Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
Baby Names from Books
Across 10 pages
of 10
Aelita
Literature
"starlight seen for the last time"
A whimsical choice from the 1923 sci-fi novel Aelita by Aleksey Tolstoy, the name belongs to a Martian princess who lives on Mars in an advanced yet divided society. In the book (and its subsequent…
Livira
Literature
"hardy weed, wild plant"
A literary creation with an established sound, Livira appears in the 2023 high fantasy novel, The Book That Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence. In the novel, Livira is known for her stubborn resilience…
Clarisse
Clarisse is a feminine name of French origin derived from the Latin name 'Clara,' meaning 'bright,' 'clear,' or 'famous.' It's the French variation of Clarice, carrying the same elegant and refined…
Evar
Literature
"ever; well-pleasing; yew wood, archer"
Appearing in Mark Lawrence's high fantasy novel, The Book That Wouldn't Burn , Evar is a contemporary, literary creation. Borne by a character raised outside of time, in a mysterious library, Evar…
Nephthys
Egyptian, Greek
"lady of the house, lady of the temple"
Nephthys is the Greek form of Nebet-Het, an epithet used to refer to an Ancient Egyptian goddess of mourning, the night, and death, but also of healing, childbirth, protection and magic. Nephthys was…
Crusoe
Literary surname
Crusoe, as in castaway hero Robinson, is a literary invention by author Daniel Defoe. In the novel, the character says his name is an Anglicization of the German Kreutznaer, which may be a place name…
Cosette
French literary nickname
"little thing"
Cosette is best known as the heroine of Les Miserables . In the Victor Hugo novel, Cosette was the nickname given to the girl named Euphrasie by her mother. Although Hugo invented the name, some…
Radley
English
"red meadow"
Radical Bradley. Radley is also the surname of one of the heroes of To Kill a Mockingbird . Boo Radley is a reclusive and mentally challenged neighbor who saves the Finch children.
Radley
English
"red meadow"
An emerging unisex surname name. Radley is more common for boys — it could be seen as an updated version of Bradley — but for girls, it's a rare alternative to Hadley and Adley. Radley is also a…
Phryne
Greek
"toad"
A name with a less conventional animal meaning, rescued by the reputation of the Greek courtesan Phryne (more beautiful than Aphrodite, one of the wealthiest women in classical Athens) and the…
Cosimo
Italian variation of Cosmo
"order, beauty, universe"
Dramatic and worldly, Cosimo was chosen by singer Beck and his wife, Marissa Ribisi, for their son. Now that Cosima has emerged as a starbaby favorite, twin brother Cosimo could join her. Cosimo de…
Sergius
Latin, a Roman clan name
Rarely heard in modern times, it was used by Norman Mailer for the hero of his book The Deer Park .
Faust
Latin
"fortunate one"
Because the legendary Faust sold his soul to the devil, few parents would choose this for a child, although Fausto is commonly heard in Italy and Spain.
Faustus
Latin
"fortunate one"
Faustus is a masculine name with ancient Roman origins, derived from the Latin word 'faustus' meaning 'lucky' or 'favorable.' It shares roots with the word 'auspicious' and was used during the…
Ryle
English surname
"rye hill; roe deer hill"
Ryle, rhymes with Kyle, was used by author Colleen Hoover for the neurosurgeon hero of her bestselling novel, It Ends With Us. Twenty-nine baby boys were named Ryle in the US in 2023, with many more…
Cullen
Irish
"holly tree"
Cullen is an appealing Irish surname name that upped its cool factor considerably when it became the Twilight family name of Edward et al. It's considerably less popular than it was at its peak in…
Daenerys
Literary name
Daenerys is yet another girls' name invented by "Game of Thrones" author George R. R. Martin that is beginning to gain some traction in real life. Daenerys was used for 67 baby girls in 2013 while…
Villemo
Swedish, literary name
Invented by Swedish author August Strindberg for a 1909 poem of the same name, this quirky choice is rare even in its native land but would make for an extremely eye-catching choice outside it. It…
Malyen
Literary name
A character name in the Shadow and Bone book series, invented by author Leigh Bardugo. It is intended as a Ravkan form of Malcolm, meaning "disciple of St Columba".
Desdemona
Greek
"ill-starred"
Desdemona is as Shakespearean as a name can be, but because the beautiful and innocent wife of Othello came to such a tragic end, her name has been avoided for centuries. But at this point in time,…