Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
Dance Baby Names
Across 6 pages
of 6
Mai
Japanese, French, Welsh, Vietnamese, Navajo
"dance; May; cherry blossom; coyote"
Cross-cultural winner.
Medora
Greek
"mother's gift"
Medora is a Greek name much less common here than, say, Melanie or Melissa. It has some literary references, including as the beautiful and passionate heroine of Lord Byron's poem The Corsair, and in…
Merce
Diminutive of Mercer
"a merchant"
Merce Cunningham (born with the French version Mercier) was a highly influential avant garde dancer-choreographer and his name still resonates with an aura of bold originality.
Mikhail
Russian variation of Michael
"who is like God"
One of the most familiar Russian names in the West, thanks to ballet great Mikhail Baryshnikov and state head Mikhail Gorbachev.
Minuet
French, dance term
Minuet is delicate, dancey, and lacy, with a Masterpiece Theatre feel. Is Minuet a real name? Not really, though similar-sounding French names such as Minette and Manette are.
Misha
Russian, diminutive of Mikhail
Brought into the American consciousness as the nickname of ballet great Mikhail Baryshnikov, it more recently took on a unisex air via TV and screen actress Mischa Barton. Could become the next Sasha.
Misty
English
"mist"
The Play Misty for Me jokes will get old really fast.
Moira
Irish, variation of Mary
"bitter; beloved; drop of the sea"
Well-established Irish and Scottish name that has never really caught on across the pond. Remembered by an older generation as the beautiful red-haired ballerina in the film The Red Shoes , Moira…
Morna
Irish and Scottish variation of Myrna
"festive; affection, endearment"
Poetic name that's terminally mournful, though its meaning is anything but. Myrna plays a powerful role in Irish legend.
Morris
English variation of Maurice
"dark-skinned"
Morris is as quiet and comfortable as a Morris chair, and has the same vintage feel. Once a Top 100 name in the early 1900s, Morris fell completely off the roster in 1995, probably due to lingering…
Namid
Ojibwa
"star dancer"
Fanciful image distinguishes this Native-American name.
Napoleon
Greek
"lion of the new city"
Overly ambitious choice, recently borne by the hapless hero of cult movie hit Napoleon Dynamite.
Odile
French variation of German Otthild
"prospers in battle"
Odette's evil Swan Lake twin -- gives the name a sinuous, sensuous appeal. It was a popular choice in France in the 20th century and made the Top 40 back in 1952, however, it has since fallen out of…
Ondine
Latin
"little wave"
Mythological spirit of the waters; spelled Undine, she was an Edith Wharton heroine.
Paquita
Spanish, diminutive of Frances
Sassy but slight nickname name.
Pepita
Spanish, diminutive feminine variation of JosÉ
Personification of pep.
Rhythm
Word name
"repeated sound pattern"
A musical name with a cool and slightly edgy sound, Rhythm would fit in with Anthem, Lyric, Riff, and Drummer. First appearing in the US stats in the early 2000s, recent years have seen it given to…
Rudolf
Spelling variation of Rudolph, German
"famous wolf"
You've got the red-nosed reindeer to transcend, but there are other distinguished personages named Rudolph, Rudolf, and Rudy.
Sammy
Hebrew
"god has heard"
Short for Samuel or long for Sam, Sammy is a sweet midcentury nickname name that we can see coming back.
Savion
Modern invented name, possibly derived from Xavier
Has lots of energy, perhaps due to its association with top tap dancer Savion Glover.