Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
Disney Baby Names
Across 9 pages
of 9
Elsa
German diminutive of Elisabeth
"pledged to God"
Lost in limbo for decades and decades, Elsa now stands a good chance of following along in the progression from Emma to Ella to Etta, thanks to the ice queen heroine who "Let It Go" in the wildly…
Ena
Diminutive of several names
Baby names that started off as diminutives -- Ena, Ita, Etta -- seem too insubstantial for a modern female.
Dot
English, diminutive of Dorothy
Old-fangled nickname could make dot.com era short form or middle name.
Ester
Variation of Esther, Hebrew
"star"
This simplified spelling is a bit too polyester, though this is also the authentic Slavic version of an Old Testament name that's being rediscovered.
Eudora
Greek
"generous gift"
Eudora is the name of five minor goddesses of Greek mythology and a major goddess (in the person of Pulitzer Prize-winning Eudora Welty) of modern American literature. Eudora is pleasant and…
Faline
Popular culture, Latin
"catlike"
For many, this is a Disneyfied name: Faline was the sweet doe Bambi fell in love with. The name is possibly based on Feline, a Latin name meaning "cat-like", however other sources suggest it comes…
Fantasia
Greek
"imagination"
One of the more prominent by-products of reality TV, via Disney.
Finnick
Literary invention
Finnick has risen to prominence as a first name via The Hunger Games , in which Finnick Odair was a winner of the games. A wearable literary creation, Finnick was given to 136 boys in the US in a…
Flower
English
"flower"
Florence, Flora, and a whole plethora of botanical names are in style at the moment, but simple Flower remains rare. Perhaps it's the association with the little skunk in Bambi, or because it rhymes…
Flynt
Flynt is a masculine name of English origin, representing a variant spelling of Flint. The name refers to the hard, sedimentary rock that produces sparks when struck against steel, symbolizing…
Franny
Latin, diminutive of Frances
"from France or free man"
If Frances and Fran are too serious for you, and Fanny too saucy, you might like Franny, still identified by some with J. D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey stories.
Gaston
French from German
"the foreigner, the guest"
Depending on your cultural references, you may think of Phantom of the Opera author Gaston Leroux, or the macho villain of Beauty and the Beast . While he's hardly a role model (unless you too use…
Domino
Latin
"lord, master"
One of those ultimate cool-girl names, played by Keira Knightley in a movie about a supermodel-turned-bounty hunter, but kids might associate it with the game. High profile British designer India…
Dash
Diminutive of Dashiell, meaning unknown
Dash is a nickname that can stand on its own and sounds, well, dashing. Connected these days with Kardashian enterprises. Dash can stand on its own—as is evidenced by its entry into the US Top 1000…
Gus
Diminutive of Augustus, Angus, Gustave, Augustin, Augusten, Augustine, August
Gus is a homey grandpa nickname name that can work as a short form for any of the above or stand on its own as a cutting-edge replacement for Max and Jake--though it was off the Top 1000 from 1978…
Hans
German, Dutch, and Scandinavian, diminutive of Johannes
Though familiar to all via such childhood icons as Hans Brinker, Hans(el) and Gretel, and Hans Christian Andersen, few Americans have chosen this name for their sons because of its intractably Old…
Hera
Greek
"protectress"
She was queen of the Greek gods, both sister and wife to Zeus, but the name of her Roman counterpart Juno has become much more fashionable these days. That said, we think Hera has possibilities today…
Hercules
Greek
"glory of Hera"
Any boy with this name, a synonym for power via the Greek mythology figure, better be strong of body, and of psyche.
Hiro
Japanese
"broad, widespread"
Hiro is an apt name for a hero of the show Heroes -- and for our times. Widely used in Japan, sometimes also for girls. Hiroshi is a long form.
Horace
Latin clan name
"timekeeper"
The ancient name Horace sounds fustily fuddy-duddy, and yet, with the resurrection of Homer, and the new interest in old Roman names...who knows. Its early popularity--it was in the Top 100 at the…