Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
Literary Names
Across 23 pages
of 23
Macon
French place-name
What with Mason scooting up the charts, this attractive place-name, with its thick Georgia accent, could make a more distinctive alternative. Macon has played major roles in two novels, Anne Tyler's…
Hareton
Literary name
"hare town"
Used by Emily Brontë in her novel Wuthering Heights , Hareton is a distinctive, rugged and literature-inspired choice. With the sounds of an English place name and the vibes of a last name as a first…
Katri
Finnish variation of Katherine
"pure"
A diminutive form of the Finnish Katariina, used by Tove Jannson in her book The True Deciever .
Shasta
Place-name, Sanskrit
"teacher, guide, ruler"
A Californian mountain range, named for the Indigenous American tribe, the Shasta People, Shasta has been predominantly been used for girls in the US. In Sanskrit, however, it is used as both the…
Arys
Literary name, or variation of Ares
A knight in the Game of Thrones universe, Arys debuted on the charts for both sexes in 2023, possibly owing to the pop culture connection, but also thanks to the popularity of Ares, a Greek mythology…
Morven
Scottish, poetic place-name
"the big gap"
In the Ossianic poems written by James Macpherson in the 1760s, Morven is the name of the Fingal's kingdom, Fingal being the hero, likely inspired by Fionn mac Cumhaill of early Gaelic legend. It…
Featherleigh
American literary name
Featherleigh Dale is the femme fatale of a certain age in American writer Elin Hilderbrand's novel The Perfect Couple , adapted as a television series by Netflix. The book also features characters…
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".
Keladry
Literary invented name
A name created by author Tamora Pierce for a character in her Protector of the Small series, a quartet of young adult fantasy novels. In the novels, Keladry is the first girl in centuries to seek a…
Ollivander
Literary name, compound of Oliver and Alexander, Latin and Greek
"olive tree and defending men"
A rare twist on modern favorites like Oliver and Alexander, this elaborate option is nevertheless familiar to most people as the surname of the eminent wandmaker Garrick Ollivander, from the Harry…
Aemon
Literary name
Created by George R. R. Martin for his series A Song of Ice and Fire . Aemon Targaryen is the great-uncle of Daenerys.
Jesmyn
Variation of Jasmine or Jessamine, Persian
"jasmine"
National Book Award-winning novelist Jesmyn Ward brought this uncommon spelling of a lovely name into the public eye. Jasmine is the flower-y version, and Jessamine the genteel British version.…
Illyria
Ancient place-name, feminine variation of Illyrius, Greek
Illyria can trace all its varied associations to the name of an ancient place in the western part of the Balkan peninsula, also called Illyricum. Its inhabitants, conquered by the Romans in 168 BC,…
Quasimodo
Latin, literary name
"like just-born infants do"
The name of the protagonist of The Hunchback of Notre Dame does not translate well into real life. Quasimodo comes from the Latin phrase used in Christian texts, "Quasi modo geniti infantes", meaning…
Haidee
Literature, English
"modest, reverant"
While Haidee may sound like a variant of Heidi or Hailey, it's actually a separate name with a literary history. First appearing in Byron's epic poem Don Juan (1819), it was likely inspired by the…
Malta
Place-name
An archipelago near the center of the Mediterranean, the name derives from the Greek word for honey. Malta has been heard as a girl’s name in the past and was used as a character name by both Dickens…
Mamie
Diminutive of Mary or Margaret, Hebrew, Egyptian, Greek
"drop of the sea or bitter or pearl"
Mamie is back. Having finally shorn her Mamie Eisenhower bangs, this insouciant and adorable nickname name is perfect if you want a zestier way to honor a beloved aunt Mary. Meryl Streep's actress…
Gayelette
Invented literary name
A fanciful concoction whipped up by L. Frank Baum for a beautiful and powerful princess in one of his Oz books.
Rasselas
Literary name
"prince portrait"
Samuel Johnson invented the name Rasselas for the title character of his novel, Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia. Rasselas is actually the son of the prince. TV auteur Sally Wainwright recently used the…
Finch
English word and nature name
"to swindle"
Bird name possibility, rarer than Lark and Wren but with the same short, punchy feel. Only five baby girls were named Finch in the most recent year, and four times as many baby boys.