Favorite Names Inspired by Books, Television Shows, Movies, Actors, Musicians, etc

General Name Discussion
1

I’ve noticed that some names that I have always overlooked have become one of my favorites because I read it somewhere in a book or it was the name of a character on television/in a movie or it was the name of a celebrity. Here are some of mine:

[name]Tessa[/name], the supportive friend from the book The Way We Fall
[name]Prudence[/name], protagonist from the book Deadly
[name]Rachel[/name], because of [name]Rachel[/name] McAdams and [name]Rachel[/name] [name]Crow[/name]
[name]Regina[/name], antagonist of Mean Girls
[name]Scarlett[/name], because of [name]Scarlett[/name] Johansson
[name]Nadia[/name], protagonist from the anime [name]Nadia[/name] and the [name]Secret[/name] of [name]Blue[/name] Water

What names do you like because of their mention in media?

2

The only one for me really is [name]Dean[/name] - not generally a fan, but then along came [name]Dean[/name] Winchester and now it’s awesome, [name]IMO[/name]!

Oh, and I guess [name]Dwight[/name] - [name]Dwight[/name] Shrute is one of my favourite characters, I don’t think that I could use the name, but I smile when I hear it.

3

[name]Love[/name] this thread. Great idea!

[name]Tessa[/name] and [name]Jem[/name], from The Infernal Devices.
[name]Clare[/name], a character in The Time [name]Traveler[/name]'s Wife.
[name]Clary[/name], [name]Simon[/name], [name]Alec[/name], all characters in The Mortal Instruments.
[name]Hermione[/name], [name]Luna[/name], and [name]Neville[/name], from [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name].
[name]Cinnamon[/name] nn [name]Min[/name], protagonist of The Gravesavers.
[name]Athena[/name], (embarassingly) because she’s [name]Ariel[/name]'s mother in The [name]Little[/name] Mermaid.
[name]Ariadne[/name], the Architect from Inception!
And about eight million others :stuck_out_tongue:

Books are usually quite influential in my picks.

4

My biggest one would be [name]Temperance[/name]. Never would have considered it and then I started watching “Bones” a few years ago. Now’s it’s one of our top names if this baby’s a girl.

5

[name]Minerva[/name], [name]Hermione[/name], and [name]Cedric[/name] from [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name].
[name]Phoebe[/name] and [name]Chandler[/name] from Friends, though I can’t use [name]Chandler[/name].
[name]Jack[/name] from Pirates of the Caribbean but wouldn’t use it because of popularity and I know a baby with the name.
[name]Leo[/name]/[name]Leonardo[/name] because of Mr. DiCaprio and [name]Liam[/name] because of Mr. Neeson, both of which are too popular now.
[name]Alexander[/name] for [name]Alexander[/name] the Great…does that count?
I have also always loved [name]River[/name] [name]Phoenix[/name]'s name. I used to want to name a son [name]River[/name] [name]Phoenix[/name] (first and middle name). I’m over that now haha, but I still love [name]River[/name] and think about it from time to time. I have also considered [name]Phoenix[/name] on its own.

6

[name]How[/name] could I forget these?!

[name]Matilda[/name] from the [name]Roald[/name] Dahl novel.
[name]Cordelia[/name] from [name]Buffy[/name] the Vampire Slayer (also my inspiration for my love of [name]Liam[/name]).
[name]Rose[/name] as a fn from [name]Doctor[/name] Who/nn [name]Rosie[/name] from We Bought a Zoo.
[name]Lucian[/name] from Underworld.

I love this thread because this applies to most of the names I love. I also want to clarify that I wouldn’t be naming my children after any of these people/characters, they are just the reason I first heard or fell in love with the names.

