Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
Fairy Tale Names
Across 8 pages
of 8
Margery
Medieval variation of Margaret, Greek
"pearl"
An old royal name in England and Scotland that's also spelled Marjorie. Popular in the Middle Ages and Tudor period, it was revived at the end of the 19th century, peaked in 1921 and dropped off the…
Cupid
Latin
"desire"
The name of the Roman god of love, the son of Venus, considered so romantic as to be unfit for mere mortals. Yet now that Romeo and Venus herself are fair game for modern babies, why not Cupid?
Marleen
Marleen is a feminine name of Dutch and German origin, derived as a variation of Marlene or a diminutive of Maria combined with the suffix '-leen.' It gained popularity in the mid-20th century,…
Constanza
Italian, feminine form of Constantine
"constant, unchanging"
This version adds some Italian flair to the somewhat stolid Constance.
Masal
Turkish
"fairy tale, fable"
Maurice
English and French from Latin
"dark-skinned"
In the USA, Maurice was in the Top 200 for most of the 20th century; since 1990, however, it has been on a slow and steady decline. This name has the potential for some old-school cute nicknames such…
Merlin
Welsh
"sea fortress"
This name of the famous fifth-century sorcerer and mentor of King Arthur may or may not be a bit wizardy for a real-life modern child. Its most noted modern bearer: football star turned actor Merlin…
Cormac
Irish
"charioteer"
Both offbeat and upbeat, this evocative traditional Irish name that runs through Celtic mythology is known here via award-winning novelist Cormac McCarthy (born Charles). The author's adopted name is…
Mulan
Chinese
"magnolia"
Mulan comes from a Chinese mythological ballad, in which Mulan disguises herself as a man to take the place of her father in war. The 1998 Disney movie of the same name was based on this legend. Read…
Conal
Irish
"strong as a wolf"
If there are too many Connors in your neighborhood, this name is equally authentic and much more unusual. Spelled Conal or Conall, it's a prominent name in Irish history, borne by a number of kings…
Ned
English, diminutive of Edward
"wealthy guardian"
Ned is a gently old-fashioned Nancy Drew-Bobbsey Twins-era short form for Edward that sounds cooler than Ed and is enjoying a small style renaissance. Usage of Ned in literature goes back to a Ben…
Niels
Danish variation of Nicholas; Dutch diminutive of Cornelius
Gives middle-aged Neil a new lease on life.
Nixie
German
"water nymph"
If you love Dixie, Trixie and Pixie, this name of a mermaid-like sprite in German folklore may be for you. It might also make an update for Nicki.
Nona
Latin
"ninth"
Nona is a name sometimes given to the ninth child -- but unlikely to serve that purpose today. Musical cred: the name of a song by Motley Crue. In Roman mythology, Nona was also a goddess of…
Oisin
Irish
"little deer"
Oisin is one of the most popular Irish baby names in its native land, though largely unknown in the US. The original Oisin was the mythological son of Finn McCool and Sadb, the goddess who was…
Cliona
Irish
"shapely"
Attached in Irish mythology to a Cliona who was, among other things, an inspirer of poets. Cliona is well-used in modern Ireland, along with Irish form Cliodhna, though it's largely unknown in the…
Paddy
Diminutive of Patrick, Irish
"noble, patrician"
Because it's a generic (and often derogatory) term for an Irishman, Paddy fell out of use as a diminutive or given name, though actress Mare Winningham used it not long ago.
Claude
French from Latin
"lame; enclosure"
Claude is a soft-spoken French name that conjures up the pastel colors of Monet and harmonies of Debussy. In France, it is used for girls as well, in fact in the Tracy Chevalier novel Lady and the…
Cinderella
French
"little ash-girl"
One familiar name never used for real people, for obvious reasons. Read more about Cinderella and other Disney Princess Names in our featured blog.
Cherry
English word name
"cherry"
With other fruity names like Clementine, Olive and Plum ripe for the picking, sweet Cherry remains remarkably underused: just 27 baby girls received the name in 2017, down from 343 at its peak in…