85+ Literary Baby Names
GR
Editor-in-ChiefUpdated Oct 8, 202585 Names
These names come from books and stories. Authors created characters with memorable names. Literary names show a love of reading. They often sound classic and thoughtful. Many have been used for over a hundred years. Think about your favorite books. Some names come from Shakespeare plays. Others come from modern novels. Consider names from stories that mean something to you. A literary name can spark curiosity. look at 18 literary names here. Each name includes the book or author. Find a name with a story you want to share.
Popular Names
Explore the most searched literary baby names side by side. The infographic below shows the leading names for both boys and girls.
Literary Baby Names for Girls
- Origin:Latin, French
- Meaning:"Alive"
- Description:French feminine form of Vivian, from Latin vivus meaning alive, historically associated with saints and later with modern French naming.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Help; Benefit"
- Description:A Greek-derived name interpreted as help or benefit, widely recognized through literary usage and later cultural reception.
- Origin:Hebrew, English
- Meaning:"God Is Gracious"
- Description:English feminine form of John traditions from Hebrew Yohanan, historically common and interpreted as expressing divine graciousness.
- Origin:Latin, French
- Meaning:"Youthful"
- Description:Juliet is a French diminutive of a Latin-rooted name, popularized widely through Shakespearean literature.
- Origin:Hebrew
- Meaning:"Lion of God"
- Description:A Hebrew name appearing in biblical texts, used for multiple genders and associated with strength and devotion.
- Origin:Greek, Latin
- Meaning:"Lyre"
- Description:Name associated with the lyre instrument and the Lyra constellation, rooted in Greek and Latin astronomical and musical terminology.
- Origin:Latin, Spanish
- Meaning:"Little Star"
- Description:A variant of Stella with Romance language influence, it appears in literature and was reinforced by nineteenth century naming fashions.
- Origin:English, Germanic
- Meaning:"Holy Peace"
- Description:Diminutive of Winifred and related names, from Welsh and Germanic elements often interpreted as holy peace, now also used independently.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"She who Brings Joy"
- Description:From Latin forms associated with happiness and blessing, it has strong medieval use and continued literary presence.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Shining Upon Men"
- Description:From Greek mythology, borne by a Trojan prophetess; the name’s etymology is traditionally analyzed from Greek elements.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Worthy of Admiration"
- Description:From a Latin gerundive meaning admirable, it gained prominence through literary usage and subsequent English naming adoption.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"One who Explores"
- Description:A modern occupational word-name, it gained visibility through literature and is used for its concise and agentive semantics.
- Origin:French, English
- Meaning:"From Arseny"
- Description:Originally a Norman toponymic surname, later adopted as a given name, with meanings tied to place-name roots rather than a single gloss.
- Origin:Latin, Celtic
- Meaning:"Heart Daughter"
- Description:Literary name prominent in Shakespeare, with debated Celtic and Latin etymologies, long used in English-speaking traditions.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Friend"
- Description:Name popularized by J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan; often treated as a literary creation with uncertain earlier history.
- Origin:Celtic, English
- Meaning:"Maiden"
- Description:Imogen is an English literary name popularized by Shakespeare, with debated origins often linked to Celtic or Latinized interpretations.
- Origin:Latin, Italian
- Meaning:"Violet Flower"
- Description:Viola is a Latin-derived name meaning violet, also recognized as a musical instrument name in Western tradition.
- Origin:French, Germanic
- Meaning:"Wealth"
- Description:French diminutive associated with Germanic name roots for wealth, popularized through literature and performing arts traditions.
- Origin:Welsh
- Meaning:"Noble Maiden"
- Description:A Welsh name meaning noble maiden, widely recognized through modern fantasy literature usage.
- Origin:Germanic, English
- Meaning:"Gentle Horse"
- Description:Name with Germanic compound origins, later popularized in English through literature, including Shakespeare, and often reinterpreted via rose associations.
- Origin:English, French
- Meaning:"Bright; Shining One"
- Description:Variant spelling of Eleanor, used in English literature and records; shares the name’s medieval French transmission history.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Messenger of Hermes"
- Description:A Greek mythological name, it entered wider modern circulation through literature while retaining its classical derivational ties.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Bee Cottage"
- Description:Surname-derived given name with debated etymology, sometimes analyzed as bee and small dwelling, reflecting contemporary adoption of surnames as forenames.
- Origin:Literary, Old English
- Meaning:"Horse Joy"
- Description:Coined in modern literature with Old English elements, it entered real-world usage through Tolkien’s influential naming corpus.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Gift of God"
- Description:Dorothea is a Greek theophoric name meaning gift of God, used in ancient and Christian traditions.
- Origin:Greek, Persian
- Meaning:"Dawn; Bright"
- Description:Known from antiquity through Roxana of Bactria, it is associated with brightness or dawn and persists in diverse language traditions.
