Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 13 pages
of 13
English
"tall one"
Longfellow is the first name of the eponymous hero of the classic 1936 film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town , later remade with Adam Sandler. But it's hard to imagine a modern parent using it except as a…
Spanish place name and surname
The haunting Lorca is a place name from the Spanish province of Navarre, but far more famous as the surname of the eminent Spanish poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca, who was the direct…
"pure light"
Lucasta was invented by seventeenth century poet Richard Lovelace for a collection of poems dedicated to a lover named Lucy, and is familiar through the Eugene O'Neill play and film Anna Lucasta .…
Latin
"song for unaccompanied voices"
Madrigal might be a pretty and highly distinctive choice for a child of a musical family--or for the parent looking for a less conventional path to the nickname Maddie than Madeline or Madison .…
Arabic
"mad, possessed"
The old Arabic tale of Layla and Majnun has been called "the Romeo and Juliet of the East". The seventh-century poet Qays ibn al-Mullawah was nicknamed Majnun, "madman", because of his obsessive…
Scottish
"smooth-browed one"
An invention of the eighteenth-century romantic poet James Macpherson, in his epic cycle about Ossian, a legendary Celtic hero. In Poland, where it was popular at the start of the 20th century, the…
Welsh
"pearl"
Welsh form of Margaret, borne by Mererid Hopwood, the first female poet to win the chair at the National Eisteddfod.
English literary name
Pretty and distinctive choice for poetry lovers.
Sanskrit
"ocean"
The Hindu princess and poetess Meera, was also known as Mira Bai. Mira Bai was a Rajput princess, the only child of Ratan Singh, younger brother of the ruler of Merta. Her royal education included…
English place-name
"the moors"
Moore is recommended as a rich and satisfying middle name choice, whether it relates to your own family history or not. Of the numerous outstanding Moore-surnamed namesakes, count sculptor Henry,…
German, English
Neele's roots can do in different directions- In Germany, Neele was traditionally a unisex name derived from Cornelia and Cornelius, but today has gone strongly to the girl's side (similar to Evelyn…
Literary name, Czech
"bad-tempered"
Evocative of the great Nobel Prize winning poet Pablo Neruda, real last name Basoalito, who took on the surname Neruda to honor a Czech poet of that name. One of the most poetic and arty boy names…
Greek
"man of victory"
A much rarer alternative to Alexander that also gives you the oh-so-cool nickname Nico. Nicander derives from the Greek name Nikandros "man of victory", which belonged to a 2nd century BC poet and…
Word name or medieval English form of Otto
If Story and Poet and Sonnet can be names that work as well for girls as for boys, why not 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. .
Greek mythology name
"the darkness of the night"
Name of the legendary ancient Greek poet and musician — whose music was so beautiful it made trees dance and rivers stop to listen — would provide a child with a challenging but indelible identity.
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…
Latin, meaning unknown
Ovid is the English form of the Roman family name Ovidius, which possibly comes from the word for sheep. It is the usual English name for the first-century poet Publius Ovidius Naso.
Phenex is a demon known as one of the Great Marquis of Hell, ruling over legions of demons. He is known for science and poetry.
Spelling variation of Phyllis, Greek
"green bough"
The Phillis spelling of this once-popular name lives on thanks to Phillis Wheatley, the first African-American to publish a book of poetry, in the 18th century.
