Hello! I am 32 weeks pregnant with my second child. [name]Ever[/name] since I was a teenager, I have been obsessed with literature especially the old classics… [name]Gatsby[/name], To Kill a Mockingbird & more. I would love to incorporate literature into all my children’s names. However, it isn’t necessary. I just like classic names in general. I have one son named [name]Franklin[/name] [name]Huxley[/name]. My husband and I have decided to keep the sex of our second a surprise (just as we did with our first). I intend to keep the literary theme subtle yet apparent if that makes sense. We have quite the extensive list of full names we like for both boys and girls and we just need to narrow it down to 2 boy & 2 girl choices. We will go to the hospital with these four and whatever feels right depending on the gender is what we will choose. Any ideas or combos are welcomed but we would really love if you could give us feedback on our list. Thank you!
I love the idea of “literary” names/sibsets I would do it myself, but I don’t really like many “classic” novels so many people wouldn’t even know they were literary names. My favorites from your lists are [name]Eleanor[/name] [name]Ruby[/name], [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Charlotte[/name], [name]Ella[/name] [name]Austen[/name], [name]Johanna[/name] [name]Scout[/name], and [name]Scarlett[/name] [name]Ophelia[/name] (so most of your girls, haha) and [name]Nathaniel[/name] [name]Ridge[/name], [name]Holden[/name] [name]Ford[/name] (even though I could never use [name]Ford[/name] myself. My dad is a die-hard [name]Chevy[/name] fan, haha), [name]Ezra[/name] [name]Arthur[/name], and [name]Henry[/name] [name]Atticus[/name]. Those are pretty great. Good luck to you guys!
If I do a little mixing and matching, I love the combination of [name]Eleanor[/name] [name]Austen[/name] for a girl. I’d also love [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Juliet[/name].
My favourite combination of yours is [name]Clara[/name] [name]Juliette[/name] - gorgeous.
Some literary names you might consider adding to your list: [name]Jane[/name], [name]Josephine[/name], [name]Virginia[/name], [name]Elizabeth[/name], [name]Louisa[/name], [name]Agatha[/name], [name]Harper[/name], [name]Alice[/name], [name]Eliot[/name]…
Of your boys’ combinations, my favourites are: [name]Thomas[/name] [name]Ellison[/name] and [name]Henry[/name] [name]Atticus[/name].
I think [name]Clara[/name] [name]Juliette[/name] and [name]Henry[/name] [name]Atticus[/name] would make lovely sibling names, along with your son’s name. Good luck choosing!
Girls:
[name]Austen[/name] [name]Leigh[/name] - not crazy about [name]Austen[/name] as a first name for a girl
[name]Eleanor[/name] [name]Ruby[/name] - [name]One[/name] of my favorites from the list!
[name]Eliza[/name] [name]Charlotte[/name] - [name]Love[/name] this one as well.
[name]Ella[/name] [name]Austen[/name] - Very pretty and I love [name]Austen[/name] as the middle name.
[name]Charlotte[/name] [name]Austen[/name] - Same as above
[name]Juliette[/name] [name]Blair[/name] - These two seem a little mismatched in terms of naming styles. [name]Juliette[/name] is very pretty but [name]Blair[/name] just doens’t seem to fit with that or with [name]Franklin[/name] [name]Huxley[/name].
[name]Johanna[/name] [name]Scout[/name] - Again, these are two that I love separately but am not sure about them together.
[name]Scarlett[/name] [name]Ophelia[/name] - [name]Scarlett[/name] is ok but I’ve never been able to warm to [name]Ophelia[/name].
[name]Clara[/name] [name]Juliette[/name] - [name]Love[/name] this one as well.
Boys:
[name]Nathaniel[/name] [name]Ridge[/name] - Absolutely love this. Perfect.
[name]Holden[/name] [name]Ford[/name] - I also love Catcher in the [name]Rye[/name] but [name]Holden[/name] just doesn’t work for me.
[name]Ezra[/name] [name]Arthur[/name] - I love both names but [name]Arthur[/name] seems tough to say after that finally -a- in [name]Ezra[/name]. What about [name]Ezra[/name] [name]Thomas[/name]?
[name]Thomas[/name] [name]Ellison[/name] - too much like [name]Thomas[/name] [name]Edison[/name]! What about [name]Thomas[/name] [name]Ford[/name]?
