Celebrity Names · Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
Classic Rock Baby Names
Across 6 pages
of 6
Zeppelin
German word name from Slavic
"zeppelin; flail"
In a baby name landscape where word names and names that start with Z are infinitely cool, there are few options for parents who want to combine trends. Zeppelin is one of the best names at the…
Ziggy
German, diminutive of Siegfried and Sigmund
"victorious peace; victorious protection; victory"
Perhaps the ultimate nicknamey name, Ziggy manages to sound cool, cutesy, spiky, and energetic all at once. It brings to mind the glam-rock of Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and the cool vibes of reggae…
Elvis
Meaning unknown
When the King was alive, and for years afterwards, few people (except Declan McManus who became Elvis Costello) dared use his singular name, but now it's very much up for grabs. The name Elvis is…
Axl
Variation of Axel, Scandinavian version of Absalom
"father of peace"
Guns 'n' Roses musician Axl (born William) Rose created this name by dropping a vowel, a la Barbra Streisand. The traditional Axel is more popular, though celebrity parents Fergie and Josh Duhamel…
Ramone
Musical name
Ramon is a common Latin male name, but Ramone would clearly be in tribute to the early punk rock group--each of whose members took on the last name Ramone.
Henley
English
"high meadow"
The name of a British town on the Thames that hosts a famous regatta, so it could be an appropriate middle name for the son of boat-lovers.
Janis
Variation of Jane
Last moment of glory was in the Janis Joplin sixties.
Jimi
Jimi is a masculine name that evolved as a diminutive or variant of James, or as an alternative spelling of Jimmy. With English and American roots, the name gained significant recognition in the…
Joan
English feminine variation of John, Hebrew
"God is gracious"
Joan was the perfect name choice for one of the leading characters on Mad Men , being a quintessential girls' name of the period. A Top 10 name in the 30s, a Top 50 name from the 40s through the…
Goldy
Goldy originated as an affectionate diminutive of the English word 'gold,' symbolizing something precious and valuable. Often used as a nickname, it has evolved into a standalone given name with…
Joplin
English surname
"son of Job"
Used as a first name for a handful of girls every year, Joplin could be seen as a distant cousin of other -lin names, like Caitlin, Brooklyn and Braelynn. We think it works even better as a musical…
Judas
Greek variation of Judah
"praised"
Though there were two apostles named Judas, everyone remembers the one who betrayed Jesus, and the name has been permanently shunned.
Ginger
English diminutive
Originally a unisex nickname for a redhead -- red hair is called "ginger" in Britain -- or for the name Virginia, Ginger perennially wears pink gingham and spike heels.
Gilby
Irish
"blond boy"
Transformation of the stolid Gilbert into an animated surname name.
Garcia
Spanish and Portuguese
"bear"
This evocative Spanish surname would make an unusual but lively choice for a girl.
Levon
Armenian, variation of Leon
"lion"
Levon, an unusual alternative to Levi. has two musical associations: it's the title of an Elton John song, inspired by late, great drummer for The Band, Levon Helm--whose birth name was Mark. Uma…
Fleet
English word name
"a group operated under unified control"
Fleet is one of the uncountable number of new word name possibilities, and a particularly cool choice at that. Connoting speed, Fleet beats Rush any day. Might be short for Fleetwood, but we prefer…
Lizzy
Lizzy is a feminine name primarily used as an affectionate diminutive of Elizabeth, which has Hebrew origins meaning 'God is my oath' or 'pledged to God.' This friendly, approachable nickname gained…
Elton
English
"from the old town"
Elton is an unassuming, lesser-used place name belonging to several towns in the British Isles, the US and Canada, and even a lake in Russia. The singer Elton John gives it a bit of extra pizzazz.
Lou
Diminutive of Louis or Lewis, French and German
"renowned warrior"
Lou, all by itself, is become fashionable for girls, which usually makes a name LESS fashionable for boys. But Lou, like Bill or Jim, is rarely used on its own for boys anyway. (You wouldn't name a…