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Fairytale Character Names
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The names
Benjamin
Hebrew
"son of the right hand"
Benjamin is a biblical name that has enjoyed widespread favor for decades, ranking in the US Top 50 for almost half a century and the Top 10 from 2015 until 2023. One of those golden boys' names that…
Sebastian
Latin from Greek
"person from ancient city of Sebastia, venerable"
With international flair and elegance, Sebastian is a saintly, Shakespearean and Disney-inspired choice: refined, classic-yet-unconventional, and totally in tune with other popular choices like…
Penelope
Greek
"weaver"
As elegant and refined as it is sweet and energized., Penelope has been well and truly revived in the 21st-century. Off the Top 1000 for 25 years, Penelope jumped back on in 2001 and has been heading…
Alexander
Greek
"defending men"
Alexander has been in a Top 25 boys' name in the US for 30 years now. But namers are still attracted to its imposing historic pedigree. Alexander is derived from the Greek name Aléxandros, composed…
Athena
Greek
"from Athens"
Magical and distinctive but grounded and familiar too, it's no surprise that Athena has become one of the most widely used ancient goddess names in the contemporary Western world. Derived from the…
Damian
Greek
"to tame, subdue"
Damian has sidestepped its demonic horror movie overtones, leaving a basically friendly and charming Irish image. A well-used upper-class name in England, it is growing in popularity here. There are…
Amira
Hebrew, Arabic
"princess"
This shimmery name, often given to girls born on the harvest feast of Shavuot, and also used in the Muslim community, is increasing in popularity. Amira is of Hebrew and Arabic origin, meaning…
Genevieve
English from French
"tribe woman"
Genevieve is derived from the Germanic medieval name Genovefa, or Kenowefa, which consists of the elements kuni , meaning "kin", and wefa , meaning "woman." The medieval saint Genevieve, patroness of…
Arabella
Latin, Scottish
"yielding to prayer; lovable"
Arabella, lovely and elegant, has long been well used in Britain and finally made it onto the American list in 2005. A Top 50 choice in the UK, in the US in remains in the Top 300, given to around…
Talia
Hebrew; Australian Aboriginal
"gentle dew from heaven; by the water"
Talia is derived from the Hebrew elements tal , meaning "dew," and yah , in reference to God. In the mythology of one ancient sect, Talia was one of ten angels who attended the sun on its daily…
Gwendolyn
Variation of Gwendolen, Welsh
"white ring"
One spelling variation that's more popular than the original, this somewhat old-fashioned name might be in honor of poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the first African-American to win a Pulitzer prize for…
Dorian
Greek, name of a tribe
The Dorians were an ancient Greek tribe, one of the three major pre-Spartan tribes. It literally means "of Doris," a Greek district, or "of Doros," referring to the son of Helen of Sparta. Dorian…
Eden
Hebrew
"place of pleasure, delight"
This Biblical name was rising dramatically for boys, but has plateaued in recent years. Although it's more popular for girls in the US, it's a delightful unisex choice. Eden is one of the Top 100 Boy…
Erik
Spelling variation of Eric, Old Norse
"eternal ruler"
While substituting a C for a K is a modern trend, Erik is in fact the traditional spelling of the name, derived from the Old Norse Eiríkr and introduced to the English speaking world in the…
Cordelia
Latin; Celtic
"heart; daughter of the sea"
Cordelia is exactly the kind of old-fashioned, grown-up name for girls that many parents are seeking for their daughters today. The name of King Lear's one sympathetic daughter, Cordelia has both…
Akira
Japanese
"bright, intelligent"
A popular Japanese name for both sexes that's migrated to the West because of its appearance in manga and video games and because of its international feel. It was a fast rising choice in 2024, when…
Aina
Scandinavian and Finnish variation of Aino, Catalan variation of Anna, Japanese, Latvian, Kazakh, Yoruba
"always; grace; lover of green; sight; mirror; delivery had complications [umbilical cord twisted around neck]"
A bright-sounding name with multicultural appeal, used regularly as a first name in Japan, Scandinavia, Latvia, and Spain. The Yoruba name Aina, pronounced ah-ee-NAH, is traditionally used for baby…
Aphrodite
Greek mythology name
"foam or born from the sea"
The name of the Greek goddess of love has rarely descended to mortal use, though the Roman equivalent Venus, thanks to tennis star Williams, now seems completely possible. But with the new fashion…
Astra
Latin
"stars"
A starry-eyed, intergalactic name, far rarer than Stella or Esther. It's attached both to a comic book character and to Princess Astra on "Doctor Who".
Aedion