- Origin:Germanic, English
- Meaning:"Brave Lion"
- Description:Common diminutive of Leonard or Lennox, used as a given name with meanings influenced by associated roots.
- Origin:Germanic, English
- Meaning:"Mighty in Battle"
- Description:Medieval English form of Matilda, from Germanic elements indicating strength and battle, later revived in modern usage.
- Origin:Greek, Latin
- Meaning:"Maiden"
- Description:Corinna is a classical Greek name associated with a maiden meaning and known through ancient poetic and literary references.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Hyacinth Flower"
- Description:Name from Greek associated with the hyacinth flower and the mythological figure Hyakinthos.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of Porcius"
- Description:From the Roman family name Portia, known through classical history and later literary use, notably in Shakespeare.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Deep Valley"
- Description:English place-name surname adopted as a given name, typically interpreted through valley-related landscape elements.
- Origin:Constructed, Literary
- Meaning:"Maid Crowned With Light"
- Description:Literary constructed name from Tolkien’s legendarium, interpreted within that fictional language framework and used occasionally as a modern given name.
- Origin:Celtic, French
- Meaning:"Sorrowful"
- Description:Name from medieval romance tradition, strongly associated with Arthurian literature and later European adoption.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Joy Stone"
- Description:English surname from place elements, widely recognized through historical figures and used as a formal masculine given name.
- Origin:French, Germanic
- Meaning:"White; Fair"
- Description:From Old French meaning white or fair, ultimately connected to Germanic roots and common in medieval aristocratic naming.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Arrowhead Plant"
- Description:Katniss is an English botanical term for an arrowhead plant, later popularized as a distinctive modern given name.
- Origin:Latin, Greek
- Meaning:"Of Attica"
- Description:Atticus is a Latin name meaning of Attica, associated with ancient Greece and later popularized through modern literature.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Of Doris"
- Description:A Greek-derived name referring to Doris or the Dorian people, later reinforced by classical literature and modern artistic usage.
- Origin:English, Germanic
- Meaning:"Wealth Protection"
- Description:An Old English compound name borne by Anglo-Saxon kings and saints, it remains a traditional choice in English naming.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Hostage; Pledge"
- Description:From the name of the Greek epic poet; etymology is uncertain, sometimes linked to Greek terms for hostage or pledge.
- Origin:Italian, Germanic
- Meaning:"Famous in the Land"
- Description:Italian form linked to Roland, popularized through medieval romance literature and later English literary influence.
- Origin:Italian, Germanic
- Meaning:"Wealth; Famous"
- Description:Name known from Shakespearean literature, likely mediated through Italian forms, with disputed deeper etymology and rare use.
- Origin:Aramaic, English
- Meaning:"Twin"
- Description:Tom is a common short form of Thomas, a biblical name historically meaning twin in Aramaic tradition.
- Origin:Latin, English
- Meaning:"Of the Titans"
- Description:Titania is a literary classical name from Latinized mythic reference, popularized in English through early modern dramatic tradition.
Literary Baby Names for Boys
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Bee Cottage"
- Description:Surname-derived given name with debated etymology, sometimes analyzed as bee and small dwelling, reflecting contemporary adoption of surnames as forenames.
- Origin:Celtic, French
- Meaning:"Sorrowful"
- Description:Name from medieval romance tradition, strongly associated with Arthurian literature and later European adoption.
- Origin:Latin, Greek
- Meaning:"Of Attica"
- Description:Atticus is a Latin name meaning of Attica, associated with ancient Greece and later popularized through modern literature.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Deep Valley"
- Description:English place-name surname adopted as a given name, typically interpreted through valley-related landscape elements.
- Origin:Italian, Latin
- Meaning:"Pilgrim to Rome"
- Description:An Italian name meaning a Roman pilgrim, strongly shaped in perception by Shakespearean literary association.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Joy Stone"
- Description:English surname from place elements, widely recognized through historical figures and used as a formal masculine given name.
- Origin:Hebrew
- Meaning:"Lion of God"
- Description:A Hebrew name appearing in biblical texts, used for multiple genders and associated with strength and devotion.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Of Doris"
- Description:A Greek-derived name referring to Doris or the Dorian people, later reinforced by classical literature and modern artistic usage.
- Origin:Italian, Germanic
- Meaning:"Famous in the Land"
- Description:Italian form linked to Roland, popularized through medieval romance literature and later English literary influence.
- Origin:English, Germanic
- Meaning:"Wealth Protection"
- Description:An Old English compound name borne by Anglo-Saxon kings and saints, it remains a traditional choice in English naming.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Pain of the People"
- Description:A classical Greek name best known from Homeric epic, often analyzed as pain and people, though scholarly etymology remains uncertain.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"One who Explores"
- Description:A modern occupational word-name, it gained visibility through literature and is used for its concise and agentive semantics.
