Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 10 pages
of 10
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…
Diminutive of Beatrice, Latin
"she who brings happiness; blessed"
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.
Celtic mythology name, feminine variation of Tristan
"sorrow"
A more substantial but less-popular feminization of Tristan, the originally-male mythological name now used for girls as well as boys.
French
"vanilla"
While Vanilla might be too bland, the French version is more flavorful.
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…
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…
Romanization of Riko, Japanese
"white jasmine"
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…
Greek
"breath"
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…
Popular culture
"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…
"truth; see through; see true"
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…
Chinese & Indian surname name
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 .
Invented name
"dead and awake; bad deeds"
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…
Japanese
"devil, demon"
Nice baby name with a devilish meaning.
Variation of Onyx
"fingernail; claw"
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…
English word name
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…
Nilin Cartier-Wells is a character from the video game Remember Me . Nilin rhymes with Dylan.
Word name
"string instrument"
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…
We have Cove and Canyon—why not 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…
Futuristic variation of Cyrus. Cyrax is a character in the Mortal Kombat video game series.
