So I know a lot of us like names with a literary influence, but I am curious, after you find/fall for a new name, do you search for any literary ties it has? I find myself doing this pretty often, even just to see what other sources influence peoples perceptions of the name, from authors, stories, poems to even song lyrics. Have you ever found something that turned you against a name? Or on the flip-side, has a literary reference (new or old) made you fall for a name even more? (For example, I’m currently reading a book written in the 1870’s and involves some great names, including one that I can’t seem to locate many other places, and I picked it up purely because there was a character with the name. ) I can’t be the only one who does this! [name]Do[/name] share your experiences 
What names do you love, because of, or in spite of literary connections?
I think [name]Lyra[/name] and [name]Lucy[/name] are the only names I’ve changed my opinion on based on a book.
A book is also the only reason I don’t dislike certain names ([name]Ramona[/name] and [name]Madeline[/name] come to mind). They aren’t favorites, but their namesakes make me like them more.
I don’t generally look for new literary connections of names I already like. Maybe I would if I was firmly considering a specific name for a child–just so I would be aware of the connotations it might have for people.
I rarely search for literary ties to a name. I’m an avid reader, I do believe I’ve read most things worth reading, and for me finding a name I like and trying to find literature that includes that name, only to read the book, finding it terrible and end up disliking the name seems fruitless. However, I did find a book yesterday named [name]Melisande[/name]! What are Dreams? by [name]Hillel[/name] Halkin (I love the name [name]Melisande[/name], it almost felt like a sign!). So I picked it up and read the leaflet and it seemed interesting, it had gotten fantastic reviews by journalists and writers I respect and admire, and then I bought it. I am in the middle of a different book though, so need to wait to start this one for a day or two.
I don’t really mind if a character is good or bad, as long as it’s got backbone and is interesting. I would never use a name I associated with flavourless, uninteresting and stupid characters ([name]Romeo[/name], [name]Juliet[/name] and [name]Cordelia[/name]) or cowardly, possessive characters ([name]Elgin[/name] and [name]Clifford[/name]).
Names I’ve started loving or love even more after reading (a very very narrow selection, classics excluded):
[name]Louise[/name] (Written on the Body): If you’ve read the book you’ll understand. She’s the love of the protagonist, and the novel reads like a strange and incredibly beautiful poem. It’s so special and precious, just love flowing through every word. And the most beautiful ones are always about [name]Louise[/name].
[name]Elina[/name], [name]Lexie[/name] & [name]Innes[/name] (The Hand That First Held Mine): These two never crossed my mind until I read the book. But I instantly fell in love.
Villanelle (The Passion): Never thought of this as a name, but the novel is extraordinary and the character is magnificent.
[name]Leopold[/name] (The [name]History[/name] of [name]Love[/name]): Ok, the name is obviously brilliant, but this story brought a new view on this name for me, and made it so much more usable. The character is wonderful, sweet and so very human.
[name]One[/name] name that deserves a honourable mention for me is [name]Emma[/name]. I’ve always loved the name (had some amazing kiddy [name]Emma[/name] books when I was little), but reading [name]Jane[/name] [name]Austen[/name]'s novel I loved it more. I still loved it after watching [name]Gwyneth[/name] Paltrow butchering the story in that awful movie and then there’s Bon [name]Iver[/name]'s album For [name]Emma[/name], [name]Forever[/name] Ago which took it to a whole other level. [name]One[/name] of the best names ever. But I’ve always found it beautiful.
About 90 percent of names on my name list I got from books. If I fall in love with a character I usually fall in love with their name. For instance, I was totally ambivalent towards the name [name]Eliza[/name], didn’t like it but didn’t hate, until I read this book with a really great main character named [name]Eliza[/name]. Now I love it and its become my #2 favorite name.
I don’t particularly seek out literary connections to my favorite names but when I’m in the [name]Barnes[/name] and Nobles fiction section reading the backs of books they’ll interest me more if I like the characters names. I tend to gravitate towards books that are old or have a historical setting so its rare that I’ll read something set in contemporary times. Because of this I have a serious problem where I can’t get into a book if the character’s names are dated (ex. [name]Stacey[/name], [name]Rhonda[/name], [name]Jennifer[/name]), its weird, I know, but I like characters so much better when there names are classic or unusual and don’t share names with my high school bffs or my old babysitter.
I wouldn’t say I go searching for literary connections. I always research a name for usual reasons (you certainly wouldn’t want to name your kid [name]Adolf[/name] not knowing that his namesake was a man responsible for the slaughter of millions…you know, if you were living under a rock).
But there are names I like because of the literary connotations. [name]Adler[/name], as in [name]Irene[/name] [name]Adler[/name] - the only woman to get under [name]Sherlock[/name] [name]Holmes[/name]’ skin. [name]Both[/name] the names [name]Sherlock[/name] and [name]Holmes[/name]. Because I [name]LOVE[/name] (scary love) the character.
I like [name]Bronte[/name] and [name]Emily[/name] because of the author. And [name]Thomasina[/name] - despite HATING, LOATHING, ABHORRING the name [name]Thomas[/name], I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Thomasina[/name], thanks to the play [name]Arcadia[/name] by [name]Tom[/name] Stoppard. Such a beautiful character and name.
I really love the name [name]Juliet[/name]/te. It just sounds so pretty. I’d never use it as a FN because of the [name]Shakespeare[/name] character.
[name]Isabella[/name] and [name]Edward[/name] are also names I like (but not love), but won’t use because of the Twilight connection.
I can’t think of any books that made me really like a name.
