Favourite names from books/films/shows

Most of the names on my list have been inspired by my favourite books/authors/poets/films/shows/plays.
I love [name_m]Oscar[/name_m] because of [name_m]Oscar[/name_m] Wilde, one of my favourite authors. I also love [name_u]Dorian[/name_u], [name_u]Gray[/name_u], [name_m]Wilder[/name_m], [name_f]Cecily[/name_f], [name_m]Earnest[/name_m] and [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] because of him. I’m more attracted to the image of these names than I am to the way they sound or what they mean.
There are some bizarre ones like [name_m]Hercules[/name_m], my favourite Disney movie and [name_f]Lilo[/name_f], my favourite show as a kid ([name_f]Lilo[/name_f] and Stitch)
They’re names I wouldn’t like if they didn’t remind me of something/someone I loved.
What are your favourite names inspired by literature, art or film?

[name_f]Tess[/name_f] - partly because of [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] [name_m]Hardy[/name_m]'s book
[name_u]Jude[/name_u] - same as above

[name_m]Benedict[/name_m] - [name_m]Sherlock[/name_m]. I’ve always loved [name_m]Ben[/name_m]/[name_m]Benjamin[/name_m]/[name_m]Bennett[/name_m] but the actor made me really think about and love this version

I’ve got loads, although I’d probably still love some of them without the associations. My favourites are probably:

Caspian- Because of the books, and the old BBC episodes
Sherlock- For obvious reasons. I also love Benedict (I have such a huge crush :P), and I’m warming to John.
Edmund- For the same reason as Caspian
Ptolemy- From the Bartimaeus trilogy
Ephraim- I love because of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book, same with Silas
Indigo- Casson Family series, some of my fave names come from this series. I also LOVE Saffron and Cadmium.
August- Becasue of Wonder by R.J. Palacio, such a great book
Perseus- Percy Jackson
Dorian- Dorian Gray
Julian- From the Famous Five series
And my love for Artemus stemmed from Artemis Fowl
And of course all the Harry Potter names: Remus, Arthur, Dedalus, Fabian (actually I first saw this in another book series), Gideon, Hugo.

Beatrix- Beatrix Potter
Enid- Enid Blyton
Edith- Edith Nesbit
Morgana- Merlin
Matilda- Matilda
I’m warming to Molly, because of Molly Hooper (Sherlock) and Mrs Weasley.
And again, the Harry Potter names: Arabella, Luna, Hermione, Genevra, Bellatrix (but I definitely love the name more than the character)

For once my boys list is longer than my girls!

A lot of my top names were inspired by TV shows (I watch way too much TV, lol!)

[name_m]Jethro[/name_m] [name_m]Tobias[/name_m] - [name_m]Leroy[/name_m] [name_m]Jethro[/name_m] Gibbs and [name_m]Tobias[/name_m] Fornell, NCIS (it was actually initially a coincidence that I paired the two names up; I didn’t realise the connection for a while. Doesn’t put me off the combo though!)
[name_m]Malcolm[/name_m] - [name_m]Malcolm[/name_m] [name_m]Reynolds[/name_m], Firefly ([name_m]Nathan[/name_m] Fillion is a genius! I also love Castle and [name_m]Beckett[/name_m] as boys names from his other show, Castle)
[name_f]Fiona[/name_f] - [name_f]Fiona[/name_f] Glennane from [name_m]Burn[/name_m] Notice
[name_f]Nell[/name_f] and [name_f]Hettie[/name_f] - [name_f]Nell[/name_f] [name_m]Jones[/name_m] and [name_f]Henrietta[/name_f] Lange from NCIS Los [name_f]Angeles[/name_f]
[name_f]Prue[/name_f] - [name_f]Prue[/name_f] Halliwell from Charmed (my favourite sister)

I love all these names despite of their connections, but the shows were the first time I fell in love with them :slight_smile: x

[name_m]Sherlock[/name_m] - I think previous posters have covered this one. :wink:
Enjolras, Gavroche - both fairly unusable names from [name_m]Hugo[/name_m]'s epic [name_u]Les[/name_u] Miserables.
[name_m]Amedeo[/name_m] - both as a nod to the painter and the character from the children’s book by E.L. Konigsburg, a favorite of mine growing up.
[name_m]Fitzwilliam[/name_m] - it’s a GP. But I prefer it to [name_u]Darcy[/name_u], which is used more and more often for girls these days.

