Baby names inspired by TV shows/movies

As a huge TV show nerd, I can trace nearly all of my favorite names back to a character/actor/someone involved in the production from some of my favorite series. [name_m]Even[/name_m] now that we’re expecting our twin girls, the names we settled on - [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] and [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] - are linked to shows my partner and I like watching together. We fell in love with [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] after hearing it on Sex Education and [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] has been on our minds ever since we got into all of [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] Waller-[name_m]Bridge[/name_m]’s shows. I wouldn’t say we’re naming our girls AFTER these two, but the fact that we love both PWB and the character of [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] has definitely influenced and solidified our choices. Has anyone else chosen a name (or has a name on their list) because they love a fictional character, actor, etc.?

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Name combos I came up with using names from tv shows-

[name_m]Milo[/name_m] [name_m]Jack[/name_m]- actor [name_m]Milo[/name_m] Ventigmilia ([name_m]Gilmore[/name_m] Girls) and his character [name_m]Jack[/name_m] (This Is Us)

[name_f]Lorelai[/name_f] [name_f]Autumn[/name_f]- [name_f]Lorelai[/name_f] [name_m]Gilmore[/name_m] ([name_m]Gilmore[/name_m] Girls) and some of my favourite episodes from the original series are from that season).

[name_f]Liza[/name_f] [name_u]Paris[/name_u]- actress [name_f]Liza[/name_f] Weil ([name_m]Gilmore[/name_m] Girls) and her character name from the show.

[name_u]Sawyer[/name_u] [name_m]Davis[/name_m]- Surnames of characters on One Tree [name_m]Hill[/name_m]

Names I heard/like from tv shows (not necessarily because of the character)

[name_f]Aria[/name_f]-Pretty [name_m]Little[/name_m] Liars
[name_u]Blair[/name_u](e)- Gossip Girl
[name_f]Calliope[/name_f]- Greys Anatomy
[name_u]Marin[/name_u]/[name_f]Maren[/name_f]- Surname from Pretty [name_m]Little[/name_m] Liars
[name_f]Millicent[/name_f]- One Tree [name_m]Hill[/name_m]
[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f]- Friends

[name_u]Bailey[/name_u]- Party of [name_m]Five[/name_m]
[name_m]Caleb[/name_m]- Pretty [name_m]Little[/name_m] Liars
[name_u]Ezra[/name_u]- Pretty [name_m]Little[/name_m] Liars
[name_m]Fitz[/name_m](gerald)- Pretty [name_m]Little[/name_m] Liars
Hartford- [name_m]Gilmore[/name_m] Girls (town within the show)
[name_u]Killian[/name_u]- Once Upon A Time
[name_u]Logan[/name_u]- [name_m]Gilmore[/name_m] Girls
[name_m]Montgomery[/name_m] ([name_m]Monte[/name_m]/[name_m]Monty[/name_m])- Surname from Pretty [name_m]Little[/name_m] Liars
[name_u]Seth[/name_u]- The OC

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Absolutely! Most of these I’ve liked since I was young, but I feel like I was definitely inspired by these movies/shows.

[name_f]Claire[/name_f] - The Breakfast Club
[name_u]Kelly[/name_u] - Married With Children/Saved By the [name_u]Bell[/name_u] (both old favourites of mine as a kid)
[name_f]Stephanie[/name_f] - Full House
[name_m]Jake[/name_m] [name_u]Ryan[/name_u] - Sixteen Candles (can’t use it now because my ex’s name is in it :roll_eyes:)
[name_f]Serena[/name_f] - Gossip Girl
[name_u]Mallory[/name_u] - Family [name_m]Ties[/name_m]/The Babysitters Club
[name_f]Natalie[/name_f] - Mrs. Doubtfire
[name_u]Courtney[/name_u], [name_f]Marcy[/name_f] - Jawbreaker
[name_m]Daniel[/name_m]/[name_u]Danny[/name_u] - Grease
[name_u]Michael[/name_u]/[name_m]Mikey[/name_m], [name_u]Julie[/name_u], [name_u]James[/name_u], [name_f]Mollie[/name_f] - Look Who’s Talking Too
[name_f]Alyssa[/name_f] - It Takes Two
[name_f]Melanie[/name_f] - Passport to [name_u]Paris[/name_u]

[name_f]Maeve[/name_f] and [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] are lovely.

