What are some of your favorite names that have been used for strong female characters in children’s lit? Bonus points if it’s wearable My daughter’s middle name is [name]Coraline[/name], partially because I think the name is beautiful and quirky, but also because I absolutely adore the character in the [name]Neil[/name] Gaiman novella. I like the idea of my daughter/s having a substantial character to associate with, for many reasons. Trouble is, I’m having a hard time coming up with characters who have particularly admirable traits. I think this could also work with film characters, if the movie has withstood the test of time or is likely to.
Some that I’ve thought of:
[name]Lyra[/name] - His Dark Materials
[name]Josephine[/name] - [name]Little[/name] Women
[name]Hermione[/name] (duh!) - this will be a strong middle name contender if we have a second daughter.
[name]Genevra[/name] - [name]Ginny[/name]'s full name.
[name]Minerva[/name] - Professor McGonagall. I’d never really use this, but I do love it.
[name]Fern[/name] - [name]Charlotte[/name]'s [name]Web[/name]. I don’t know, this one seems kind of weak. After all, she sort of forgets about [name]Wilbur[/name] there for awhile!
[name]Elinor[/name] - Sense & Sensibility. Sometimes I love her, and sometimes I just want her to TAKE SOME RISKS FOR GOD’S SAKE! She probably frustrates me because we’re a bit too much alike. Maybe Dashwood would make a good middle. That could honor both [name]Elinor[/name] and [name]Marianne[/name] in all their strengths and weaknesses. Hmm. Also this is getting outside of children’s lit by a mile.
So, what do you think of these? Who would you add?
I like all of those, especially [name]Josephine[/name], [name]Hermione[/name] and [name]Lyra[/name]
My favourites that I will suggest for you:
[name]Matilda[/name] from [name]Matilda[/name]
[name]Beth[/name] from [name]Little[/name] Women
[name]Eowyn[/name] from The [name]Lord[/name] of the Rings
[name]Lucy[/name] from The [name]Lion[/name], the Witch and the Wardrobe
[name]Margaret[/name] from Are You There God? It’s Me, [name]Margaret[/name]
[name]Serafina[/name] from Northern Lights
[name]Yvaine[/name] from Stardust
Also, since you included [name]Elinor[/name], [name]Emma[/name] from [name]Emma[/name] has always been my favourite [name]Jane[/name] [name]Austen[/name] character. She’s hilarious, and a very complex character.
[name]Ronja[/name] from [name]Ronja[/name] the Robber’s Daughter
[name]Pollyanna[/name] from [name]Pollyanna[/name]
[name]Heidi[/name] and [name]Clara[/name] from [name]Heidi[/name]
[name]Laura[/name] from The [name]Little[/name] House on the [name]Prairie[/name]
[name]Mary[/name] from the [name]Secret[/name] Garden
Karana from Island of the [name]Blue[/name] Dolphins
Trilliana from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the [name]Galaxy[/name]
A quick look at the bookshelf with some of my childhood favorites (definitely older books):
[name]Laura[/name] (from the [name]Little[/name] House books)
[name]Lucy[/name] or [name]Jill[/name] (Chronicles of [name]Narnia[/name])
[name]Anne[/name] ([name]Anne[/name] of [name]Green[/name] Gables)
[name]Madeline[/name]
[name]Caroline[/name]/[name]Caddie[/name] ([name]Caddie[/name] Woodlawn)
[name]Dorothy[/name] ([name]Wizard[/name] of [name]Oz[/name])
[name]Kit[/name]/[name]Katherine[/name] (Witch of Blackbird Pond)
[name]Maureen[/name] ([name]Misty[/name] of Chincoteague)
[name]Wanda[/name] (The Hundred Dresses)
[name]Ramona[/name], [name]Beatrice[/name]/Beezus ([name]Ramona[/name] the Pest)
[name]Claudia[/name] (Mixed Up Files of Mrs. [name]Basil[/name] E. Frankweiler)
[name]Emily[/name] ([name]Emily[/name] Climbs series)
[name]Jane[/name] ([name]Jane[/name] Eyre-- not sure if this is strictly children’s book)
[name]Rowena[/name] ([name]Ivanhoe[/name])
[name]Roberta[/name] (The Railway Children)
[name]Harriet[/name] ([name]Harriet[/name] the Spy)
[name]Catherine[/name] (Wuthering Heights)
[name]Mame[/name] (Auntie [name]Mame[/name])
[name]Mary[/name] (The [name]Secret[/name] Garden)
[name]Pippi[/name] ([name]Pippi[/name] Longstocking)
Karana (Island of the [name]Blue[/name] Dolphins)
[name]Heidi[/name]
Oooh, [name]Ottilie[/name], these are all favorites excepting possibly [name]Lucy[/name] and [name]Serafina[/name]. I think I’d need to reread CofN before making that call. Oh how I love [name]Matilda[/name]. My lucky little niece shares the name! As usual, your taste is impeccable
Thanks guys! Looks like I have some new books to read. I’m ashamed to admit I’ve never read [name]Harriet[/name] the Spy! [name]Pippi[/name] is a love and [name]Pippa[/name] is a favorite for future girl first name. [name]Ramona[/name]! [name]How[/name] could I forget that little firecracker?!
