Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
Fairy Tale Names
Across 8 pages
of 8
Katie
English, diminutive of Katherine
"pure"
Friendly mega-popular short form of Katherine that has definitively replaced Kathy, Katie is often given on its own. Going forward, though, Katie is more stylishly clipped itself to the grownup Kate.
Phillip
Greek
"lover of horses"
Spelling variation of Philip. Exactly as many baby boys were named with the single 'l' spelling in 2017.
Abdullah
Arabic
"servant of Allah"
Abdullah is an alternative transcription of the name Abd Allah, which translates to "servant of Allah". Popular across throughout the Muslim world, it ranks in the Turkish Top 100 and the UK Top 200.…
Magnus
Scandinavian from Latin
"greatest"
Magnus is a Latin name, literally meaning "greatest," that has a Scandinavian feel. It dates back to Charlemagne being called Carolus Magnus, or Charles the Great. Norwegian king Magnus I, named…
Jimmy
Diminutive of James
"supplanter"
Every other little kid's name in 1957 but few Jameses are called Jimmy today; they're more often James or Jamie.
Neil
Irish
"cloud"
Always the top spelling of the name; Neil peaked in the 1950s, but then enjoyed a second coming following the fame of such Neils as astronaut Armstrong and singers Sedaka, Diamond, and Young. Now…
Linda
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian
"pretty"
Linda will live forever in baby name history for toppling Mary from its four hundred year reign as Number 1. Queen of Names in 1947, Linda has fallen even further in favor than Mary today. Still,…
Gretel
Diminutive of Margarete, German
"pearl"
Gretel originated as a nickname for Margarete, the German form of Margaret. It’s a charming name, but most American parents prefer Greta, as Gretel is strongly tied to the fairy tale heroine. The…
Guilbert
Guilbert is a masculine name of Germanic and Old French origins, essentially a variant of Gilbert. The name combines the Germanic elements 'gisil' meaning 'pledge' or 'hostage' and 'beraht' meaning…
Gwilym
Welsh variation of William
"resolute protection"
The Welsh version of William is almost unheard-of across, but it's fairly straightforward and could make a good heritage choice or alternative honor name.
Hans
German, Dutch, and Scandinavian, diminutive of Johannes
Though familiar to all via such childhood icons as Hans Brinker, Hans(el) and Gretel, and Hans Christian Andersen, few Americans have chosen this name for their sons because of its intractably Old…
Florine
French
This rare and archaic French name is a little too close to Chlorine for our liking. Despite its flowery origins, Florine has a warrior history - Florine of Burgundy was a female French crusader, who…
Hansel
German diminutive of Hans
"God is gracious"
Those "Where's Gretel?" jokes will get old pretty fast.
Helga
Scandinavian
"holy, blessed"
A traditional Nordic name, Helga was extremely popular throughout Scandinavia in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In Germany, it was a Top 10 pick from 1924 to 1943. And it still ranks in the…
Fitzgerald
Irish and Scottish
"son of Gerald"
Made famous by F. Scott Fitzgerald and John Fitzgerald Kennedy; still works best as a middle name.
Hyacinth
Flower name, from Greek
"blue larkspur; precious stone"
Though it may not be as sweet and gentle as, say, Violet, the purple-hued Hyacinth still might hold some appeal for the parent seeking a truly unusual flower name. In Greek mythology, Hyacinthus was…
Finola
Irish
"white shoulders"
Finola, the readily accessible version of some of the more problematic Gaelic versions of the name, would make a welcome addition to the stockpot of Irish girls' names.
Ilonka
Ilonka is a feminine name with Hungarian origins, functioning as a diminutive form of Ilona, which is the Hungarian version of Helen. The root name Helen comes from Greek, meaning "bright, shining…
Finette
Finette is a delicate feminine name of French origin, functioning as a diminutive of Josephine or Delphine. The '-ette' suffix traditionally indicates 'little' or 'small' in French, giving the name a…
Fergus
Scottish and Irish
"man of force"
In Celtic lore, Fergus was the ideal of manly courage, making it a charming, slightly quirky Scottish and Irish favorite. As a name, Fergus forms a link between Ireland and Scotland, as Gaelic…