[name_f]Estella[/name_f] - as in Great Expectations.
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] - though honestly I prefer the name without the Shakespearean connotation.
[name_f]Titania[/name_f] - a favorite Shakespearean maiden.
[name_f]Mabel[/name_f] - from the Wilde play, An Ideal Husband. She was also the first major role I performed onstage, so she has a special meaning to me.
[name_f]Eloise[/name_f] - another childhood favorite.
Endora - Bewitched was my childhood. Plus, it has that quirky old lady vibe that I’ve come to love.

Oh, I forgot. [name_f]Astrid[/name_f] Lindgren, author of the [name_f]Pippi[/name_f] Longstocking series, an early role model and probably the source of my fascination with red hair.

[name_m]Malcolm[/name_m]- [name_m]Malcolm[/name_m] [name_m]Reynolds[/name_m] from Firefly
[name_m]Wesley[/name_m]- [name_m]Westley[/name_m] from the [name_f]Princess[/name_f] [name_f]Bride[/name_f], I prefer it without the T
[name_m]Gregory[/name_m]- [name_m]Greg[/name_m] House from House MD
[name_f]Vera[/name_f]- [name_f]Jayne[/name_f] [name_m]Cobb[/name_m]'s favorite gun from Firefly
[name_f]Serenity[/name_f]- the space ship from Firefly
[name_f]Zoey[/name_f]- [name_f]Zoey[/name_f] Washburn from Firefly

Authors:
[name_f]Angelou[/name_f]- [name_f]Maya[/name_f] [name_f]Angelou[/name_f]
[name_f]Bronte[/name_f]- [name_f]Emily[/name_f] [name_f]Bronte[/name_f]

Recently I was intrigued by Cormoran (Corm) when I read JK Rowling’s new book.

Books/movies/shows are definitely a major source of name inspiration. Some examples:
[name_m]Charles[/name_m], [name_m]Erik[/name_m] (X-men)
[name_f]Antonia[/name_f] (I [name_m]Claudius[/name_m])
[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] (The [name_f]Divine[/name_f] Comedy)
Thérèse (Thérèse Raquin)
[name_m]Aurelian[/name_m], [name_f]Amaranta[/name_f] (100 Years of Solitude)
Athénaïs ([name_u]Love[/name_u] and [name_m]Louis[/name_m] XIV)
[name_f]Arabella[/name_f], [name_m]Robert[/name_m] (Atonement)
[name_m]Leopold[/name_m] ([name_m]Ulysses[/name_m])
[name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_u]Austen[/name_u]'s names ([name_u]Darcy[/name_u], [name_f]Georgiana[/name_f], [name_m]Bennet[/name_m], [name_f]Emma[/name_f], [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]); Shakespearean ([name_f]Imogen[/name_f], [name_u]Hero[/name_u], [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f], [name_f]Cordelia[/name_f]);

[name_f]My[/name_f] all-time favorite boy name, [name_u]Seth[/name_u], was found through Fablehaven. I’m not a die-hard fan of the books or anything, but it’s where I first “heard” the name.
[name_f]Kathryn[/name_f] comes from one of my favorite book series, The Work and the [name_f]Glory[/name_f] (a religious, historical fiction story.) That’s also where I found the name [name_u]Jo[/name_u] for a girl, which led me to finding [name_f]Joanna[/name_f], one of my favorite girl names.
I found [name_f]Eloise[/name_f] and [name_f]Nola[/name_f] in a play I did for school once. [name_m]Jonas[/name_m] grew on me through The Giver. I found [name_u]Jude[/name_u] through the Beatles (I’m assuming music counts too? Hah).