I think TV shows/movies (as well as books and video games) definitely have an influence on the names that I like. I’ve loved [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] ever since I watched [name_u]Twilight[/name_u] as a teenager. I wouldn’t be using the name to honour the character, but the series did bring the name to my attention.

I also love:
[name_u]Vivian[/name_u]/[name_f]Vivienne[/name_f] (Pretty Woman)
[name_f]Ofelia[/name_f]/[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] ([name_m]Pan[/name_m]’s Labyrinth)
[name_m]Xander[/name_m] as nickname for [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] ([name_f]Buffy[/name_f])
[name_f]Cordelia[/name_f], [name_u]Willow[/name_u] ([name_f]Buffy[/name_f] again)
[name_f]Inara[/name_f], [name_f]Saffron[/name_f] ([name_u]Firefly[/name_u])
[name_f]Apollonia[/name_f] (The Godfather)
[name_f]Margot[/name_f] ([name_f]Queen[/name_f] [name_f]Margot[/name_f], and also the actress [name_f]Margot[/name_f] [name_u]Robbie[/name_u])
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f] (the actress [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] [name_u]Cruz[/name_u])
[name_f]Angelina[/name_f] ([name_f]Angelina[/name_f] [name_f]Jolie[/name_f])
[name_f]Serena[/name_f], [name_f]Luna[/name_f] ([name_u]Sailor[/name_u] [name_f]Moon[/name_f])
[name_f]Elena[/name_f], [name_m]Alaric[/name_m] (The Vampire Diaries)
[name_f]Marnie[/name_f] (When [name_f]Marnie[/name_f] Was There)
[name_m]Milo[/name_m] ([name_u]Atlantis[/name_u])
[name_f]Azula[/name_f] (Avatar animated series)

I wouldn’t be naming my child AFTER any of those characters, but the TV show/movie brought the name to my attention or made me see it in a more positive way.

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Absolutely! I also fell for [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] because of Sex Education, and the name [name_f]Margot[/name_f] is extra awesome to me because of [name_f]Margot[/name_f] Tenenbaum from The [name_u]Royal[/name_u] Tenenbaums (and [name_f]Margot[/name_f] [name_u]Robbie[/name_u] as well). And part of the reason I fell in love with my daughter’s name, [name_f]Amelie[/name_f], is because of the film/character. The aesthetic of the film has imbued the name with such whimsy and sophistication for me and the beauty and sweetness of the character of [name_f]Amelie[/name_f] just makes the name even better. Another example is [name_f]Marigold[/name_f] - I only begun to appreciate it after I watched Downton [name_u]Abbey[/name_u]. I know I’ve deviated from TV shows a bit already but the name [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] is one of my favourites in large part because of the [name_m]Roald[/name_m] Dahl character/book. I also used to love [name_u]Rory[/name_u] for a girl because of [name_m]Gilmore[/name_m] Girls (and I still do, although I prefer it for a boy).

[name_f]My[/name_f] top boys’ combo ([name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_m]Sherlock[/name_m] [name_m]Walter[/name_m]) is made up of characters who are important to me. I used to watch the old BBC [name_f]Narnia[/name_f] series with my mum, and BBC’s [name_m]Sherlock[/name_m] is one of my favourite shows, and got me into the books. I also have lots of names/combos basically honouring characters I love or where a character made it easier to imagine a person with the name.