7

I have TONS here are some:

BOOKS:
[name]Agnes[/name], [name]David[/name] - [name]David[/name] Copperfield
[name]Arrow[/name] [name]Oliver[/name], [name]Kal[/name]-[name]El[/name] [name]Clark[/name], [name]Bruce[/name] [name]Wayne[/name], [name]Damian[/name] Nightwing, [name]Robin[/name] [name]Grayson[/name], [name]Harley[/name] [name]Quinn[/name] [name]Ivy[/name], [name]Selena[/name], Arkham, Gotham - DC Comics characters/Places [name]Green[/name] [name]Arrow[/name], Superman, Batman, [name]Damian[/name] [name]Wayne[/name], Nightwing, [name]Robin[/name], [name]Harley[/name] [name]Quinn[/name] + Poison [name]Ivy[/name], [name]Selina[/name] [name]Kyle[/name], Arkham Asylum, Gotham City
[name]Avery[/name], [name]Fern[/name], [name]Templeton[/name], [name]Charlotte[/name] - [name]Charlotte[/name]'s [name]Web[/name]
[name]Chester[/name] - after the cat [name]Chester[/name] in Bunnicula series
[name]Dorian[/name] - [name]Dorian[/name] [name]Gray[/name]
Hyzenthlay, [name]Hazel[/name], Dandelion, [name]Strawberry[/name], Blackavar, Efrafa - Watership Down
[name]Edmund[/name], Aslan, [name]Narnia[/name], [name]Lucy[/name], Charn, [name]Jadis[/name], Tumnus, [name]Caspian[/name], Hwin, [name]Bree[/name], [name]Aravis[/name], [name]Shasta[/name] - Chronicles of [name]Narnia[/name]

TV SHOWS:
[name]Damon[/name] [unisex] - [name]Damon[/name] from Vampire Diaries

MOVIES:
[name]Amsterdam[/name] - after Gangs of New [name]York[/name] character [name]Amsterdam[/name]

ACTORS:
[name]Bear[/name] - after [name]Bear[/name] Grylls
[name]Bale[/name] - after [name]Christian[/name] [name]Bale[/name]
[name]Perkins[/name] - after [name]Anthony[/name] [name]Perkins[/name]
[name]Beckham[/name] - after [name]David[/name] [name]Beckham[/name]
[name]Balthazar[/name] - after [name]Balthazar[/name] Getty
[name]Tobias[/name] - after [name]Tobey[/name] [name]Maguire[/name]

MUSICIANS:
[name]Michael[/name] - [name]Michael[/name] [name]Jackson[/name]

8

[name]Rohan[/name]- a city in ‘The [name]Lord[/name] of the Rings’

9

[name]Forrest[/name]-from [name]Forrest[/name] Gump
[name]Hermione[/name], [name]Luna[/name], [name]Neville[/name], [name]Helena[/name] - from [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name] series
[name]Cinnamon[/name] nn [name]Min[/name] - the Gravesavers
[name]Primrose[/name], Finnick, [name]Johanna[/name], [name]Cinna[/name] -the Hunger Games series
[name]Magdalena[/name] nn [name]Lena[/name] and [name]Hana[/name] -Delirium series
[name]Tobias[/name]- Divergent series
[name]Alec[/name] and [name]Isabelle[/name]-the Mortal Instruments
[name]Finn[/name] and [name]Sam[/name] - Glee
[name]Aria[/name] and [name]Ezra[/name]- Pretty [name]Little[/name] Liars
[name]Thalia[/name] - the [name]Percy[/name] [name]Jackson[/name] series

