Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 8 pages
of 8
Liban is a masculine name with multicultural origins and meanings. In Somali culture, where it is most prominently used, Liban relates to concepts of prosperity and well-being. The name also appears…
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,…
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…
Turkish
"fairy tale, fable"
German
"horse protection"
The kind of serious old-school name that sounds appealing again; perfect for the intrepid baby namer. More commonly spelled Rosamund but highly unusual these days in either version, with fewer than…
Diminutive of Brandon
"broom-covered hill"
A little heavy on the fiber content; we prefer Bram. But Bran is also the Celtic god of the underworld, whose symbol is the raven. It's probably not a coincidence that George R.R. Martin chose this…
Jemmy is a masculine name with historical roots as a diminutive form of James, which ultimately derives from Hebrew meaning 'supplanter.' While now uncommon as a formal name, Jemmy was more widely…
Sanda is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Romanian and South Slavic traditions, it functions as a diminutive of Alexandra, meaning "defender of mankind." In Scottish Gaelic…
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…
Scandinavian
"new victory"
Signy — also spelled Signe — would make another distinctively offbeat alternative to Sydney. Signy appears in Norse mythology as the twin sister of Sigmund.
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…
Aurore is a feminine name of Latin origin meaning 'dawn.' It's the French form of Aurora, the Roman goddess of the morning. The name evokes images of daybreak, new beginnings, and golden light. In…
Persian literary name
When comedian David Atkins adopted this Arabian Nights-type name, it became almost feasible, but could lead to tough times in the schoolyard.
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.
"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…
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…
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.
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…
Norwegian, literary name
This name was invented for the classic Norwegian fairy tale "White Bear King Valemon". An elaborate name with a mythical background, Valemon could be a unique yet wearable choice for lovers of myths…
Scandinavian, Norse, German, Dutch
"enclosure, stronghold; brave, hardy spear"
Gerda is one of two things: a modern, Latinized form of the Old Norse name Gerd or a feminine form of the masculine German name, also Gerd. Not currently in style, it has a strong, ancient sounding…