From my childhood,
[name]Anne[/name] and [name]Cordelia[/name] from [name]Anne[/name] of [name]Green[/name] Gables
[name]Eliza[/name]/[name]Lizzie[/name] from Pride and Prejudice
[name]Anne[/name] from Persuasion
[name]Henry[/name] from the Boxcar Children
[name]Charles[/name] from one the [name]Little[/name] House on the [name]Prairie[/name] series
…and more that I can’t remember because my brain is about to explode. I love reading so much and am always eager to find new names.
Oh god if I could only name my daughter Katsa or Bitterblue. These characters from [name]Kristin[/name] Cashore’s Graceling series are such great characters, and I love the names, but I fear Bitterblue is a bit much!
Actually, now that I’m on the topic, the Graceling Series is one of the few series where I have the names on my list (besides [name]Lyra[/name] of course). Brigan, Saff, [name]Gideon[/name], Raffin, [name]Nash[/name]. (Her boy’s names make me so happy, haha!)
I don’t really like ‘normal’ names, and most of the books I read have MC’s with ‘normal’ names, so I don’t really have that many favorites.
Growing up, my favorite book was [name]Little[/name] Women. My love for the names [name]Josephine[/name] and [name]Elizabeth[/name] (sisters [name]Jo[/name] and [name]Beth[/name]) stem from there. Their other sisters are [name]Margaret[/name] ([name]Meg[/name]) and [name]Amy[/name] - great names as well!
The Fault in Our Stars is what made me truly fall in love with the name [name]Augustus[/name], I know it could be seen that it holds some negative connotations but I don’t care! I love it!
[name]Atticus[/name], obviously from To Kill a Mockingbird, which was the only redeeming thing I gained from reading that book in Year 11 English. I know it’s probably a great book but I think I was destined to hate anything we read in that class, [name]Scout[/name] was dressed as a giant ham for God sake.
I’m an avid reader and an old fashioned-name lover so already have made the literary connections to the names I love without needing to research IYKWIM. However, I recently started liking the name [name]Evan[/name] and wondered if it had literary links so did a bit of research on that.
I don’t think I have fallen in or out of love with a name because of a character in a book but I door it when characters with one of my fave names are appealing - it feels like it adds weight to my good taste 
[name]Love[/name] it, not door it!!
I don’t specifically go into a book, hoping to come out with name options. The only time I try and remember a name I’ve read is if it really strikes me,or catches me off guard.
It’s not often I fall in love with a name that I’ve found in a book, but I did in [name]Les[/name] Miserables! I can’t even describe how much I love the names of almost all the characters.
Valjean, [name]Marius[/name], [name]Cosette[/name] and [name]Eponine[/name] were my favourites.
I desperately wanted to feel the same about [name]Fantine[/name] as I did the others, simply because I adored her character. The sound of it just does not appeal to me at all, unfortunately 
But I like that you mentioned song lyrics/albums as well! [name]Music[/name] is huge for me.
It’s the same as books, I guess, if I hear a name, or something that could be used as one, I don’t really keep it in mind unless it really sticks out to me.
Valdosta (EP from [name]Mayday[/name] Parade), Ocala (from [name]Mayday[/name] Parade’s Miserable At Best) and [name]Arizona[/name] (from The [name]Maine[/name]'s Waiting For My [name]Sun[/name] To Shine) are the ones I’ve really been into, [name]Arizona[/name] being my favourite.
I know someone who’s named all of her children after characters from [name]Astrid[/name] Lindgren’s [name]Ronja[/name] the Robber’s Daughter.
Mattis (B), [name]Birk[/name] (B), [name]Ronja[/name] (G) and Jutis (B), it’s good they didn’t have anymore girls than [name]Ronja[/name] because the only ones left are Undis and Lovis and I don’t know how good they are.
I’m glad you brought up the music bit again! So many names I love I can relate to a song, or know of because of a song. I often make sure to listen to songs with the names in the titles because I like to know all the pop culture references I can! I also love the thrill of finding a song involving the name that would make an adorable Lullaby! Examples like [name]Vienna[/name] by [name]Billy[/name] [name]Joel[/name], [name]Adelaide[/name] by Anberlin, Lavenders [name]Blue[/name] - Various Versions, Meet [name]Virginia[/name] - Train, well the lists go on! So many great names are involved in songs!
I totally agree! I felt like the only person who thought about things like that, and it makes me feel a little better to know I’m not the only one! Lol
I love thinking about the different songs I can play or sing for my future baby. [name]One[/name] of my favorites is Goodnight [name]Moon[/name] by Go Radio. A good song with a great nostalgic, lullaby feel to it!
Plus I hope it will inspire a love and appreciation for good music in my kids haha
[name]Just[/name] out of curiosity do an of you dislike names because of literary connections, like I dislike the name [name]Caroline[/name] because of [name]Caroline[/name] Bingley in Pride and Prejudice.
[name]Genevieve[/name] - I’m not sure! I can’t think of any off the top of my head, but I have had books/song/etc further reinforce my dislike of certain names!
The only literary character’s names I love are those of CS [name]Lewis[/name] I love [name]Caspian[/name] and [name]Peter[/name]. However I have loved the tv show ER, based on a book…anyways I have loved the show since I was 8 years old. The character [name]John[/name] [name]Carter[/name], played by [name]Noah[/name] Wyle made me fall deeply in love with the name [name]Noah[/name]. I mean my first born son will be [name]Noah[/name] [name]Royce[/name] come heck or high water.
[name]Davida[/name] -Not Without My [name]Sister[/name]
[name]Elspeth[/name], [name]Valentina[/name] -Her Fearful Symmetry
[name]Emmeline[/name], [name]Mathilde[/name], [name]Aurelius[/name] - The Thirteenth Tale