[name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m]- I love [name_f]Luna[/name_f], [name_f]Hermione[/name_f], and [name_f]Ginny[/name_f] (but especially if it’s short for [name_f]Virginia[/name_f]). Also [name_f]Lily[/name_f], but it’s sooo popular. [name_f]Lily[/name_f] makes a nice middle though. As for the boys I’m not so sure. [name_m]Potter[/name_m] is okay and I do like [name_u]James[/name_u], but that’s about there.

[name_u]Percy[/name_u] [name_m]Jackson[/name_m]-
[name_u]Percy[/name_u] is a yes! And so is [name_m]Jackson/name_m, [name_m]Leo[/name_m], [name_m]Luke[/name_m], and [name_u]Nico[/name_u].
[name_f]Annabeth[/name_f] is iffy, but I love [name_u]Piper[/name_u], [name_f]Hazel[/name_f], [name_f]Thalia[/name_f], and even [name_f]Reyna[/name_f].
[name_f]Zoey[/name_f] Nightshade? I think yes.

[name_m]Hugo[/name_m] and [name_u]Asa[/name_u] are great.

Did anyone watch/read Saddle Club when they were little? They all have VERY 90’s-esque names, but they created my love for [name_f]Desiree[/name_f], [name_m]Simon[/name_m], and [name_u]Stevie[/name_u], none of which are my style.

This is the name of a character from my own novel, Ripped from the Elms: Sansa.

I know it’s not officially a name but I would love to bring one of the first Sansa’s into the world. Or Felanice! Another favorite of mine, though not quite from a book.

Although I wouldn’t name my kid after most of these people, I first heard/fell in love with the names when reading the books or watching the show
Girls
[name_f]Melody[/name_f] - not a fan of the actual [name_m]Doctor[/name_m] Who character, but I heard the name there first and really love it
[name_f]Elspeth[/name_f] - [name_f]Elspeth[/name_f] [name_m]Gordie[/name_m] from the Obernewtyn series
[name_f]Hermione[/name_f] - the only character I’d name my daughter after. Awesome name and awesome person
[name_f]Hazel[/name_f] - started loving this because of TFiOS
[name_f]Dinah[/name_f] - first heard it from the [name_u]Red[/name_u] Tent
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] - another [name_m]Doctor[/name_m] Who one
[name_f]Jenna[/name_f] - [name_f]Jenna[/name_f] Heap from the [name_m]Septimus[/name_m] Heap series
Lots and lots of names from [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m]: [name_f]Helena[/name_f], [name_f]Rowena[/name_f], [name_f]Luna[/name_f], [name_f]Ginevra[/name_f]

Boys
[name_m]Sherlock[/name_m] - I blame [name_m]Benedict[/name_m] Cumberbatch
[name_m]Benedict[/name_m] - same as above
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m] - first heard it in [name_f]Narnia[/name_f]
[name_m]Christopher[/name_m] - I started loving it as a full name after reading about [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] [name_m]Boone[/name_m] in the Curious incident of the Dog in the [name_m]Night[/name_m] Time
[name_m]Gideon[/name_m] - minor character in the Infernal Devices series
[name_m]Magnus[/name_m] - started loving it from the Mortal Instruments series
And of course [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] names: [name_m]Remus[/name_m], [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] ([name_m]Theodore[/name_m]), [name_m]Kingsley[/name_m], [name_m]Seamus[/name_m]

Girls:
[name_f]Matilda[/name_f]- movie and book [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] by [name_m]Roald[/name_m] Dahl
[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]- Pride and Prejudice

Boys:
[name_u]Austen[/name_u]- for all the men in [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_u]Austen[/name_u] books (Mr [name_u]Darcy[/name_u], Mr Knightly, [name_m]Edmund[/name_m] [name_m]Bertram[/name_m])…
[name_m]Theodore[/name_m]- [name_m]Little[/name_m] Women/ Dr Seuss
[name_m]Hezekiah[/name_m]- Bible stories
[name_u]Elisha[/name_u]- Bible stories
[name_u]Reid[/name_u]- Criminal Minds
[name_m]Atticus[/name_m]- To Kill a Mockingbird