[name]Montgomery[/name] [name]Ellis[/name] - This would be too much name for me.
[name]Henry[/name] [name]Atticus[/name] - [name]LOVE[/name] this one.
Overall, you have some really great choices! I love almost all the names and could see them in so many different combinations. Good luck!
We are going to use literary names for our baby as well!
Girls: I like [name]Scarlett[/name] [name]Ophelia[/name], [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Charlotte[/name] and the suggestion of [name]Charlotte[/name] [name]Austen[/name].
Boys: I like [name]Henry[/name] [name]Atticus[/name]. I would switch the combos a bit and make [name]Ezra[/name] [name]Montgomery[/name] and [name]Thomas[/name] [name]Arthur[/name].
I love [name]Eleanor[/name] [name]Ruby[/name] but [name]Eleanor[/name] and [name]Franklin[/name] are too Presidential together as siblings and the name is close to the Beatles’ song “[name]Eleanor[/name] [name]Rigby[/name]” :).
Boys
1 [name]Henry[/name] [name]Atticus[/name]
2 [name]Ezra[/name] [name]Arthur[/name] ([name]Ezra[/name] [name]Montgomery[/name] would be awesome too!)
I think [name]Nathaniel[/name] [name]Ridge[/name] is pretty cool so it would be my third choice.
Thank you for the suggestion of [name]Eleanor[/name] [name]Austen[/name]…I love that. But the thought had crossed my mind @[name]Mischa[/name] about the president connection. You think it’s too much? [name]Eleanor[/name] [name]Rigby[/name] never crossed my mind so thank you for pointing that out!
From your suggestions, I like [name]Ezra[/name] [name]Montgomery[/name] & [name]Thomas[/name] [name]Arthur[/name] as well [name]Thomas[/name] [name]Ford[/name]. Thank you for pointing out [name]Thomas[/name] [name]Edison[/name]! This is why I need help…
Oh now that @[name]Misha[/name] pointed it out all I can think of when I see [name]Franklin[/name] and [name]Eleanor[/name] together is the presidential couple. Which is sad because [name]Eleanor[/name] is so beautiful.
Below are my thoughts on your combos:
Girls:
[name]Austen[/name] [name]Leigh[/name] - [name]Leigh[/name] is nms. I’d prefer to see [name]Austen[/name] paired with something girlier. Otherwise [name]Austen[/name] doesn’t remind me of [name]Jane[/name] as much as of [name]Texas[/name]. [name]How[/name] about [name]Austen[/name] [name]Rose[/name] - is that too [name]Texas[/name] [name]Rose[/name]? [name]Austen[/name] [name]Viola[/name]? [name]Austen[/name] [name]Rosalind[/name]?
[name]Eleanor[/name] [name]Ruby[/name] - see above. [name]How[/name] about [name]Ruby[/name] [name]Eleanor[/name]?
[name]Eliza[/name] [name]Charlotte[/name] - I never thought I’d say this but… too P&P. Esp since [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Bennet[/name] and [name]Charlotte[/name] [name]Lucas[/name] were best friends.
[name]Ella[/name] [name]Austen[/name] - love this.
[name]Charlotte[/name] [name]Austen[/name] - this combo feels a little stuffy in comparison to [name]Ella[/name] [name]Austen[/name].
[name]Juliette[/name] [name]Blair[/name] - [name]Blair[/name] is nms.
[name]Johanna[/name] [name]Scout[/name] - the evil girl in my school was [name]Johanna[/name] so I’m not prone to think this is a great idea. [name]Scout[/name] is cute though and could make for a great nn.
[name]Scarlett[/name] [name]Ophelia[/name] - my only problem with this is that I immediately see/think about the color red when I hear [name]Scarlett[/name] that attached to [name]Ophelia[/name] who is from a play where tones of people are murdered. I love both names but together it’s a little gruesome for a precious little girl. [name]How[/name] about [name]Ella[/name] [name]Ophelia[/name]? [name]Austen[/name] [name]Scarlett[/name]?
[name]Clara[/name] [name]Juliette[/name] - I love this. Very beautiful.
Boys:
[name]Nathaniel[/name] [name]Ridge[/name] - very handsome.
