Girl Names Lists · Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
Literary Names for Girls
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About this list
Literary names for girls are derived from female characters in books from all genres and periods. Girl names from children's books are particularly popular today, including Alice (in Wonderland) and Eloise (at the Plaza). Literary girl names from classic books such as Scarlett and Scout are fashionable.
Along with Eloise and Scarlett, other literary girl names in the US Top 300 include Daisy, Harper, Juliet, Maisie, Harriet, Bella, Arya, and Evangeline. Distinctive female character names with strong ties to their characters include Cosette, Snow Flower, Hermione, and Lolita.
Literary names for girls from books that have become television shows or movies such as Game of Thrones names or Hunger Games names have also found widespread use, with names such as Aria and Katniss used for non-fictional baby girls.
In the literary baby names category, as always, feel free to think about your own personal favorites.
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The names
Emma
German
"universal"
Emma has now been among the top girl names in the United States for several years, claiming the Number 1 crown in 2008 and again from 2015 to 2018 before dropping back to second place. Emma is simple…
Aurora
Latin
"dawn"
The goddess name Aurora has consistently been on the US popularity list since the nineteenth century, but has really taken off in the past 30 years. Aurora also enjoys remarkable international…
Harper
English
"harp player"
You might think of Harper as the hottest name of the last decade, jumping from obscurity to the Top 10, where it remained until last year. Victoria and David Beckham's choice of Harper for their…
Hazel
English
"the hazelnut tree"
Hazel has a pleasantly hazy, brownish-green-eyed, old-fashioned image that more and more parents are choosing to share. Former Old Lady name Hazel reentered the popularity lists in 1998 and now is…
Luna
Latin
"moon"
The name of the Roman goddess of the moon, Luna is derived straight from the Latin word for moon, luna. Luna may be the name most likely to surprise someone from an older generation by its Top 10…
Scarlett
English
"scarlet, red"
Scarlett Johansson is doing more for this sparky southern name than Scarlett O'Hara ever did. Since the turn of the 21st century, Scarlett has gone from an obscure literary name to one of the most…
Eloise
French and English variation of Heloise
"healthy; wide"
Well balanced between sleek, sweet, strong, and vintage, newly chic Eloise re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2009, following a 50-year absence. In 2022, it broke into the Top 100 in the US and across the…
Alice
German
"noble"
Alice is a classic literary name that's both strong and sweet, ranking in the US Top 100 and popular throughout the Western world. Alice is derived from the Old French name Aalis, a diminutive of…
Daisy
Diminutive of Margaret or flower name, English
"day's eye"
Daisy, fresh, wholesome, and energetic, is one of the flower names that burst back into bloom after a century's hibernation. In 2024, it burst back into the Top 100 for the first time since 1908.…
Anna
Variation of Hannah, Hebrew
"grace"
Anna has become the dominant form of the Ann family, offering a touch of the international to English speakers and a bit more style than the oversimplified Ann or Anne. Anna is the Latin form of…