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Literary Baby Names

Discover names inspired by beloved books, plays, and timeless characters.

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Literary names are full of story, imagination, and meaning. Whether you love the classics or modern tales, find a name that celebrates your favorite books and characters.

Literary names connect you to timeless stories and beloved characters.
A literary name can inspire a love of reading and imagination.
Many literary names have rich meanings and fascinating histories.

Atticus

Latin - Man of Attica

To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)

Emma

German, English - Universal, whole

Emma (Jane Austen)

Holden

English - Hollow valley

The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)

Juliet

Latin, English - Youthful

Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare)

Dorian

Greek - Of Doris; gift

The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde)

Matilda

German, English - Mighty in battle

Matilda (Roald Dahl)

Heathcliff

English - Heath near a cliff

Wuthering Heights (Emily Brontë)

Alice

German, English - Noble

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll)

Gatsby

English - From Gaddesby

The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald)

Scout

English - To listen, to observe

To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)

Sherlock

English - Fair-haired

Sherlock Holmes series (Arthur Conan Doyle)

Hermione

Greek - Messenger, earthly

Harry Potter series (J.K. Rowling)

Orlando

Italian, Spanish - Famous throughout the land

Orlando (Virginia Woolf) & As You Like It (Shakespeare)

Portia

Latin - Pig, offering

The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare)

Pip

English - Lover of horses

Great Expectations (Charles Dickens)

Eloise

French, English - Healthy, wide

Eloise (Kay Thompson)

Huckleberry

English - Sweet berry

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain)

Ophelia

Greek - Help

Hamlet (Shakespeare)

Romeo

Italian - Pilgrim to Rome

Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare)

Wendy

English - Friend

Peter Pan (J.M. Barrie)

Tom

Hebrew, English - Twin

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Mark Twain)

Jane

English - God is gracious

Jane Eyre (Charlotte Brontë)

Samwise

Old English - Half-wise, simple

The Lord of the Rings (J.R.R. Tolkien)

Dorothy

Greek - Gift of God

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (L. Frank Baum)

Fitzwilliam

English - Son of William

Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)

Meg

Greek, English - Pearl

Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)

Edmond

French, English - Wealthy protector

The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)

Jo

Hebrew, English - God will increase

Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)

Ishmael

Hebrew - God will hear

Moby-Dick (Herman Melville)

Beth

Hebrew, English - God is my oath

Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)

Gregor

German, Slavic - Vigilant, watchful

The Metamorphosis (Franz Kafka)

Amy

French, English - Beloved

Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)

Percy

French, English - Pierce valley

Percy Jackson series (Rick Riordan)

Estella

Latin, Spanish - Star

Great Expectations (Charles Dickens)

Aragorn

Old English, Sindarin - Revered king

The Lord of the Rings (J.R.R. Tolkien)

Cordelia

Celtic, Latin - Heart; daughter of the sea

King Lear (Shakespeare)

Laurie

Latin, English - Laurel tree

Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)

Beatrice

Latin - Bringer of joy

Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare)

Wilbur

English - Wild boar

Charlotte's Web (E.B. White)

Cosette

French - Little thing

Les Misérables (Victor Hugo)

Milo

German, Slavic - Soldier, merciful

The Phantom Tollbooth (Norton Juster)

Nancy

Hebrew, English - Grace

Nancy Drew series (Carolyn Keene)

Phileas

Greek - Lover of horses

Around the World in 80 Days (Jules Verne)

Ramona

Spanish - Wise protector

Ramona series (Beverly Cleary)

Santiago

Spanish, Portuguese - Saint James

The Old Man and the Sea (Ernest Hemingway)

Coraline

French, English - Coral; little heart

Coraline (Neil Gaiman)

Cedric

Celtic, English - Bounty, loved

Harry Potter series (J.K. Rowling)

Lyra

Greek - Lyre; harp

His Dark Materials (Philip Pullman)

Basil

Greek - Royal, kingly

The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde)

Tess

Greek, English - To harvest

Tess of the d'Urbervilles (Thomas Hardy)

Marius

Latin, French - Male, virile

Les Misérables (Victor Hugo)

Heidi

German - Noble, kind

Heidi (Johanna Spyri)

Ender

English - Finisher

Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card)

Molly

Hebrew, English - Bitter; wished-for child

Ulysses (James Joyce)

Oliver

Latin, English - Olive tree

Oliver Twist (Charles Dickens)

Luna

Latin, Italian - Moon

Harry Potter series (J.K. Rowling)

Hamlet

Old German, English - Little home

Hamlet (Shakespeare)

Katniss

English - Aquatic plant

The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)

Albus

Latin - White, bright

Harry Potter series (J.K. Rowling)

Esmeralda

Spanish, Portuguese - Emerald

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (Victor Hugo)

Arthur

Celtic, Welsh - Bear, noble

Le Morte d'Arthur (Thomas Malory) & The Once and Future King (T.H. White)

Medea

Greek - To plan, to think

Medea (Euripides)

Peter

Greek, English - Rock

Peter Pan (J.M. Barrie)

Antigone

Greek - Worthy of one's parents

Antigone (Sophocles)

Jean

French - God is gracious

Les Misérables (Victor Hugo)

Clarissa

Latin, English - Bright, clear

Mrs. Dalloway (Virginia Woolf)

Bilbo

English - Sword, short sword

The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien)

Mabel

Latin, English - Lovable

An Ideal Husband (Oscar Wilde)

Rosalind

Spanish, English - Pretty rose

As You Like It (Shakespeare)

Eowyn

Old English - Horse joy