Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
Hebrew
"the glory is gone"
Ichabod, an eccentric Old Testament name, is forever tied to the character of Ichabod Crane -- and worse, the teasing possibilities of "icky bod." Even its original meaning is a negative. Skip…
Greek
"great"
In Greek mythology, Megara was the first wife of Heracles (Hercules); the character of Megara "Meg" in the Disney film is loosely based on her. It’s also a place name in Greece and Sicily. Read more…
Latin
"heavy, dull"
Brutus is the quintessential brute--far too close to the word brutal. And any child with this name would spend much of his life hearing "Et tu." Originally an old Roman family name, borne by Marcus…
Jaq is a compact, modern variant of Jack or Jacques, characterized by its minimalist spelling. This streamlined version maintains the friendly, approachable quality of its more common counterparts…
Jiminy is a masculine name that gained recognition primarily through the character Jiminy Cricket in Disney's 'Pinocchio.' Rather than having ancient roots, this whimsical name evolved from the…
Zazu is a feminine name that gained recognition through the character of King Mufasa's hornbill advisor in Disney's 'The Lion King.' With African origins, the name carries connotations of movement…
Pop cultural invention
Used in the novel and subsequent Disney movie Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century , Zenon is typically a masculine name of Greek and Polish origin, however, in the book and film, it was used for a girl…
Hindu, Sanskrit, Polynesian
"goddess of music, knowledge, wisdom and the arts; breeze, wind"
Matangi a Hindu goddess and an aspect of Parvati, the Divine Mother. She rules over speech, knowledge, music, and the arts and worshipping her is said to allow people to control their enemies and…
Hopi, Hawaiian "sparrow hawk; the sound, call, equal, cart"
"sparrow hawk; the sound, call, equal, cart"
Kele is both a Native American name, used by the Hopi people to mean "sparrow hawk", and a name of Hawaiian origin. In the latter case, it sometimes appears as part of a name, usually in a Hawaiian…
