Poetic Baby Names

  1. Tasso
    • Origin:

      Italian
    • Meaning:

      "cup"
    • Description:

      A singular selection, noteworthy for its connection to the great sixteenth-century Italian epic poet, Torquato Tasso.
  2. Adda
    • Origin:

      Welsh form of Adam
    • Description:

      Adda is the name of the first man in the Welsh Bible, but it is rarely used in its homeland nowadays. Once you know how to pronounce it, it's a soft-sounding name that would make an interesting alternative to A-ending boy names like Ezra. Adda Fras was a 13th-century poet, and there is also a River Adda near Bangor in North Wales.
  3. Thamyris
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Description:

      The name of an ancient Thracian bard in Greek mythology, who boasted that he could sing better than the Muses. He was defeated, and his eyesight and poetic ability taken away, demonstrating that all god-given gifts can also be taken away by the gods.
  4. Phenex
    • Description:

      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.
  5. Mererid
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "pearl"
    • Description:

      Welsh form of Margaret, borne by Mererid Hopwood, the first female poet to win the chair at the National Eisteddfod.
  6. Lin-manuel
    • Origin:

      Hispanic, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "flax; forest; spirit, soul + God is with us"
    • Description:

      Notably borne by singer, writer, film-maker, and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda, this distinctive double-barrelled name is a poetic choice. It comes from the poem Nana roja para mi hijo Lin Manuel ("Red Lullaby for My Son Lin Manuel") by the Puerto Rican writer José Manuel Torres Santiago, about the Vietnam War, making it a literary option.
  7. Aretousa
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "quick water; virtue"
    • Description:

      This name was invented by the Cretan writer Vikentios Kornaros for the love interest of his 17th-century romantic epic poem, Erotokritos. Considered one of the greatest — if not the greatest – works of literature from Crete, Aretousa holds a lot of cultural significance for those with heritage from the island. In terms of etymology, Aretousa is either a variant of Arethousa or an elaboration on Areti.
  8. Akam
    • Origin:

      Tamil
    • Meaning:

      "love"
    • Description:

      Despite its attractive meaning, this name is very rare in the States: it has only appeared twice in the US charts, in 2006 and 2020. Akam is a genre of Classical Tamil poetry, and the ring name of WWE wrestler Sunny Dhinsa.
  9. Phillis
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Phyllis, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "green bough"
    • Description:

      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.
  10. Bly
    • Origin:

      English surname name
    • Meaning:

      "friendly"
    • Description:

      The surname of enterprising journalist Nellie Bly and poet Robert Bly makes a simple, modern, and upbeat sounding choice for either a boy or a girl.
  11. Albertino
    • Origin:

      Italian and Portuguese diminutive of Alberto, German
    • Meaning:

      "noble and bright"
    • Description:

      Both elegant and playful, this elaborate form of Alberto has been in use since at least the 13th century and was popular as a stand alone name in Brazil in the first half of the 20th century. It was historically borne by Albertino Mussato (1261–1329), a poet, historian, and playwright from Padua, Italy, who is known for promoting the revival of literary Latin and an interest in classical texts and the mythology of Greece and Rome.
  12. Twm
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Description:

      A diminutive of Tomos (Thomas), this little name is becoming more popular in its own right in Wales, where nicknames are in style.

  13. Apollinaire
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "of Apollo"
    • Description:

      Unique baby name and poetic Gallic choice. Guillaume Apollinaire was a French poet and novelist active in the early 20th century arts community, who is said to have coined the terms cubism and surrealism. He based his unique surname de plume on his Polish middle name, Apolinary.
  14. Villemo
    • Origin:

      Swedish, literary name
    • Description:

      Invented by Swedish author August Strindberg for a 1909 poem of the same name, this quirky choice is rare even in its native land but would make for an extremely eye-catching choice outside it. It may be based on Vellamo, a Finnish sea goddess.
  15. Arofan
    • Origin:

      Welsh, meaning unknown
    • Description:

      A seventh-century Welsh poet about whom little more than his name is known.
  16. Parisina
    • Origin:

      Historical, Italian, Spanish, Persian
    • Meaning:

      "Parisian; like a fairy"
    • Description:

      Poetic and ornamental, Parisina appears as the central figure of a work by Lord Byron in 1816, which went on to inspire operas by Mascagni and Donizetti. The figure behind the name, Laura Malatesta, better known as "Parisina", was a 15th century Italian Marchioness who was beheaded for having an affair with her illegitimate stepson. That could make the name feel less compelling, though in Byron's retelling, Parisina was engaged to the stepson prior to being married to his father.
  17. Rhymer
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Description:

      Creative alternative to names like Riley, Ryder, and Ryker, of which you'll find many in a Kindergarten classroom.

      As a poetry-related baby name, Rhymer feels more unexpected than Sonnet or Poet.

  18. Jarrell
    • Origin:

      English and French surname derived from a place-name, Gerville
    • Description:

      Randall Jarrell was an important mid-20th century poet; his surname makes a pleasingly soft name for a girl.
  19. Vachel
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "one who raises cows"
    • Description:

      This is a French occupational namename brought to the fore by poet Vachel Lindsay, born Nicholas Vachel (Vachel being his father's first name), considered the founder of modern poetry intended to be sung or chanted. and also author of the first book of film criticism in 1915.
  20. Haiku
    • Origin:

      Japanese poetic form
    • Description:

      Short and sweet, just like the form of poetry - this name has serious potential as an interesting and plucky international choice.

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