[name]Holden[/name] [name]Ford[/name] - not a fan of the two o’s. Not sure why just feels odd to say.
[name]Ezra[/name] [name]Arthur[/name] - the -a A- meld together too much for me unless I’m careful it sounds like Ezrarthur. [name]How[/name] about [name]Holden[/name] [name]Arthur[/name] or [name]Ezra[/name] [name]Ford[/name]?
[name]Thomas[/name] [name]Ellison[/name] - Too close to [name]Thomas[/name] [name]Edison[/name]? [name]How[/name] about [name]Ellison[/name] [name]Thomas[/name] instead?
[name]Montgomery[/name] [name]Ellis[/name] - [name]Montgomery[/name] is a a mouth full but otherwise this is a fine name.
[name]Henry[/name] [name]Atticus[/name] - I love the simplicity of [name]Henry[/name] put together with the more historic and frilly [name]Atticus[/name]. It’s a perfect combo.
I think it’s a great idea and have a couple of thoughts in addition to mischa’s insights above.
don’t use a character and the author they’re associated with in the same name. No [name]Eleanor[/name] [name]Austen[/name].
Unfortunately, few of those names are more tired and overdone than you might think. [name]Atticus[/name], [name]Holden[/name] and [name]Scout[/name] are no longer so fresh.
You mentioned [name]Gatsby[/name], but no [name]Daisy[/name]? No [name]Zelda[/name]?
some additional, fresh literary options:
[name]Arden[/name] (for the forest of [name]Arden[/name] in As You Like It)
[name]Vanessa[/name] (Swift)
[name]Villette[/name] (a [name]Bronte[/name] novel)
[name]Clarissa[/name] (Dalloway)
[name]Hazel[/name] (Moates, from [name]Flannery[/name] O’[name]Connor[/name])
[name]Flannery[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name] (Caulfield)
[name]Antonia[/name] ([name]Willa[/name] Cather)
[name]Laura[/name] (Ingalls)
[name]Estella[/name] (Dickens)
[name]Iris[/name] (Murdoch)
[name]Leopold[/name] (Bloom)
Tarleton (the twins)
[name]Dedalus[/name]
[name]Brodie[/name] (the Prime of…)
[name]Burroughs[/name] ([name]Edgar[/name] [name]Rice[/name] [name]Burroughs[/name])
[name]Kimball[/name] (Kipling)
[name]Wharton[/name] ([name]Edith[/name])
[name]Quentin[/name] (The Sound and the Fury)
[name]Conrad[/name] ([name]Joseph[/name])
[name]Bennett[/name] ([name]Austen[/name])
[name]Easton[/name] ([name]Bret[/name] [name]Easton[/name] [name]Ellis[/name])
I like [name]Scarlett[/name] [name]Ophelia[/name] and [name]Clara[/name] Juilette out of your girls names. I also like [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Scout[/name].
For a boy I like [name]Nathaniel[/name] [name]Ridge[/name] and [name]Ezra[/name] [name]Montgomery[/name].
[name]Love[/name] so many of these! [name]Ella[/name] [name]Austen[/name], [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Charlotte[/name], [name]Eleanor[/name] [name]Ruby[/name], [name]Johanna[/name] [name]Scout[/name], [name]Clara[/name] [name]Juliette[/name], [name]Holden[/name] [name]Ford[/name], [name]Ezra[/name] [name]Arthur[/name] (can I ask the literary association here? I go to Sir [name]Arthur[/name] [name]Conan[/name] [name]Doyle[/name] straightaway, is that what you’re going for?), and [name]Henry[/name] [name]Atticus[/name] (although I like it more as [name]Atticus[/name] [name]Henry[/name]).
I think I like [name]Johanna[/name] and [name]Ezra[/name] best with [name]Franklin[/name], but they’re all so lovely!
[name]Austen[/name] [name]Leigh[/name], but it’s a touch too unisex for my tastes.
[name]Eleanor[/name] [name]Ruby[/name] (I think of [name]Eleanor[/name] [name]Rigby[/name] by the Beatles)
[name]Ella[/name] [name]Austen[/name]
[name]Charlotte[/name] [name]Austen[/name]
[name]Juliette[/name] [name]Blair[/name]
[name]Nathaniel[/name] [name]Ridge[/name]
[name]Thomas[/name] [name]Ellison[/name] (Reminds me of [name]Thomas[/name] [name]Edison[/name])
[name]Henry[/name] [name]Atticus[/name] (while I can’t stand the name [name]Atticus[/name] most times, I really like it in the middle and paired with [name]Henry[/name]!)
