Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 11 pages
of 11
English and French diminutive of Matilda, German
"battle-mighty"
Maude, also spelled Maud, is a lacy, mauve-tinted name that was wildly popular a hundred years ago, but has been rarely heard in the past fifty. Some stylish parents are starting to choose it again,…
French feminine variation of Justin
"fair, righteous"
Justine is a French name that's never reached the popularity we think it deserves. Like its far-more-common brother Justin, Justine is sleek, and sophisticated, but still user-friendly. Justine has…
Greek mythology name
"flowing stream"
It's a futuristic name in Solaris , but it is also related to Rhea, the name of Zeus's mother and wife of Cronus.
Feminine variation of Amir, Arabic
"commander, prince"
Emira is one of those pan-international names that feels pleasant enough but seems so unrooted to any one culture that it might as well be made up.
Maori, Samoan
"deep ocean, sea"
This Maori name, often heard in New Zealand, is an attractive, evocative choice for lovers of the ocean made famous – perhaps too famous – by the Disney heroine. Moana was also an alternate name for…
Variation of Llewellyn
A contraction of Llewellyn, recognizable as the name of the titular character in the movie Inside Llewyn Davis.
German diminutive of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
Sweet but sleek, and distinctive, Liesl is an old German nickname-name for Elisabeth. It might have once seemed inextricably tied to to its country of origin, but now, like Elsa, Enzo, Saoirse,…
English, nickname name
Until recently it was rarely used as a proper name; Buddy Holly, for example, was christened Charles, and Salinger's Buddy Glass was born Webb. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver did name his fourth child…
Andy as a feminine name typically functions as a diminutive of Andrea, Alexandra, or Miranda, though it has established itself as an independent given name as well. Derived ultimately from the Greek…
Diminutive of Desiderio, Spanish
"desired one"
Forever Lucy's.
Greek
"lion of the new city"
Overly ambitious choice, recently borne by the hapless hero of cult movie hit Napoleon Dynamite.
Latin
"female warrior"
J.K. Rowling is a modern master of naming who brought a whole constellation of ancient and celestial names to modern parents. Bellatrix, of one of the stars of Orion, combines fashionable names Bella…
"shining; wood; beaver"
If you can put aside the oil connection, Castor is a mythological option, borne by one of the (half) twins that make up the constellation Gemini, the other being Pollux. A son of Leda and a king of…
Hindi
"ether"
This Hindi name for the fifth element, related to the male Akash which means "open sky," was used by Anne Rice in her Vampire Chronicles .
Variation of Auberon
"elf king; noble bear"
The Shakespearean character Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream is King of the Fairies, but the name, with its bold 'O' beginning has plenty of strength alongside its magical qualities. Oberon was…
Word name
This began as a nickname, usually for someone who was a "third," as in William III. But in an age where any noun goes, this could be thought of as representing a little voyager -- hopefully not into…
German variation of Elizabeth
Ilsa is remembered as the radiant but tragic heroine of "Casablanca," and it's having something of a European resurgence.
Spanish
"of the sea"
Cross-cultural name with a great nautical meaning. It boomed in the 1930s and has potential for revival now.
Color name
Fiery but slight middle name choice; much more apt to be a redhead's nickname.
Female variation of Yvain or Scottish
"evening star"
A mix of Yvonne and Elaine, Yvaine was first noticed in the Neil Gaiman fantasy novel and then movie Stardust , in which Claire Danes played the 'fallen star' Yvaine. This In all its forms, one of…