- Origin:Hebrew
- Meaning:"God Will Hear"
- Description:A biblical Hebrew name expressing the idea that God hears, prominent in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Liberator of Men"
- Description:Lysander is a classical Greek name meaning liberator of men, known from Spartan history and later literary revival.
- Origin:Germanic, English
- Meaning:"Brave; Resilient"
- Description:From a Germanic root meaning brave or hardy, long used as an English surname and occasional given name.
- Origin:Aramaic, English
- Meaning:"Twin"
- Description:Tom is a common short form of Thomas, a biblical name historically meaning twin in Aramaic tradition.
- Origin:Germanic, Literary
- Meaning:"Noble Bear"
- Description:A name with Germanic roots popularized through medieval romance and Shakespeare, associated with a fairy king in English literature.
- Origin:French, English
- Meaning:"From Arseny"
- Description:Originally a Norman toponymic surname, later adopted as a given name, with meanings tied to place-name roots rather than a single gloss.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Hostage; Pledge"
- Description:From the name of the Greek epic poet; etymology is uncertain, sometimes linked to Greek terms for hostage or pledge.
- Origin:Italian, Germanic
- Meaning:"Wealth; Famous"
- Description:Name known from Shakespearean literature, likely mediated through Italian forms, with disputed deeper etymology and rare use.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Timekeeper; Hour"
- Description:From Latin Horatius, associated with hora hour, historically used in Roman and later English literary and aristocratic contexts.
- Origin:Spanish, Portuguese
- Meaning:"Supplanter"
- Description:An Iberian form historically linked to James and Jacob traditions, carrying the inherited biblical sense of supplanter.
- Origin:Germanic, English
- Meaning:"Brave Lion"
- Description:Common diminutive of Leonard or Lennox, used as a given name with meanings influenced by associated roots.
- Origin:English, Germanic
- Meaning:"Little Home"
- Description:Hamlet derives from Germanic elements for home and is widely recognized through English literary and theatrical transmission.
- Origin:Fictional
- Meaning:"Eagle"
- Description:A literary name coined in modern fantasy, used as a given name for cultural reference rather than inherited etymology.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"She who Brings Joy"
- Description:From Latin forms associated with happiness and blessing, it has strong medieval use and continued literary presence.
- Origin:French, Germanic
- Meaning:"White; Fair"
- Description:From Old French meaning white or fair, ultimately connected to Germanic roots and common in medieval aristocratic naming.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Shining Upon Men"
- Description:From Greek mythology, borne by a Trojan prophetess; the name’s etymology is traditionally analyzed from Greek elements.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"One who Catches"
- Description:An English occupational surname used as a given name, semantically tied to capturing or catching tasks.
- Origin:Latin, Spanish
- Meaning:"Little Star"
- Description:A variant of Stella with Romance language influence, it appears in literature and was reinforced by nineteenth century naming fashions.
- Origin:Germanic, French
- Meaning:"Bright Warrior"
- Description:From Germanic elements for bear or warrior strength and brightness, established in medieval Europe through Frankish and French usage.
- Origin:Hebrew, English
- Meaning:"God Is Gracious"
- Description:English feminine form of John traditions from Hebrew Yohanan, historically common and interpreted as expressing divine graciousness.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Worthy of Admiration"
- Description:From a Latin gerundive meaning admirable, it gained prominence through literary usage and subsequent English naming adoption.
- Origin:Germanic, English
- Meaning:"Mighty in Battle"
- Description:Medieval English form of Matilda, from Germanic elements indicating strength and battle, later revived in modern usage.
- Origin:Latin, Italian
- Meaning:"Fortunate; Prosperous"
- Description:A classical Latin-derived name associated with prosperity and later popularized through early modern English literary usage.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Roman Camp Fort"
- Description:English place-name used as a given name, originating from a Roman camp site and later medieval urban development.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Bright Hair"
- Description:An English surname now used as a given name, popularly associated with literature though historically of descriptive origin.
- Origin:Latin, Italian
- Meaning:"Violet Flower"
- Description:Viola is a Latin-derived name meaning violet, also recognized as a musical instrument name in Western tradition.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Friend"
- Description:Name popularized by J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan; often treated as a literary creation with uncertain earlier history.
- Origin:English, Germanic
- Meaning:"Holy Peace"
- Description:Diminutive of Winifred and related names, from Welsh and Germanic elements often interpreted as holy peace, now also used independently.
Why Choose Literary Baby Names?
Literary baby names are popular because they communicate values at first introduction. A thoughtful name can become a lifelong source of pride and confidence.
Written by
Grace RoyalBaby Name Expert & Lead Editor
Editor-in-Chief with 15+ years in baby naming and linguistics. Columbia University M.A. in Linguistics.
Classic NamesName EtymologyCultural Naming Traditions