Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 23 pages
of 23
English surname
"from Aubigny"
A unisex surname familiarized by male actor Dabney Coleman, but with potential to carry over to the girl's side as well. Dabney feels in line with the Irish Darcy and Darby.
"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…
Welsh
"your mayfly"
The name of a maiden of King Arthur's court in some accounts. It is a contraction of Welsh "ty" (thy) + Eleri. The Teleri were also a race of High Elves in Tolkien's work.
Greek
"joy"
This name was used by Shakespeare (who got it from Plutarch) in Antony and Cleopatra for one of the attendants of the Egyptian queen. An interesting possibility, it is heard occasionally in the UK,…
English
"female goat"
Cheever has a nice, cheery sound, literary ties to novelist and short writer John Cheever and also, sideways, to the Edward Arlington Robinson narrative poem "Miniver Cheevy," as well as a subliminal…
Literary surname
Crusoe, as in castaway hero Robinson, is a literary invention by author Daniel Defoe. In the novel, the character says his name is an Anglicization of the German Kreutznaer, which may be a place name…
Italian, Latin
"famous"
The obscure yet not unappealing name of a legendary heroine of Rome, likely derived from the Roman family name, Cloelius. It is believed to come from the Latin word cluere , meaning "to have renowned…
"seer, oracle"
Sybylla is another spelling of the elongation of Sybil. This version is the name of the heroine of the 1901 Australian novel by Miles Franklin, the pen name of Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin. This…
Short form of Nathaniel, Hebrew
"God has given; gift"
While Nathan, Nat, and Nate are familiar nicknames to Nathaniel, and also used as stand alone options, Thaniel is a rarer choice. It is borne by a character in the popular novel The Watchmaker of…
Literature
"gift of the Muses"
A literary name, Musidora first appeared in its masculine form, Musidorus, in a poem by 16th poet Phillip Sidney. Meaning "gift of the Muses", it could relate to the Muses of mythology who presided…
Russian form of Eudocia, Greek
"to be well pleased"
A Russian variant of the Greek Eudocia, Avdotya appears in Dostoevsky's novel, Crime and Punishment in which it is borne by the strong-willed sister of the protagonist. She is often referred to by…
Variant of Morwenna, Cornish, Welsh
"maiden, girl"
A shorter form of Morwenna, similar in feel to Arwen or Gwen, Morwen comes from the Old Cornish word moroin and the Welsh morwyn meaning "maiden, girl". Some sources suggest the name could also come…
Brazilian, Tupi
"son of pain"
Popular in Brazil, Moacir derives from the Indigenous Tupi–Guarani language, and likely gained attention due to its use in the classic 1865 novel, Iracema by José de Alencar. The novel tells the…
Tupi
"honey lips"
Popular in Brazil in the early half of the 20th century, Iracema derives from the Indigenous Tupi–Guarani language, and likely gained attention due to its use in the classic 1865 novel by José de…
Literary diminutive of Tam, Scottish
"twin; son of Thomas"
A gentle name with a playful and spirited air, Tamlin appears in a traditional Anglo-Scottish ballad that tells the story of Tamlin who is abducted by the Queen of Faeries and later rescued by his…
Literature, feminine form of Lenin
"large river; shining torch; like a lion"
Created by the author Aldous Huxley for his novel, Brave New World , Lenina is a feminine form of Lenin, the surname of the founder of the Soviet state. It is borne by the central female character in…
Igbo
"born on Nkwo day"
Given to boys born on the last of the four Igbo market days ( Nkwo Things Fall Apart , in which Okonkwo is a famous wrestling champion and feared warrior, who opposes the Christian missionaries and…
"may my strength not be in vain, let my strength not be wasted"
Predominantly used in Nigeria, Ikemefuna is a name of Igbo origin, with a hopeful and determined meaning. It appears in Chinua Achebe's classic novel, Things Fall Apart , borne by an ill-fated boy…
Hungarian
"little father"
This Hungarian name was created by the author András Dugonics for the central character of his 1788 novel of the same name. It is likely an elaboration on Etele, a Hungarian feminine form of Atilla.…
English month name, Latin
"doorway"
Cooler than the older month names like April and May, and a highly unusual and eye-catching choice. The most famous real-life January is female – January Jones – but the month is named for the Roman…
