Broadway Musical Names

In the Aristophenes comedy, Lysistrata is the Athenian woman who organizes her fellow wives to end war in their country by denying their husbands sex until a peace treaty is signed. Interesting thought, but rather unwieldy as a baby name.

This spelling gives the name favorite an Elaine spin.

Madeline, a lovely name with a soft and delicate image, is an old-fashioned favorite that returned to favor in the 1990's, combining a classic pedigree with a cute nickname option: Maddy.

Magnolia, a sweet-smelling Southern belle of a name made famous via the iconic Edna Ferber novel and musical Showboat, is one of the latest wave of botanical names, along with unexpected blossoms Azalea and Zinnia. It is named for French botanist Pierre Magnol.

This ancient Roman family name, first borne by the distinguished Marcus Claudius Marcellus and later by two popes, is a possibilty in the hot new category of names from antiquity.

Though ancient, Marcus now sounds more current than Mark, in tune with today's trend towards us-ending Latinate names.

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 typical Peanuts character name, which peaked in the seventies, but is starting to attract attention again across the pond, where soundalikes like Macy, Marnie, Maisy, Darcy and Lacey are already popular.

Marian's (and sister spelling Marion's) image has gone through a sea change of late, recalling less middle-aged matron and more Robin Hood's romantic Maid Marian. Some influences: the SJ Parker-M. Broderick twin daughter Marion and the glamorous French actress Marion Cotillard.

Marius, frequently heard in Germany and France, is a slightly fusty yet accessible name that has (Les Mis) to Anne Rice. With the rise in interest in such Latin names as Maximus and Atticus, Marius might start attracting more attention. Mario, the Italian, Spanish and Portuguese version of Marius, is much more widely used.

This spelling variation of Mabel clears up the pronunciation — "may-belle", as opposed to "may-bull". Maybelle is packed with Southern charm, and like sister name Mabel is on the rise, but still on a much smaller scale.

Mendel is an Old World Jewish name that is also the surname of the founder of genetics.

The ultimate artist's name would make an unforgettable impression. It's the first name of famed Italian director Antonioni.

Most often associated with Rolling Stone Jagger, Mick is also used as a generic, and derogatory, term for an Irishman.

Pugnacious and spunky like the young Mickey Rooney and the original Mickey Mouse, but virtually never given to babies today.

Miles, which has a permanent veneer of cool thanks to jazz great Miles Davis, is a confident and polished boys' name that's an American classic. Always ranking in the US Top 1000, it's been drifting up the charts for the past half century but has never been TOO popular.

Milo is most commonly considered to be Germanic name derived from the Latin word miles, meaning "soldier." However, there is evidence to suggest it also may have independently spawned from the Slavic root milu, meaning "merciful." Milo predates brother name Miles, a variation that evolved when the name immigrated to the British Isles in the Middle Ages. Mylo is an alternate spelling.