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Literary Gems
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The names
Crusoe
Literary surname
Crusoe, as in castaway hero Robinson, is a literary invention by author Daniel Defoe. In the novel, the character says his name is an Anglicization of the German Kreutznaer, which may be a place name…
Rudyard
English
"red enclosure"
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…
Fritz
German, diminutive of Friedrich or Frederick
"peaceful ruler"
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…
Dumas
French
"of the little farm"
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.
Doyle
Irish
"black stranger"
An Irish surname possibility for those who like Daley, Royal, Dougal, and Dolan, though it may sound too much like doily to catch on for modern boys. Nevertheless, it was fairly well used in the 20th…
Verne
Latin
"springlike"
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…
Gatsby
German surname and literary name
"from Gaddesby"
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…
Twain
English
"divided in two"
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.
Ernest
English from German
"serious, resolute"
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…
Hemingway
English place name
No matter how much you love the novels of Papa H., don't saddle your son with this unwieldy appellation.
Thoreau
French
"strength of a bull"
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…
Evita
Spanish, diminutive of Eva
There's only one Evita.
Burroughs
English
"dwelling place"
Most parents attracted to this name will be devotees of the author William and would be better off using it in the middle.
Riordan
Irish
"bard, royal poet"
Has a legitimate first name history in its native land and an appealing meaning, but pronunciation is far from obvious.