Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 5 pages
of 5
Variation of Astrid, Scandinavian, Greek, literary invented name
"divinely beautiful; star"
If we tie it to Aster, it's undeniably a nature name. "Aster" comes from the Greek word astēr , meaning "star," and it's the name of a daisy-like flower with star-shaped blooms. On the flip side, it…
Greek
"spider"
In Greek mythology, Arachne was a woman who bested Athena in a weaving competition. She later killed herself from the shame, but Athena reincarnated Arachne as a spider.
"glorious man"
Mythological name with a fabulous meaning. Sure it's weighty, but so is Aphrodite; Andy is an easy nickname choice to make this name more wearable in the classroom.
Tigris is a masculine name derived from the famous Tigris River, one of the major rivers of Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). The river's name itself comes from the Old Persian word "tigra" meaning…
Vick is a short, strong masculine name that typically functions as a diminutive of Victor or Vincent, though it has emerged as an independent given name. With Germanic roots relating to 'conqueror'…
Feminization of Volumnius, Latin
"scroll"
Shakespeare used Volumnia as the name of Coriolanus' mother in his tragedy Coriolanus while Dickens used it in Bleak House .
Latin
"tamed"
Domitia derives from the Latin word domitus , meaning "having been tamed."
Historical, Celtic, Greek, Latin
"lady; running water; tiger"
The name of a river in West Asia, Tigris may have its origins in Ancient Greek, in which case it means "running water" or "swift water". Alternatively, it's a saintly choice, possibly borne by a…
Diminutive of Dillon, Irish
"little"
More commonly a pet form of Dillon than an independent name, but Suzanne Collins used it as such for a female character in her series The Hunger Games .
Delly is a feminine name that typically functions as a diminutive form of names like Adele, Cordelia, or Delilah. With English origins as a nickname, it has occasionally emerged as a given name in…
"joyous, festive"
A name from the ancient world that may get a mixed reception today. On the one hand, festive! On the other hand, fester. In the Bible, Porcius Festus was a Roman official who rubbed up against St…
"yellow, blond"
Flavius is an ancient Roman family name associated with a dynasty of emperors. It has an appealingly flavorful first syllable, and is the name of a stylist in the Hunger Games series. Earlier…
"yellow, tawny, gleaming"
Derived from the Latin fulvus this name has been poetically associated with shades of gold, bronze, and yellow, along with the color of a lion's fur and an eagle's feathers. It was borne by the wife…
Word name
Glimmer is shimmery but a little too showy, as is Glitter, a character on a TV sitcom-- while Glimmer appears in The Hunger Games .
Invented literary name
Hamish spinoff created by author Suzanne Collins for her trilogy The Hunger Games .
Latin from Greek
"cheerful, happy"
This cheerful Ancient Roman name may be too close to "hilarious" to use these days, but it does provide the root for choices such as Ilarion, Hilary, Ilaria, and Ilariy.
"of royal birth"
In mythology, Iphigenia was sacrificed by her father, Agamemnon -- a difficult legacy to pass on to a daughter, and only one reason the name is hardly ever used.
Ancient Roman
"dense, fat, gross"
Crassus was an unflattering Roman cognomen — essentially, a surname that was originally given based on personal characteristics. It's unlikely it would be used today.
English surname
"crane"
This elegant surname has great potential to turn into an unusual first name, especially with its literary associations to both Stephen and Hart Crane. Crane is a surname that originated for a tall…
Ancient Roman, meaning unknown
Coriolanus comes from Corioli, the name of a Volscian city. The Shakespearean play Coriolanus is based on the life of Ancient Roman general Caius Marcius Coriolanus.
