Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 13 pages
of 13
Norwegian
The exact origins of Tiril remain a mystery, but it is generally considered to be a name from Norwegian poetry. The heroine of Johan Sebastian Cammermeyer’s fantastical poem "Lokkende Toner" is…
French
"short verse poem"
French word name
"lyric poet"
In medieval France, a troubadour was a knighted lyric poet who composed and sang songs about courtly love. As a baby name, Troubadour makes a romantic and stately choice for a child, although this…
Welsh
A diminutive of Tomos (Thomas), this little name is becoming more popular in its own right in Wales, where nicknames are in style. The spelling could prove a head-scratcher for non-Welsh speakers,…
Literary invented name, Latin
"wailing, a light symbolizing sorrow"
The titular character of a tragic poem by Edgar Allen Poe set in a lonesome October. Ulalume may be representative of death itself, making the name feel gothic and otherwordly. The etymology is…
"one who raises cows"
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…
English word name
"verse"
Writing-related names are starting to become more popular, with names like Poet, Story, and Lyric having been used by many a celebrity. Now it's Verse's turn, as it was recently used by Teen Mom 's…
English from Italian
"pastoral song"
Is Villanelle the new Sonnet? This elaborate name is a form of poetry — an example is Dylan Thomas's Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night — but many know it better as an assassin's codename in the…
Swedish, literary name
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…
French poetic form
This could be an obscure choice for literary families, but beware the connotations with virus and virulent.
