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Literary Names (Authors)

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  1. Harper
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "harp player"
    • Description:

      You might think of Harper as the hottest name of the last decade, jumping from obscurity to the Top 10, where it remained until last year.
  2. Leo
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "lion"
    • Description:

      Leo is a strong-yet-friendly name that was common among the Romans, used for fourteen popes, and is now at its highest point ever in the US thanks in part to Leonardo "Leo" DiCaprio.
  3. Ezra
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "help"
    • Description:

      Ezra has a lot going for it: the strength of its heroic Biblical legacy, its quirky sound, and its fresh but familiar feel. Ezra is now at its highest point ever, but its intuitive streamlined spelling and deep roots could make it a worth successor to Elijah in the Top 10 -- or even to Liam or Noah at Number 1.
  4. Easton
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "eastern town"
    • Description:

      Easton is a stylish Ivy League-ish place and surname name, more modern than Weston, on its way up for both sexes as part of the new direction baby names are taking, as in North and West. Easton was used for her son by Jenna Elfman--and by Elizabeth Rohm for her daughter.
  5. Sylvia
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "from the forest"
    • Description:

      The musical, sylvan Sylvia seems poised to join former friends Frances and Beatrice and Dorothy back in the nursery.
  6. Edgar
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "wealthy spearman"
    • Description:

      Edgar is an Old English name historically associated with the tenth century English king known as Edgar the Peaceful. There was also a King Edgar of Scotland.
  7. Edith
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "prosperous in war"
    • Description:

      Edith was a hugely popular name a hundred years ago that's being revived among stylish parents in Stockholm and London. It's currently beginning to gain traction in the US among those with a taste for old-fashioned names with a soft but strong image.
  8. Virginia
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "virginal, pure"
    • Description:

      A literary name and a place name with a grand yet familiar feel, Virginia has been in the US Top 1000 since records began in the late 19th century. Also familiar in Spain, Brazil and Italy, recent years have seen it rank around the #500 mark in the States.
  9. Ellis
    • Origin:

      English surname derived from Elijah or Elias or Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "benevolent"
    • Description:

      Ellis, a surname used sparingly as a first in the Wallace/Morris period, sounds new now for girls, as a gender-neutral alternative to Ella or Alice. It debuted in the US Top 1000 for girls in 2015.-- Ellis has always been in the Top 1000 for boys -- and seems to be headed straight up. One of the most popular gender-neutral names, currently there are two baby boys named Ellis for every girl.
  10. Huxley
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "inhospitable place"
    • Description:

      Huxley is definitely rising as a surname name, with its X that makes almost any name cooler. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2015. The modern nicknames Hux and Huck certainly don't hurt.
  11. Orson
    • Origin:

      Latin and English
    • Meaning:

      "bear cub"
    • Description:

      In the past, Orson has felt like a one-person moniker, tied to film director Orson Welles, who dropped his given name of George in favor of his more distinctive middle. While the Citizen Kane creator seemed to own the name during his lifetime, it's now an interesting possibility for any parent seeking an unusual yet solid name. It's started to appear to the celeb set too -- both Paz Vega and Lauren Ambrose have little Orsons.
  12. Kurt
    • Origin:

      German, diminutive of Kurtis
    • Meaning:

      "courteous, polite"
    • Description:

      A name that defines itself, a bit more curt in the harder K version.
  13. Doyle
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "black stranger"
    • Description:

      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 century, popular in the 30s, 40s, and 50s when it reached the Top 200 at one point.
  14. Fitzgerald
    • Origin:

      Irish and Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "son of Gerald"
    • Description:

      Made famous by F. Scott Fitzgerald and John Fitzgerald Kennedy; still works best as a middle name.
  15. Hart
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "stag"
    • Description:

      Hart could be the hero of a romantic novel, but on the other hand, it's short, straightforward, and strong sounding. The most famous bearer of the name was tragic poet Hart (born Harold) Crane, but it also has musical cred via Lorenz Hart, of the classic Rodgers & Hart songwriting duo and a literary tie to playwright Moss Hart.
  16. Antoine
    • Origin:

      French variation of Anthony
    • Meaning:

      "priceless one"
    • Description:

      Antoine is a venerable French name that is still stylish in its native habitat, where it is in the Top 30. In the US, it was most popular in the 1970s and '80s, reaching Number 262 in 1985.
  17. Auden
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "old friend"
    • Description:

      The poetic, soft-spoken Auden has recently started to be considered as a first name option, used for both sexes, appreciated for its pleasing sound as well as its link to the distinguished modern Anglo-American poet W.H. Auden.
  18. Austen
    • Origin:

      Literary surname and shortened form of Augustine, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "great, magnificent"
    • Description:

      While Austin is a popular boys' name, this spelling, honoring novelist Jane, nudges the name toward gender-neutral, chosen last year for 67 baby boys and 57 girls.
  19. Blume
    • Origin:

      German and Jewish surname
    • Meaning:

      "flower"
  20. Elspeth
    • Origin:

      Scottish variation of Elizabeth
    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"
    • Description:

      Elspeth is one of those names that never quite made it out of the British Isles--particularly Scotland, but possesses a winningly childlike charm. Elspeth was used by Sir Walter Scott for several of his female characters.

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