Boys
[name_m]Pierce[/name_m] from MASH
[name_u]Spencer[/name_u] from Psych
Finnick from Hunger Games
[name_m]Cato[/name_m] from Hunger Games
[name_u]Charlie[/name_u] from Numb3rs

Girls
[name_f]Juliet[/name_f] from Psych
[name_f]Hermione[/name_f] from [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m]
[name_u]Rue[/name_u] from Hunger Games
[name_f]Primrose[/name_f] from Hunger Games

I love nearly all the names from The [name_f]Secret[/name_f] Garden. [name_m]Colin[/name_m], [name_f]Mary[/name_f] and [name_f]Lilias[/name_f] are some of my absolute favourite names.

[name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] - The perks of being a wallflower
[name_m]Johnny[/name_m] - Dirty Dancing
Enjolras - [name_u]Les[/name_u] Miserables
[name_m]Marius[/name_m] - [name_u]Les[/name_u] Miserables
[name_m]Miles[/name_m] - Looking for [name_f]Alaska[/name_f]
[name_f]Adele[/name_f] - [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_f]Eyre[/name_f]

[name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] names - [name_f]Helena[/name_f], [name_f]Juliet[/name_f], [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f], [name_f]Portia[/name_f], [name_f]Maria[/name_f], [name_f]Octavia[/name_f], [name_f]Emilia[/name_f], [name_m]Henry[/name_m], [name_f]Cressida[/name_f]

I’m better at/more inclined toward girl names, and I imagine there have been some boy names I’ve loved in books/movies/TV shows too, but only the girl names are coming to mind.

From books:

[name_f]Charis[/name_f] from The Robber [name_f]Bride[/name_f] (though for real-life use I’d go with the [name_f]Carys[/name_f] spelling because I think [name_f]Charis[/name_f] would be misspelled/mispronounced all of the time)
[name_f]Iris[/name_f] from The Blind Assassin
[name_f]Amedea[/name_f] from Beautiful Ruins (I forget if it’s spelled [name_f]Amadea[/name_f] or [name_f]Amedea[/name_f])
[name_f]Ismene[/name_f] from [name_f]Antigone[/name_f]
And I think I came around to [name_f]Araminta[/name_f] because of [name_f]Amaranta[/name_f] from 100 Years of Solitude.

From TV:

[name_f]Lorelai[/name_f]/[name_f]Lorelei[/name_f] from [name_m]Gilmore[/name_m] Girls
[name_f]Serena[/name_f] from Gossip Girl (a clear case of loving a name despite a character)
[name_f]Lyla[/name_f] from Friday [name_m]Night[/name_m] Lights (though I’d spell it [name_f]Lila[/name_f])

From films, I’m sure there are more, but the only one that comes to mind is [name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] from “[name_u]Love[/name_u], Actually”.

[name_f]Lyra[/name_f], Asriel, Iorek, [name_f]Serafina[/name_f] from His Dark Materials
[name_m]Amos[/name_m], [name_f]Bellatrix[/name_f], Fenrir, [name_f]Hermione[/name_f], [name_u]Kingsley[/name_u], [name_f]Luna[/name_f], [name_m]Sirius[/name_m] from [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m]
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m] from The Chronicles of [name_f]Narnia[/name_f]
[name_m]Peregrine[/name_m], [name_f]Olive[/name_f], [name_f]Bronwyn[/name_f] from Miss [name_m]Peregrine[/name_m]'s Home for Peculiar Children
[name_f]Cressida[/name_f] from The Hunger Games
[name_u]Jericho[/name_u], [name_f]Theta[/name_f] from The Diviners
[name_u]River[/name_u], [name_f]Clara[/name_f] from [name_m]Doctor[/name_m] Who
[name_u]Vesper[/name_u] from Casino [name_u]Royal[/name_u]

Okay I have a lot. . .

