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German author Michael Ende created the name Atreyu for the protagonist of his 1979 novel The Neverending Story. In the original German translation of the book, the hero was Atréju …

Bestselling author Amor Towles, who wrote Rules of Civility and A Gentleman in Moscow introduced this elegant and meaningful name to the lexicon. Names that mean love -- Amory, Amias, and …

Superfans of auteur Wes Anderson may now consider Zissou as a baby name option, ever since Kieran Culkin and Jazz Charton used it for their daughter (birth name Kinsey Sioux …

Rumors abound about Waneta, which is a Canadian place name. Some say it's an Anglicization of Juanita, while others claim it's a Native American name. Interestingly, Waneta is …

A more authentic -- and difficult -- version of Sean.

Just think about those inescapable "sexy" nicknames. The related Sixtus is not a huge improvement. Sextus was one of a handful of first names used by the ancient Romans, and …

Pippi Longstocking author Astrid Lindgren invented the name Ronja for her book Ronja, the Robber's Daughter. She was inspired by the lake Juronjaure, located in Norrbotten, Sweden. Lindgren's …

Invented by author Stephenie Meyer for the Twilight series for the half-human, half-vampire daughter of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan, it's an amalgamtion of the names of …

Booker and Author are being used as names (the former is best known care of Booker T Washington), so why not Reader? Reader certainly fits in with both these and …

This name, authentically spelled Öykü, entered the US baby name chart for the first time in 2021. It is popular in Turkey, and may be known elsewhere as the nickname …

Actress and author Mariel Hemingway popularized this attractive and unusual variation of Mary, which first emerged in the 20th century. Also the name of a Cuban town — which provided the …

Marcy is about as hip as bobby sox and saddle shoes – which is to say, it's probably due a revival in the not-too-distant future! It was a …

Lexus, an automotive newcomer, has recently entered the Top 1000 -- more because of its association, we fear, with the status symbol car than its relation to the name Alexis. If …

There's something about the K initial that modern parents just can't resist and Kruz is a trendy reboot of the already very cool Cruz. Derived from the Spanish …

Iain, this authentic Gaelic form of John, has been well used in Scotland since the early twentieth century, used concurrently with the shortened Ian spelling, but is rarely seen in …

While teasing about names is not as bad as it once was, the possibilities presented by this name would be difficult for any pubescent boy to resist.

Grace is about as classic of a virtue name as you can get — could Graceful be a fresh way to get to the cute nickname Gracie?

Aluna has authentic Mwera roots as a name meaning "she weeps", but it may rise as an American invented name, elaborating on Luna.

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 …

Winter, Summer, and Autumn are all mainstream names; this covers all bases.

Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin is a master namer, and this unusual choice from India is beginning to be heard in nurseries as well as on television …

Something slightly negative about that Nil beginning; more positive similar names would be Lilla or Willa, Lucilla or Priscilla. Nilla may also be a short form of the Scandinavian Gunilla.

Created by the author Aldous Huxley for his novel, Brave New World, Lenina is a feminine form of Lenin, the surname of the founder of the Soviet state. It is …

Jaslynn, given to about 50 baby girls in the US each year compared to twice as many for sister name Jaslyn, is a contemporary compound name with a somewhat dated …

Jakub is an authentic Polish variation of the megapopular Jacob, but in the US it will feel like a kree8tiv spelling. Kuba is the cute Polish short form.

This pretty name, authentically spelled Džejla, comes from the Turkish girl name Ceylan (jay-LAN), and originally from a Persian word for gazelle. It shares its sprightly meaning with the …

Like the French author with whom the name is most closely associated, Colette is a chic and charming name, sharp, stylish, and feminine but without the frills of Nicolette. After …

Beautiful downtown Burbank -- about as glamorous a place-name as Akron...or Detroit.

Spelt with an acute accent on the final syllable in Spanish, Catalan and Hungarian (Betsabé) and without in Polish (Betsabe), this unusual name is a sleeker form of Bathsheba.

Spelt with an acute accent on the final syllable in Spanish, Catalan and Hungarian (Betsabé) and without in Polish (Betsabe), this unusual name is a sleeker form of Bathsheba.

When people talk about unique baby names, Apple is often one of the first examples they mention. Apple made international headlines when Gwyneth Paltrow chose this wholesome fruit name for …

I'm thinking about getting pregnant in a year and I want to be ready with a name. My husband and I have been married 6 years and cannot agree …

Author John Irving has created a wide range of quirky characters with equally quirky names.

Thinking about trying for baby #4 in summer of 2014, so starting to gather girl names.

As an author, I find it very difficult to write dystopic fiction without the perfect name(s). Here's a little help.

One of the first authentically Slavic names many Americans heard (but couldn't pronounce), via 1960s to 70s former presidential advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski. Even after all these years, it is …

The Finnish word for autumn, occasionally used as a baby name in Finland.

More streamlined – and more authentic – than Shawna.

Mills was given to about 2 dozen baby boys and 2 dozen baby girls in 2022, following trendy Miller as well as other names ending in -s, such as Brooks …

A name created by author Tamora Pierce for a character in her Protector of the Small series, a quartet of young adult fantasy novels. In the novels, Keladry is the …

There is much disagreement about the origin, meaning, or even existence of this name. Some sources cite Jesiah as the name of several minor Biblical figures, others say it's …

While Jadon is the authentic biblical name, Jaden is by far the more popular spelling, first noticed when Will and Jada Pinkett Smith used it for their now grown (and …

Hamish spinoff created by author Suzanne Collins for her trilogy The Hunger Games.

A better idea: how about you choose a name that means handsome, like Beau or Hasan or Irvin?

Not as evocative as Autumn.

Countessa is not an authentic title of nobility in any language — the closest it comes to is contessa, the Italian translation of "countess." It's been used as a girl …

There's something particularly attractive about names with an interior "j" and Arjan is a prime example. The Punjabi version is pronounced with a conventional j as in jar; the …

Just thinking about what names would pair nicely as a sister for Ginny! Not quite sure yet...

The dark surname of Dracula author Bram Stoker would make for an edgy occupational baby name.

Soft, amber-hued herbal and autumnal name that's used most often to describe the color of a horse. The proper spelling: Sorrel.