10

[name]Edmund[/name]- my grade 3 teacher read us The [name]Lion[/name], The Witch and the Wardrobe and that was when I fell in love with [name]Edmund[/name].
[name]Catharine[/name]- I did a project on [name]Catharine[/name] [name]Parr[/name] [name]Traill[/name] in grade 12 Canadian history, and that’s what solidified my preference with the spelling… though I’m not sure if she counts as a celebrity.
[name]Cedric[/name]- [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name], I can’t lie.
[name]Clara[/name]- [name]Heidi[/name]
[name]Ephraim[/name]- I first heard this on the WB show Everwood. They spelled it differently, but I love the name!
[name]Evgeni[/name]- [name]Evgeni[/name] [name]Malkin[/name], hahaha. I don’t even like Pittsburgh, but [name]Evgeni[/name] is an awesome name.
[name]Ezra[/name]- uh, Tayor [name]Hanson[/name]‘s kid made me take note of it.
Gaël- [name]Gael[/name] García [name]Bernal[/name]
[name]Hortensia[/name]- I read a book by [name]Hortense[/name] Powdermaker in 4th year and I took note of [name]Hortensia[/name] because of it. While combing this Valencian names document I have, Hortènsia came up, and it sparked my interest.
[name]Hyacinth[/name]- the character on “Keeping Up Appearances” hahaha
[name]Iker[/name]- noticed because of [name]Iker[/name] Casillas, kept on the list because I’m in love with the Basque Country.
[name]Leonor[/name]- the Infanta of Spain. I don’t care about the royal family but I do love this name!
[name]Marius[/name]- I read a play in grade 10 French called “[name]Fanny[/name]”, and [name]Marius[/name] really stuck out to me, especially in French. [name]Love[/name] it!
[name]Moira[/name]- [name]Wendy[/name] [name]Moira[/name] [name]Angela[/name] Darling. [name]Peter[/name] [name]Pan[/name] is by far my favourite story ever.
[name]Paget[/name]- I have a bit of a girl crush on [name]Paget[/name] [name]Brewster[/name], lol.
Pastora- there’s this flamenco singer named Pastora Pavón (La niña de los peines)
[name]Rafael[/name]- [name]Rafael[/name] Nadal, not gonna lie.
[name]Romola[/name]- I went through a Dirty Dancing: [name]Havana[/name] Nights phase a few years ago and the lead actress’ name is [name]Romola[/name], I thought it was pretty.
[name]Rosaline[/name]- pretty much the only thing I like about [name]Romeo[/name] and [name]Juliet[/name].
[name]Viola[/name]- I loooove Twelfth [name]Night[/name]!

(this is from my long list, haha)

11

Girls:
[name]Lucinda[/name] - The kooky great aunt from the Spiderwick Chronicles.
[name]Sean[/name] - Actress [name]Sean[/name] [name]Young[/name].
[name]Vera[/name] - Actress [name]Vera[/name] Farmiga.
[name]Helena[/name] - Actress [name]Helena[/name] Bonham-[name]Carter[/name].
[name]Minerva[/name], [name]Hermione[/name], [name]Narcissa[/name], [name]Bellatrix[/name], [name]Fleur[/name] - [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name].
[name]Thelma[/name] - The adorable ghost from the tv show Hex.
[name]Rosamund[/name] - Actress [name]Rosamund[/name] [name]Pike[/name].
[name]Estelle[/name] - The singer [name]Estelle[/name].
[name]Juno[/name] - Actress [name]Juno[/name] [name]Temple[/name].
[name]Briony[/name] - Girl from Atonement.
[name]Arwen[/name], Galadriel, Éowyn - The [name]Lord[/name] of the Rings.
[name]Ravenna[/name] - [name]Snow[/name] White and the Huntsman.
[name]Hypatia[/name] - Agora.
[name]Edna[/name] - The poet [name]Edna[/name] St. [name]Vincent[/name] [name]Millay[/name].
[name]Prudence[/name] - Across the Universe and the song “Dear [name]Prudence[/name]”.
[name]Buttercup[/name] - The [name]Princess[/name] [name]Bride[/name].

Boys:
[name]Lucius[/name], [name]Draco[/name], [name]Neville[/name], [name]Albus[/name] - [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name].
[name]Aloysius[/name] - The bear from Brideshead Revisited.
[name]Sebastian[/name] - Actor [name]Sebastian[/name] [name]Stan[/name].
Kraven, [name]Andreas[/name] - Underworld and Underworld: Evolution.
[name]Jude[/name] Across the Universe and the song “Hey [name]Jude[/name]”.
[name]Deacon[/name], [name]Frost[/name] - [name]Blade[/name].
[name]Rudolph[/name] - Actor [name]Rudolph[/name] [name]Valentino[/name].
[name]Laurence[/name], [name]Laurie[/name] - [name]Little[/name] Women.
[name]Emile[/name] - Actor [name]Emile[/name] [name]Hirsch[/name].
[name]Westley[/name], [name]Inigo[/name] - The [name]Princess[/name] [name]Bride[/name].

