Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
Writing-Related Names
Across 5 pages
of 5
Novel
English from Latin
"new"
A literary twist on rising star Nova, derived from the same Latin word.
Novelette
Word name
"short novel; short piece of music"
The name given to a short novel, often light, romantic and sentimental, a novelette is longer than a short story but shorter than a novella or novel, while still having a complete narrative. In music…
Novella
Novella is a feminine name with Latin and Italian roots, derived from 'novus' meaning 'new' or 'young.' Beyond its literal meaning, Novella carries literary associations as it refers to a short prose…
Octavo
Octavo is a masculine name with Latin origins, derived from the Latin word 'octavus' meaning 'eighth.' Historically, the name was often given to the eighth child born in a family or to a child born…
Ode
Word name or medieval English form of Otto, German
"a lyric poem; wealthy"
Ode could be part of the extended Otto/Otis family, or it might be a literary term, referring to an elaborate lyric poem, such as Keats's Ode to a Nightingale. .
Öykü
Turkish
"story"
Ottava
Word name from the Latin
"eight"
In literature, the Ottava rima is a form of poetry consisting of eight line stanzas and the rhyme scheme ABABABCC. Originating in Italy, it is typically used for epic and narrative poetry, with…
Page
French
"page, attendant"
Strictly for the girls.
Parable
English word name
Along the same lines as Fable or Madrigal, Parable is a cute choice for literary families. It might also be considered as a pseudo-biblical name, given the fame of the Biblical parables.
Paradox
English word name
A paradox is a statement that while seeming true contradicts itself. With the less-than-pleasant "Doxy" as an obvious nickname, Paradox is perhaps a better name for a cat than a baby.
Pen
Pen is a concise masculine name with multiple origins and meanings. As a standalone name, it can be derived from the Welsh element 'pen' meaning 'head' or 'chief,' suggesting leadership. It may also…
Philosophy
Word name
Far-fetched, but friends can always call him Phil.
Poem
Literary name, English word name
"a composition in verse"
A handful of baby girls were named Poem in the US in the most recent year, along with Poet and Poetry. But of course, these word names can work for boys too.
Poesy
Word name
"poetry"
This old-fashioned word for poetry has some antiquated charm but doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.
Poet
Word name
Poet is a new entry in both the trendy word and occupational categories as well as a member of the growing group of gender neutral names . A handful of baby boys received the name in the US last…
Poetry
Word name
"literary form with distinctive style, rhythm, and line breaks; as beautiful as a poem"
A lyrical choice with a similar feel to Story and Posy and a similar sound to Penelope. It might refer to either a work of poetry, a collection of poems, or something that is comparable to the beauty…
Press
Press is an uncommon masculine name that originated as an English surname. It likely derived from occupational roots, referring to someone who operated a press (such as a wine press, printing press,…
Quarto
Word name
The term Quarto comes to us from the Latin for "four", but it is used as a term in literature to describe a book from the early days of printing that was a particular size. An obscure and potentially…
Quatrain
English word name
In literary circles, this name will be immediately recognized as a reference to the poetic stanza; outside such circles, this name may cause confusion for names like Coltrane or Cobain.
Quill
Irish, English
"lion; scribe, writer with a quill pen"
First appearing in the US stats back in 2013, this wordy choice fits in with the likes of Sonnet, Poetry, Fable, and Story as a literary option for writers, fans of classic literature, and those who…