[name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] nn [name_f]Trixie[/name_f], [name_f]Lucille[/name_f] (Call the Midwife)
[name_f]Marigold[/name_f], [name_f]Sybil[/name_f], [name_f]Anna[/name_f], [name_m]John[/name_m], [name_m]Ephraim[/name_m] [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] (Downton [name_u]Abbey[/name_u])
[name_f]Lavender[/name_f] [name_f]Athena[/name_f] [name_f]Lucille[/name_f] nn Lal ([name_f]Lavender[/name_f]’s from [name_f]Matilda[/name_f], and Lal’s from [name_f]Star[/name_f] Trek)
[name_f]Tasha[/name_f], Kestra, [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f], [name_m]Zephram[/name_m], [name_f]Jaylah[/name_f], [name_m]Tiberius[/name_m] ([name_f]Star[/name_f] Trek)
[name_f]Ziva[/name_f] (NCIS)
[name_f]Morgana[/name_f], [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f], [name_m]Arthur[/name_m], [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] ([name_m]Merlin[/name_m])
[name_f]Lyra[/name_f] (His Dark Materials)
[name_f]Verity[/name_f], [name_f]Demelza[/name_f], [name_u]Valentine[/name_u] (Poldark)
[name_f]Tallulah[/name_f] (Bugsy [name_m]Malone[/name_m])
[name_f]Hermione[/name_f], [name_f]Luna[/name_f], [name_m]Cedric[/name_m], [name_m]Remus[/name_m] ([name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m])
[name_f]Margot[/name_f]/[name_f]Margaux[/name_f] (The Durrells)
[name_f]Nyssa[/name_f], [name_f]Thea[/name_f], [name_m]John[/name_m] ([name_u]Arrow[/name_u])
[name_f]Rosa[/name_f] ([name_u]Brooklyn[/name_u] Nine-Nine)
[name_u]Rue[/name_u], [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] (The Hunger Games)
[name_f]Winifred[/name_f], [name_u]Sydney[/name_u] for a boy ([name_u]Lark[/name_u] Rise to Candleford)
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m], [name_m]Edmund[/name_m], [name_f]Rilian[/name_f] ([name_f]Narnia[/name_f])
[name_m]Hugo[/name_m] ([name_m]Hugo[/name_m])
[name_m]John[/name_m], [name_m]Hamish[/name_m], [name_m]William[/name_m] ([name_m]Sherlock[/name_m])
[name_f]Amy[/name_f], [name_m]Santiago[/name_m], [name_u]Rory[/name_u] ([name_u]Doctor[/name_u] Who/SJA)
[name_u]Kit[/name_u], [name_m]Jimmy[/name_m] (American Horror [name_u]Story[/name_u])
[name_m]Linus[/name_m] (Peanuts)
[name_f]Xena[/name_f] ([name_f]Xena[/name_f]: [name_u]Warrior[/name_u] [name_f]Princess[/name_f])
[name_f]Natasha[/name_f], [name_f]Peggy[/name_f], [name_u]Loki[/name_u], [name_f]Valkyrie[/name_f], [name_m]Peter[/name_m] (MCU, [name_m]Peter[/name_m]’s also for X-Men)

[name_f]Cordelia[/name_f], [name_u]Anne[/name_u] of [name_u]Green[/name_u] Gables is very important to me and when I heard the name on [name_f]Buffy[/name_f] the Vampire slayer I was like “oh it’s not too dated to use!”

I also love [name_f]Cordelia[/name_f] because of [name_u]Anne[/name_u] and [name_f]Buffy[/name_f]! Also [name_f]Buffy[/name_f]’s spin-off [name_u]Angel[/name_u] made me absolutely adore the name [name_f]Winifred[/name_f] - [name_m]Fred[/name_m] Burkle to this day is one of my all time favorite characters :slight_smile:

Two of my kids ([name_m]Samuel[/name_m] and [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]) were named after characters in Legends of the Fall. [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] was little known at that time (1996-ish). She was the only one we knew for many many years. Now it’s so popular but I don’t mind.

I like [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] because of Legends of the Fall, @drfox! [name_m]Samuel[/name_m] & [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] are beautiful too.

I also like…

[name_u]Kit[/name_u] from A League of Their Own

[name_f]Ruth[/name_f] from [name_u]Glow[/name_u]…has anyone seen that? She’s such a real person character, & it made me love the name.

[name_f]Gerty[/name_f] is the A.I. from the movie ‘[name_f]Moon[/name_f]’. Weird thing to name a kid after, huh? [name_f]My[/name_f] husband loves it, but I kind of do too.

[name_f]Winnie[/name_f] from [name_f]Wonder[/name_f] Years! She’s such a good [name_f]Winnie[/name_f]. Her full name is [name_f]Gwendolyn[/name_f], which I like but I’m more into [name_f]Anwen[/name_f] nn [name_f]Winnie[/name_f].