From movies:
[name_u]Abilene[/name_u] - The Help (spelled Aibileen in the book/movie)
[name_f]Arbella[/name_f] - The [name_m]Prince[/name_m] and Me ([name_m]Eddie[/name_m]'s little sister [name_f]Princess[/name_f] [name_f]Arabella[/name_f])
[name_u]Ariel[/name_u] - The [name_m]Little[/name_m] Mermaid
[name_f]Astrid[/name_f] - [name_m]Doctor[/name_m] Who
[name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] - [name_u]Love[/name_u] Actually
[name_f]Briony[/name_f] - Atonement
[name_f]Cosette[/name_f] - [name_u]Les[/name_u] Mis
[name_f]Lindy[/name_f] - Beastly
[name_f]Marnie[/name_f] - Halloweentown movies
[name_f]Matilda[/name_f] - [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] (the book too but I saw the movie first)
[name_m]Magnus[/name_m] - [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]
[name_f]Scarlett[/name_f] - Gone With the Wind

From books:
[name_f]Ada[/name_f] - the children’s book Coming on Home Soon
[name_f]Agnes[/name_f] - the book Immortal (also turned me on to [name_f]Effie[/name_f] & [name_f]Evie[/name_f])
[name_f]Alba[/name_f] - The Time [name_u]Traveler[/name_u]'s Wife
[name_u]Araby[/name_u] - [name_u]Araby[/name_u] (short story by [name_u]James[/name_u] [name_u]Joyce[/name_u])
[name_f]Azalea[/name_f] - Entwined
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m] - The Chronicles of [name_f]Narnia[/name_f] series
[name_f]Eloise[/name_f] - [name_f]Eloise[/name_f] children’s books
[name_f]Fleur[/name_f] - [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m]
[name_f]Linnaea[/name_f]/Linnea - a book called [name_f]Linnaea[/name_f]'s World (undecided on which spelling I prefer)
[name_f]Luna[/name_f] - [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m]
[name_f]Madeline[/name_f] - [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] children’s book
[name_f]Odette[/name_f] - not an actual book but an amazingly well written fanfic called The [name_m]Black[/name_m] [name_f]Swan[/name_f] (it’s on wattpad by writetospeak if anyone’s interested, the author is mega talented)
[name_f]Posy[/name_f] - Ballet Shoes
[name_f]Tess[/name_f]/a - After series

From tv:
[name_f]Aria[/name_f] - Pretty [name_m]Little[/name_m] Liars
[name_u]Blair[/name_u] - Gossip Girl
[name_f]Effy[/name_f] - Skins
[name_m]Emrys[/name_m] - [name_m]Merlin[/name_m] (I love this on a girl, might spell it Emris…)
[name_f]Molly[/name_f] - [name_m]Sherlock[/name_m]

Writers and Actors:
[name_u]Auden[/name_u] - W. H. [name_u]Auden[/name_u]
[name_f]Audrey[/name_f] - [name_f]Audrey[/name_f] Hepburn
Estlin - e.e. cummings ([name_m]Edward[/name_m] Estlin)
[name_f]Isla[/name_f] - [name_f]Isla[/name_f] [name_m]Fisher[/name_m]
[name_m]Olivier[/name_m] - [name_u]Laurence[/name_u] [name_m]Olivier[/name_m]

Sorry there are so many, I just thought I’d put them all out there!

The [name_u]Grey[/name_u]'s Anatomy Names and Vampire Diaries Names…
[name_u]Meredith[/name_u]
[name_m]George[/name_m]
[name_f]Calliope[/name_f]
[name_f]Arizona[/name_f] (wouldn’t name my kid [name_f]Calliope[/name_f] or [name_f]Arizona[/name_f] though, I’ll go with [name_f]Callie[/name_f] as a full or [name_f]Ariana[/name_f])
[name_f]Izzie[/name_f]
[name_m]Derek[/name_m]
etc. I used to not like the names on this list until I watched the show. Also I didn’t like [name_f]Elena[/name_f] or [name_m]Damon[/name_m] until I watched Vampire Diaries, but I always liked the names [name_m]Stefan[/name_m], [name_f]Caroline[/name_f], [name_u]Tyler[/name_u], [name_f]Bonnie[/name_f], and other names.