12

I also have a lot. Huge book nerd, but most of them come from different TV shows and movies:

Boys:

[name]Andrew[/name] - Inspired by the character from Touched By An [name]Angel[/name], which I used to watch all the time when I was younger. (The actor also recently passed away, so it’s even more special now)
[name]Brandon[/name] - Always been a big 90210 fan
[name]Brighton[/name] - Character on the show “Everwood”
[name]Dean[/name] - Character from the show “Supernatural”
[name]Declan[/name] - I think I may have heard this on the show “Degrassi”, but it could have been somewhere else as well.
[name]Dylan[/name] - 90210 connection again.
[name]Elliot[/name] - Character from the show “Leverage”
[name]Emmett[/name] - I will admit that I heard it on Twilight, even thought I’m not a big fan. I do love the name.
[name]Ephram[/name] - Also from the show “Everwood”
[name]Finn[/name] - Character from the show “Glee”
[name]Garrett[/name] - The name of my favorite actor, [name]Garrett[/name] Hedlund.
[name]Ian[/name] - But it has to be pronounced “Eye-An”, like the actor [name]Ian[/name] Ziering. I always loved how he pronounced his name, and I don’t like it any other way.
[name]Kellan[/name] - The actor who plays [name]Emmett[/name] in Twilight, [name]Kellan[/name] Lutz.
[name]Kieran[/name] - The name of actress [name]Julianna[/name] Margulies’ son.
[name]Landon[/name] - Character from the book “A Walk to [name]Remember[/name]”
[name]Lincoln[/name] - Character from the show “Fringe”
[name]Luca[/name] - It’s actually the name of [name]Jennie[/name] [name]Garth[/name]'s daughter, but I like it better on a boy.
[name]Mekhi[/name] - After actor [name]Mekhi[/name] Phifer.
[name]Paxton[/name] - [name]One[/name] of [name]Angelina[/name] [name]Jolie[/name] and [name]Brad[/name] [name]Pitt[/name]'s kids.
[name]Roman[/name] - Actor [name]Erik[/name] Palladino’s son.
[name]Spencer[/name] - The last name of [name]Eliot[/name] on the show “Leverage”
[name]Theodore[/name] - The name of [name]Bryce[/name] [name]Dallas[/name] [name]Howard[/name] and [name]Seth[/name] [name]Gabel[/name]‘s son./Also [name]Ali[/name] Larter’s son
[name]West[/name] - Actor [name]Misha[/name] [name]Collins[/name]’ son

Girls:

[name]Arianne[/name] - I believe there was a contestant on “The Amazing [name]Race[/name]” with this name
[name]Arwen[/name] - From “[name]Lord[/name] of the Rings”
[name]Auden[/name] - Actor [name]Noah[/name] Wyle’s daughter
[name]Aurelia[/name] - Character from the movie “[name]Love[/name] Actually”
[name]Coraline[/name] - Obviously from the book/movie of the same name
Danneel - Actress Danneel Ackles
[name]Easton[/name] - Actress [name]Elisabeth[/name] Rohm’s daughter
[name]Elin[/name] - The name of [name]Tiger[/name] Woods’ ex-wife, [name]Elin[/name] Nordegren
[name]Ella[/name] - Partially from the book “[name]Ella[/name] Enchanted” which I loved as a child.
[name]Eowyn[/name] - From “[name]Lord[/name] of the Rings”
[name]Genevieve[/name] - Actress [name]Genevieve[/name] Padalecki
[name]Isla[/name] - Actress [name]Isla[/name] [name]Fisher[/name]
[name]Isolde[/name] - From “[name]Tristan[/name] and [name]Isolde[/name]”
[name]Jovie[/name] - Character from the movie “Elf”
Kahlen - A contestant on “[name]America[/name]'s Next Top Model”
[name]Katarzyna[/name] - Also an ANTM contestant
[name]Mischa[/name] - Actress [name]Mischa[/name] [name]Barton[/name]
[name]Mila[/name] - Actress [name]Mila[/name] Kunis
[name]Priya[/name] - A character from “The Big Bang [name]Theory[/name]”
[name]Ramona[/name] - Partially from the children’s books by [name]Beverly[/name] [name]Cleary[/name], and also the name of actress [name]Maggie[/name] Gyllenhaal’s daughter
[name]Tais[/name] - First heard it as a character’s name from the show “Ghost Whisperer”

