, five girls received the name in 2024, and it has the benefit of sounding similar to Uma, Una, Nula, and Juna.

Pneuma

"Ren" names are definitely in style, with rising Wrenley, bird name Wren, and Latin Renata all in the US Top 1000. Now Rennala has joined the scene, a rare choice borrowed from the video game franchise, Elden Ring. Known in the game as "the queen of the full moon", her name possibly comes from the Japanese nara meaning "oak" or "excellent", combined with ren meaning "romantic love", or perhaps re meaning "tinkling of jade", "beautiful", or "wise". This however is conjecture. 
 
It appeared in the US stats for the first time in 2024 when it was given to 10 girls.

Rennala

Used in the video game series, Ace Attorney, Trucy is the name given to a profession stage magician in the fictional universe. Inspired by the word "true" and by the phrase "see through", her name is play on the character's ability to perceive things, notice tricks, and understand others' intentions.
 
In the French version of the game, her name is Vérité ("truth"), while in the original Japanese, she is called Minuki ("to see through"), reinforcing that Trucy is name based on characteristics. While it is currently undiscovered, it may appeal to those who enjoy virtuous names like Tru and Truce, along with anyone looking for an unexpected spin on Lucy, Tracy, or Trudy.

Trucy

A moderately common surname in two of the world's most populous countries. Helen Pai is one of the main writer of the TV series Gilmore Girls.

A name from the 1999 video game, Akuji the Heartless, this invented choice is borne by a playable voodoo priest and warrior, who is cursed to wander the Underworld after his heart was ripped out on his wedding day. Some sources suggest it takes inspiration from the Yoruba language and means "dead then alive", while others point to how it translates literally to "bad deeds" or "evil act" in Japanese kanji. 
 
The latter meaning may well be the meaning of another game with the name in the title: Akuji the Demon, released in 2002. 
 Voice actor Akuji Saito is one bearer of the name.

Akuji

Akuma

Onyxia is a dragon in the video game franchise World of Warcraft. Her name fittingly references her species of Black Dragon. The gem name "onyx" is derived from the Greek onux, which referred to fingernails and claws in addition to the gem.
 
Onyxia made the charts for the first time in 2021, when it was given to six baby girls. It didn't feature in the charts in 2022, but as Onyx continues to rise for both sexes, we expect Onyxia to pick up in use — among WoW fans and the uninitiated.

Onyxia

Refers, in literal terms, to a curved line -- as in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s famed "arc of justice." Could also be used as a reference to Joan of Arc -- Arc being, there, derived from her father's name, rather than a place -- or, conceivably, to Noah's Ark.

Nilin Cartier-Wells is a character from the video game Remember Me. Nilin rhymes with Dylan.

Nilin

When Australian actress Rachel Griffiths chose this highly unusual name for her son, many assumed it was a bizarre invention, but noted Australian poet and writer of Waltzing Matilda, Banjo Patterson, is known by this name. Sprightly and musical, it could blend in with Bruno, Benjamin and Joey.
 
Borne by a character in the hit cartoon show Bluey, Banjo entered the US stats for the first time in 2024 when it was given to eight boys.

Banjo

Cave

Unfortunately this otherwise nice sounding name is somewhat spoiled by its similarities to milia, the small white cysts that often appear on newborns' faces. The most famous wearer was Millia Davenport, a costume designer and historian.

Millia

Futuristic variation of Cyrus. Cyrax is a character in the Mortal Kombat video game series. 

Cyrax

Video game baby names have entered the mainstream, for both girls and boys. Baby names from video games include "normal names" adapted for video game characters like Jade and Jax, along with names created especially for video games and adopted by their fans, such as Bloodrayne and Kazooie. 

Along with Chloe, other video game names for girls in the US Top 1000 include Alma, Athena, Daisy, Jade, Mercy, and Zelda. Along with Jax, other

 video game names for boys in the US Top 1000

 include Dante, Duke Fox, Kane, Maximo, Phoenix, Raiden, and Trevor. 

Video games have introduced many Japanese names to parents around the world, including Kasumi, Maki, Rikku, and Sakura.

These names from popular video games are arranged by their current popularity on Nameberry.

Baby names from video games for girls and boys, including popular video game baby names and unique baby names from video games. (Page 9)