[name_u]Maria[/name_u]- from Sound of [name_f]Music[/name_f] and [name_u]West[/name_u] Side [name_u]Story[/name_u].
[name_f]Emma[/name_f]- from [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_u]Austen[/name_u]'s novel, [name_f]Emma[/name_f].
[name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] (mn)- [name_m]King[/name_m] Midus’s daughter from [name_m]King[/name_m] Midus and the [name_u]Golden[/name_u] Touch.
[name_f]Freya[/name_f]- first heard this name from the TV show [name_m]Merlin[/name_m].
[name_f]Anya[/name_f]- from the animated movie [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f].
[name_u]Skye[/name_u]- from The Penderwicks book series.

[name_m]Wesley[/name_m]- partially inspired by [name_m]Westley[/name_m] in The [name_f]Princess[/name_f] [name_f]Bride[/name_f]. (One of my favorite movies.)
[name_u]August[/name_u]- from the book/movie wonder.
[name_m]Emrys[/name_m] (mn)- also from the TV show [name_m]Merlin[/name_m]/Arthurian legend in general.
[name_u]Kit[/name_u]- from the live action [name_f]Cinderella[/name_f] remake.

It doesn’t happen to me a whole lot but…

Names that i never gave a second thought until a movie/show:
[name_u]Bellamy[/name_u] (boy)-[name_u]Bellamy[/name_u] [name_u]Blake[/name_u] from the 100
[name_f]Octavia[/name_f]-[name_f]Octavia[/name_f] [name_u]Blake[/name_u] from the 100

Names i already liked but moved to the top of my list from a movie/show:
[name_f]Anouk[/name_f]-more so the book but chocolat
[name_m]Bruno[/name_m]-boy in the striped pajamas
[name_m]Raphael[/name_m]/[name_m]Rafael[/name_m]-[name_f]Jane[/name_f] the virgin
[name_f]Juno[/name_f]-the movie
[name_m]Monty[/name_m]-the 100
[name_m]Jasper[/name_m]-the 100
[name_m]Wells[/name_m]-the 100

Some names that have made my guilty pleasure list from movies…

Zaja-captain fantastic
Relian-captain fantastic

I only watched a few episodes of The 100, but that show had some amazing names! I love [name_u]Bellamy[/name_u] and [name_f]Octavia[/name_f], and I also kind of enjoy [name_u]Clarke[/name_u] for a girl.

Right? I only watched the first season but fell in love with the names [name_u]Bellamy[/name_u] and [name_f]Octavia[/name_f]! There’s also [name_m]Monty[/name_m], [name_m]Jasper[/name_m], [name_m]Wells[/name_m], [name_u]Clarke[/name_u], [name_u]Raven[/name_u], [name_f]Gaia[/name_f], [name_u]Roan[/name_u], [name_u]Indra[/name_u], [name_u]Echo[/name_u]…whoever came up with the character names is definitely a name nerd!

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[name_f]My[/name_f] husband is hugely influenced by what he’s watching! He loves [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] because of Sex Education and Westworld. And [name_f]Astrid[/name_f] from The Politician. We also considered [name_u]Quinn[/name_u] for our son When he was born (Homeland reference).

[name_f]Do[/name_f] you think we’ll see a huge bump in the popularity of [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] due to Sex Education and Westworld? [name_m]How[/name_m] popular is it where you are?

I’ve actually never met a [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]! I know it’s been rising in popularity, but it hasn’t popped up yet where we are, at least not that I’ve heard. I’ve asked a few friends and they haven’t met a [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] either. [name_f]My[/name_f] nieces and nephews as well as my friends’ kids tend to have more popular/trendy names (think [name_f]Ella[/name_f], [name_u]Hudson[/name_u], [name_u]Sawyer[/name_u], etc.)

I know 2 Maeves, but both are older (college age). I live in new jersey, and there’s a pretty big irish community in my town which might be why?

I live in [name_f]Arizona[/name_f] and the Irish community in my area isn’t super prominent, so I think you’re onto something here!