I love so many of these characters. Here’s a couple more…
I’m sure I’ll be back with more once I’m home and can visualize my bookshelf.
[name]Liesel[/name] from [name]Markus[/name] Zusak’s The Book Thief (This is one of my favorite young adult books)
[name]Kira[/name] from [name]Lois[/name] [name]Lowry[/name]'s Gathering [name]Blue[/name]
[name]Anne[/name] from [name]Anne[/name] of [name]Green[/name] Gables (also [name]Anne[/name] [name]Frank[/name])
[name]Margaret[/name] from Sense and Sensibility
[name]Sue[/name] from [name]Jude[/name] the Obscure
[name]Francis[/name]/[name]Francie[/name] from A Tree Grows in [name]Brooklyn[/name]
[name]Susan[/name] [name]Julia[/name] Caraway from Stargirl
[name]Maia[/name] from [name]Till[/name] We Have Faces
[name]Lilith[/name] from [name]Lilith[/name]
[name]Honour[/name] from Beauty
[name]Britta[/name] from [name]Princess[/name] Academy
[name]Liesel[/name] from the Book Thief
[name]Violet[/name] from Feed
Most of my favorites were already mentioned. [name]Pippi[/name], [name]Lucy[/name], [name]Anne[/name], [name]Lyra[/name], [name]Kit[/name], [name]Ramona[/name], [name]Jo[/name], [name]Caddie[/name], [name]Matilda[/name]… Sorry for any repeats.
[name]Annika[/name] from [name]Pippi[/name] Longstocking ([name]Pippi[/name]'s friend)
[name]Trixie[/name] from the [name]Trixie[/name] [name]Belden[/name] series
[name]Aerin[/name] Firehair from The [name]Hero[/name] and the Crown
[name]Arya[/name] Stark from A Song of Ice and [name]Fire[/name] series (not children’s books!! But the character is a child)
Eilonwy from The Prydain Chronicles
[name]Veronica[/name] [name]Beatrice[/name] Lockheart ([name]Sally[/name]) from the [name]Sally[/name] Lockheart series
[name]Jill[/name] Pole from The Chronicles of [name]Narnia[/name]
[name]Gemma[/name] [name]Doyle[/name] from the [name]Gemma[/name] [name]Doyle[/name] trilogy
[name]Valentine[/name] Wiggin from Ender’s Game
[name]Peggy[/name] [name]Grahame[/name] from The [name]Sherwood[/name] [name]Ring[/name]
[name]Kate[/name] [name]Sutton[/name] from The Perilous Gard
[name]Meg[/name] [name]Murry[/name] from A Wrinkle In Time
[name]Ella[/name] from [name]Ella[/name] Enchanted
[name]Meggie[/name] from the Inkheart trilogy
[name]Lina[/name] Mayfleet from The City of [name]Ember[/name]
I can’t believe I forgot [name]Arya[/name]! Thanks for the reminder about [name]Sally[/name]'s real name. Wasn’t her daughter named [name]Hattie[/name]?
[name]Katy[/name] and [name]Clover[/name] - What [name]Katy[/name] Did/What [name]Katy[/name] Did Next
[name]Lydia[/name] - [name]Love[/name] for [name]Lydia[/name]
[name]Matilda[/name] - Actually for me this would be after the main character in my favourite childrens book “The Cockatoucan” rather than from “[name]Matilda[/name]”
[name]Posy[/name] - Ballet Shoes
[name]Mary[/name] - The secret garden
My daughter’s middle name is [name]Coraline[/name], partially because I think the name is beautiful and quirky, but also because I absolutely adore the character in the [name]Neil[/name] Gaiman novella. I like the idea of my daughter/s having a substantial character to associate with, for many reasons. Trouble is, I’m having a hard time coming up with characters who have particularly admirable traits. I think this could also work with film characters, if the movie has withstood the test of time or is likely to.