Names from the Arts and Pop Culture · Nature, Place and Word Names
Musical Baby Names
Across 5 pages
of 5
Tempo
Italian
"time"
An offbeat word name referring to the speed of a piece of music.
Toccata
Italian, musical term
Toccata is delicate and musical yes, but still somehow unappealing.
Viola
Latin
"violet"
Viola has plenty of positive elements going for it: the rhythm of the musical instrument, the association with the flower, the trending 'Vi' beginning and its leading role in Shakespeare's Twelfth…
Zimri
Hebrew
"my music, my praise"
This unusual and spunky biblical name was one of the Kings of Israel as well as one of Judah's grandsons and has a wonderful meaning. We'd like to see Zimri being used more, and we think it has…
Fifer
Scottish occupational name
"piper"
Fifer is a musical name that fits in seamlessly with the likes of Harper and Piper, but is much more unusual. It's also a Scottish demonym, referring to an inhabitant of the historic Scottish county…
Strummer
English word name
"one who strums (a stringed musical instrument)"
Cool word name for boys evocative of rock and roll. Julia Stiles named her son Strummer in 2017.
Drummer
Occupational word name
Drummer entered the baby name lexicon thanks to blogger No Big Dill, who chose it for her newborn son, who joins five older sisters. Drummer is right in step with other occupational names in vogue…
Piano
Piano is an unusual feminine name derived from the musical instrument, which itself comes from the Italian word 'piano,' meaning 'soft' or 'quiet.' As a given name, Piano is extremely rare,…
Opera
Word name
A very distinctive musical choice, but be aware that many people will think you've named your child Oprah.
Troubadour
French word name
"lyric poet"
In medieval France, a troubadour was a knighted lyric poet who composed and sang songs about courtly love. As a baby name, Troubadour makes a romantic and stately choice for a child, although this…
Neylan
Turkish; Gaelic, English
"flute player; descendent of Niall; at the island"
Neylan — a name of uncertain origins — seemingly came out of nowhere in 2023. Given to 122 girls, it was used five times more often than it was in the previous year, when it was given to just 25…
Kouta
Japanese
"happiness; good fortune; peace; great; little songs"
Also spelled Kōta and Kota, Kouta is a Japanese name with a sound that travels well and a number of great meanings. Associated with happiness, good luck and peace, it is also given to a style of…
Leelo
Estonian
"folk song"
A musical Estonian name, notably borne by Estonian writer and poet Leelo Tungal.
Galinda
Germanic
"soft singing voice"
The original name of Glinda from Gregory Maguire's novel Wicked and the subsequent Broadway musical. She drops the 'a' from her name to honor a goat, who mispronounced her name as a Glinda. As a…
Kirtana
Hindi, Sanskrit
"narrating, chanting, telling; devotional song"
Also rendered as Kirtan, this name derives from a Sanskrit word meaning "describing, reciting, telling". It refers specifically to relating stories in Indian religions and to performances of…
Requiem
Word name, Latin
"rest; act or token of remembrance; Mass or musical composition for the souls of the dead"
A word name linked to music and spirituality, Requiem could have the more familiar nicknames Remi or Emmy. Associated with remembrance, Catholic Mass, and music for the dead, it more literally means…
Requiem
Word name, Latin
"rest; act or token of remembrance; Mass or musical composition for the souls of the dead"
A word name with grandeur, musicality, and a hint of spirituality, Requiem could have the nickname Remi. Associated with remembrance, Catholic Mass, and music for the dead, it more literally means…
Riff
English word and musical name
"a short repeated phrase in popular music"
Riff is the name of the leader of the Jets in West Side Story , drawn from the musical word for a repeated phrase in a song. A tragic character in the musical, but a jaunty sounding name with the…
Murali
Sanskrit
"flute"
A gentle yet vibrant name of Sanskrit origin, this musical choice means "flute". It is connected to the Hindu god Krishna who is often depicted as playing the instrument. Notable bearers include…
Octave
French form of Octavius, Latin, or English word name
"eighth; musical and poetry term"
Octave shortens Octavius to a more manageable length, keeping the "eighth" meaning. In English speaking countries, however, people could easily confuse this with the musical and poetrry term octave .…