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Literary Gems

theirishsaint
By theirishsaint
Updated Thu Apr 06 2023
  1. Burroughs

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "dwelling place"

    • Description:

      Most parents attracted to this name will be devotees of the author William and would be better off using it in the middle.
  2. Crusoe

    • Origin:

      Literary surname

    • Description:

      Crusoe, as in castaway hero Robinson, is a literary invention by author Daniel Defoe. The character says his name is an Anglicization of the German Kreutznaer, which may be a place name or mean a crossing of the river Nahe. Short form Cru was given to over 100 boys in the US in a recent year, but Crusoe to none.
  3. Doyle

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "black stranger"

    • Description:

      Dark horse Irish surname.
  4. Dumas

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "of the little farm"

    • Description:

      The name of the great French novelist, author of the timeless The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers, would make a surprising middle name choice.
  5. Ernest

    • Origin:

      English from German

    • Meaning:

      "serious, resolute"

    • Description:

      Ernest is one of those sober, so-far-out-they're-beginning-to-be-reconsidered Great Uncle names. Ernest recently received a big style boost when Britain's Princess Eugenie chose it for her second son.
  6. Evita

    • Origin:

      Spanish, diminutive of Eva

    • Description:

      There's only one Evita.
  7. Fritz

    • Origin:

      German, diminutive of Friedrich or Frederick

    • Meaning:

      "peaceful ruler"

    • Description:

      Since female cousins Mitzi and Fritzi have entered the realm of possibilities, there's a chance that Cousin Fritz could as well. Fritz is the name of several notables, from early German-born film director Lang to early footballer Fritz (born Frederick) Pollard, the first African-American to play in the Rose Bowl in 1916.
  8. Gatsby

    • Origin:

      German surname and literary name

    • Meaning:

      "from Gaddesby"

    • Description:

      Gatsby is one of the most famous literary surnames, borne by the titular character of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. The book's Jay Gatsby gussied up his surname from Gatz, whose meaning is given variously as left-handed, cat, God, and person from Gat. As a first name, it's got a lot of energy and that great literary pedigree.
  9. Hemingway

    • Origin:

      English place name

    • Description:

      No matter how much you love the novels of Papa H., don't saddle your son with this unwieldy appellation.
  10. Riordan

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "bard, royal poet"

    • Description:

      Has a legitimate first name history in its native land and an appealing meaning, but pronunciation is far from obvious.
  11. Rudyard

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "red enclosure"

    • Description:

      Often thought of as a one-peson name because of Jungle Book writer Kipling, this was actually his middle name. He was middle-named for Rudyard Lake in Staffordshire, the beauty of which inspired his parents to reference it in their first child's name. Trivia tidbit: Actress Kim Raver gave her son Leo the middle name of Kipling.
  12. Thoreau

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "strength of a bull"

    • Description:

      A dashing French surname name most famously borne by Henry David Thoreau, an American naturalist, writer and philosopher who influenced such notable figures as Leo Tolstoy, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. The most common modern American pronunciation is "thor-OH", with emphasis on the final syllable, although Thoreau himself pronounced it "THOR-oh".
  13. Twain

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "divided in two"

    • Description:

      Twain can be thought of as a modernization (and possible namesake) of the dated Wayne, seasoned with the humor of Mark Twain, who adopted it from a river term.
  14. Verne

    • Description:

      Verne is a masculine name of Latin origin, derived from the Latin word 'vernus,' meaning 'spring-like' or 'flourishing.' This name gained recognition largely through the famous French author Jules Verne, known for pioneering science fiction works like 'Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea' and 'Journey to the Center of the Earth.' Verne has a classic, slightly vintage feel while remaining distinctive. In the United States, it saw modest popularity in the early 20th century but has since become uncommon, making it an distinctive option for parents seeking a name with literary connections and historical weight without being commonplace. The name's brevity gives it strength and memorability, while its association with a visionary writer lends it an air of creativity and adventure.