I swear it sounds like I watch way more TV than I actually do. :wink:

13

While these weren’t where I first heard the names by any means, it did make me warm up to the names more because of the characters.

Lucy - From I Love Lucy
Samantha - From Bewitched and Stargate SG-1
Dexter - From the book series and TV show Dexter.
Lila - From Dexter
Temperance - From Bones
Seeley- From Bones
Angela - From Bones
Cordelia - Angel [and Buffy as well, but I liked the character better in Angel]
Elliot - From Law & Order SVU
Walter - From Breaking Bad and Fringe
Audrey - From Haven
Hassie - From The Real McCoy’s
Scarlett - From Gone With The Wind
Claire - From Six Feet Under
Nathaniel - From Six Feet Under
Jadzia - From Star Trek DS9
Kira - From Star Trek DS9
Oswin - From Dr. Who
Rose -From Dr. Who
Amelia -From Dr. Who
Rory - From Dr. Who
Russell - From True Blood
Alcide - From True Blood
Godric - From True Blood
Spencer - From Criminal Minds
Kimber - From Nip/Tuck
Isabeau - From Lost Girl
Snow - From Once Upon a Time
Dean - From Supernatural
Castiel - From Supernatural
Daryl - From The Walking Dead
Hershel - From The Walking Dead
Myka - From Warehouse 13
Helena - From Warehouse 13
Liesel - From Ring [sci-fi novel]
Alia - From Transcendent [sci-fi novel]
Siri - From Blindsight [sci-fi novel]

1 Like
14

[name]Augustus[/name]- from my favorite book, The Fault in Our Stars
[name]Eames[/name]- [name]Law[/name] and Order (also [name]Eamon[/name])- someone’s last name
[name]Benjamin[/name]- I started liking this name after I started watching [name]Parks[/name] and Recreation
[name]Fleet[/name]- [name]Fleet[/name] Foxes (I use to listen to them with my dad)
I gess I can’t think of many now. Oh well.

15

That happened to me with [name]Conrad[/name] as it’s the last name of a musician I like, it definitely helped me see it in a cooler setting.

16

From Bones- [name]Temperance[/name], [name]Seeley[/name], [name]Brennan[/name], [name]Wendell[/name], [name]Jack[/name], [name]Vincent[/name]
The [name]Rowan[/name] (book)- [name]Rowan[/name]
Chronicles of [name]Narnia[/name]- [name]Edmund[/name], [name]Lucy[/name], [name]Caspian[/name], Rillian, Aslan
[name]Lord[/name] of the Rings- Aragorn, [name]Arwen[/name], Galadriel, [name]Rohan[/name], [name]Pippin[/name]
[name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name]- [name]Hermione[/name], [name]Bellatrix[/name], [name]Sirius[/name], [name]Remus[/name], [name]Cedric[/name], [name]Albus[/name], [name]Ariana[/name], [name]Neville[/name], [name]Ginevra[/name], [name]Fleur[/name]
Mass Effect (video game)- [name]Oriana[/name], Liara
Animorphs- [name]Tobias[/name], [name]Ax[/name]
Celebrities- [name]Orlando[/name] (Bloom), [name]Leonardo[/name] (DiCaprio), [name]Charisma[/name] (Carpenter), [name]Avril[/name] (Lavigne), ([name]Blake[/name]) [name]Shelton[/name], [name]Hunter[/name] ([name]Hayes[/name]), [name]Heath[/name] (Ledger)
[name]Ever[/name] After- [name]Marguerite[/name]
[name]Ella[/name] Enchanted (the book is much better than the movie)- [name]Ella[/name]
[name]Legend[/name] of the Seeker- Kahlan, Zeddicus
A [name]Knight[/name]'s Tale- [name]Jocelyn[/name], [name]Ulrich[/name], [name]William[/name], [name]Roland[/name], [name]Chaucer[/name]
Glee- [name]Quinn[/name], [name]Finn[/name], [name]Artie[/name], [name]Emma[/name], [name]Puck[/name], [name]Mercedes[/name]