Great girls names! I adore [name]Austen[/name] esp as a middle name so I love the combos [name]Ella[/name] [name]Austen[/name] and [name]Charlotte[/name] [name]Austen[/name]. [name]Juliette[/name] [name]Blair[/name] is tied for my favorite spot though along with [name]Johanna[/name] [name]Scout[/name]. For some reason I just think the ‘J’ names sound great with [name]Franklin[/name].
For the boys I like [name]Nathaniel[/name] [name]Ridge[/name] and [name]Holden[/name] [name]Ford[/name], but my favorite is [name]Henry[/name] [name]Atticus[/name]. I agree with east, not normally a big fan of the names [name]Henry[/name] or [name]Atticus[/name] but this combo just sounds so great!
(Also I would have to disagree and Not recommend the pairing of [name]Ezra[/name] [name]Montgomery[/name]- in the show ‘Pretty [name]Little[/name] Liars’ [name]Ezra[/name] is a teacher who begins dating his student named [name]Aria[/name] [name]Montgomery[/name] so even though I doubt you watch it, that is still a very awkward association that might end up sounding less literary and more trashy teenage pop culture- but your original combos are fine). Good luck! =]
I don’t think [name]Ella[/name] [name]Austen[/name] or [name]Johanna[/name] [name]Scout[/name] flow too well. I’d also ditch [name]Scarlett[/name] [name]Ophelia[/name] - those literary characters have a lot of baggage.
For boys, I think [name]Holden[/name] comes with a lot of baggage as well. While I like the name [name]Ezra[/name], I wouldn’t name a child after [name]Ezra[/name] Pound. He was a pretty awful person, his poetry notwithstanding.
I see many of your points. Like I said, it doesn’t necessarily have to be from literature. in the end, I will go with a name I love regardless of where it came from if that makes sense?
[name]Do[/name] you all like [name]Ellison[/name] [name]Thomas[/name] better?
Right now, our forerunners for the boys are [name]Nathaniel[/name] [name]Ridge[/name] & [name]Henry[/name] [name]Atticus[/name]. I think they sound the best with our [name]Franklin[/name]. I really like the sound of [name]Franklin[/name] & [name]Ellison[/name] together too though.
We are still struggling with the girl combos. You’ve given us a lot to think about. I think my husband and I both loved [name]Eleanor[/name] but the presidential connection just ruined it for us I personally am leaning toward [name]Ella[/name] [name]Austen[/name] as a forerunner for the girls but I am not set on it yet.
I also like [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Scout[/name], [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Juliet[/name] & [name]Scarlett[/name] [name]Austen[/name] which are combos either mentioned/ones I hadn’t thought of previously.
I love literary names and I don’t think you can go wrong with your list.
Can I add [name]Nelle[/name] [name]Cordelia[/name] or [name]Cordelia[/name] [name]Nelle[/name] ( for [name]Nelle[/name] [name]Harper[/name] [name]Lee[/name] - I wouldn’t use [name]Harper[/name] now the Beckhams have but I have a soft spot for To Kill A Mockingbird).
I would do it myself, but I don’t really like many “classic” novels so many people wouldn’t even know they were literary names. My favorites from your lists are [name]Eleanor[/name] [name]Ruby[/name], [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Charlotte[/name], [name]Ella[/name] [name]Austen[/name], [name]Johanna[/name] [name]Scout[/name], and [name]Scarlett[/name] [name]Ophelia[/name] (so most of your girls, haha) and [name]Nathaniel[/name] [name]Ridge[/name], [name]Holden[/name] [name]Ford[/name] (even though I could never use [name]Ford[/name] myself. My dad is a die-hard [name]Chevy[/name] fan, haha), [name]Ezra[/name] [name]Arthur[/name], and [name]Henry[/name] [name]Atticus[/name]. Those are pretty great. Good luck to you guys!
I personally am leaning toward [name]Ella[/name] [name]Austen[/name] as a forerunner for the girls but I am not set on it yet.