I’m sure there’s more, I just can’t think right now.

17

I just started reading the Song of [name]Fire[/name] and Ice Books that the TV show Game of Thrones is based on and there are a lot of interesting names that I like:

Rickon
[name]Bran[/name]
[name]Jorah[/name]
[name]Jory[/name]
[name]Joss[/name]
Mikken
[name]Ramsay[/name]
Renley
Stanis
Yoren

[name]Asha[/name]
Cersei
Sansa
[name]Arya[/name]

18

WARNING: This list is going to be long. Most, but not all, of the names I like are inspired by actors/singers/etc. Mainly actors, though.

[name]Christopher[/name], after [name]Christopher[/name] [name]Lee[/name], the actor who plays Dracula in some of the older movies, who plays [name]Count[/name] Dooku in [name]Star[/name] Wars: Ep. 2 and 3, and who plays Saruman in [name]Lord[/name] of the Rings.
[name]David[/name], after [name]David[/name] Tennant, the actor who plays the tenth [name]Doctor[/name] in [name]Doctor[/name] Who.
[name]Matthew[/name], after [name]Matt[/name] [name]Smith[/name], the actor who plays the eleventh [name]Doctor[/name].
[name]Raymond[/name], after [name]Ray[/name] [name]Park[/name], the actor who plays Darth Maul in [name]Star[/name] Wars: Ep. 1.
Leo/Leonardo, after Leonardo DiCaprio.
Robert, after Robert Downey Jr.
[name]Felix[/name], after [name]Felix[/name] Baumgartner, the man who made history by basically skydiving from space.
The names of all members of [name]One[/name] Direction. ([name]Harry[/name], [name]Liam[/name], [name]Louis[/name] (Loo-ee), [name]Niall[/name] ([name]NYE[/name]-ull), and Zayn.)
[name]August[/name], after one of my favorite YouTubers… (That’s embarrassing…)
[name]James[/name], after [name]James[/name] [name]Bond[/name].
[name]Piper[/name], after [name]Billie[/name] [name]Piper[/name], the actress who plays [name]Rose[/name], a character in [name]Doctor[/name] Who.
[name]Amelia[/name], after [name]Amelia[/name] Pond, a character in [name]Doctor[/name] Who, who goes by [name]Amy[/name].
[name]Natalya[/name], after [name]Natalya[/name] Simonova, a character in Goldeneye.

I think that’s all. lol

19

[name]Claudia[/name] - Warehouse 13. I hated the name until I saw this show
[name]Oswin[/name] - [name]Doctor[/name] Who. [name]Love[/name] the character, love the name
[name]Atticus[/name] - To Kill a Mockingbird
[name]Scout[/name] - To Kill a Mockingbird (I’ll be honest. The fact that there are people who have named their daughter [name]Scout[/name], or are considering naming their daughter [name]Scout[/name], but haven’t read TKAM makes me stabby.)
[name]Edmund[/name] - From [name]Narnia[/name] and [name]Mansfield[/name] [name]Park[/name]
[name]Sunny[/name] - From A Series of Unfortunate Events
[name]Juno[/name] - actress [name]Juno[/name] [name]Temple[/name]
[name]Gemma[/name] - actress [name]Gemma[/name] Arterton
[name]Hermione[/name] - [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name]
[name]Georgia[/name] - actress [name]Georgia[/name] Moffett

20

Dear god, yes. That hideous film is practically an entirely different story.