Names Created by Authors

Aloma is a name invented for a Hawaiian dancer, the title character in a 1925 play later adapted twice as a film. But long before that, it was also used by the medieval scholar Ramón Llull, possibly as a feminine form of Alomar (from the Germanic name Aldemar, "old + famous"). The Catalan author Mercè Rodoreda used it for the heroine of her novel Aloma/, making it a classic Catalan literary choice.
It has not been used enough to make the US charts since the 1980s, but would fit with the trend for liquid-sounding, multicultural names like Alaia and Alina.

An admirable meaning, with roots in a Germanic word meaning wisdom, but we fear it will never be detached from the hobbit hero of The Lord of the Rings.

Eniko Hart makes this Japanese name familiar in the US. In Hungary, it's a literary name invented by the poet Mihály Vörösmarty in the 19th century. He based it on the name of the legendary mother of the Hungarian people, Enéh.

The elven ruler of Rivendell in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.

One of the many faux-Medieval names invented by George R.R. Martin for his A Song of Ice and Fire series of books, the source of HBO's Game of Thrones. Princess Myrcella Baratheon is the daughter of Cersei Lannister and (secretly) her brother Jaime. Their younger brother Tyrion sends her to Dorne to be married to the Dornish prince Trystane Martell to seal an alliance between the two houses.

Coined by Shakespeare for the main antagonist in his comedy Twelfth Night, the unfortunate Malvolio’s name literally means "ill will".

Elphaba was invented by Gregory Maguire for the protagonist of his novel Wicked, which became the long-running Broadway play and then a movie. Elphaba is the name of the Wicked Witch of the West, unnamed in the Oz books, and is drawn from the initials of Oz creator L. Frank Baum.

Reaver sure sounds like an occupational surname, thanks to its -er ending and similarity to names like Reeve, but it is actually a name invented by science fiction writers.

The first documentation of the use of Reaver was in 1988, as the name of a team of cyborgs in a Marvel comic book. More recently, Reaver was used in the TV show Firefly as the name of a group of cannibalistic humans.

The Finnish writer Mika Waltari invented the name Minea from the Greek Minos for a character in his 1945 novel The Egyptian. It's become a popular Finnish name in the 21st century.

Anduin is the Sindarin name for the Great River of Wilderland in Tolkien’s fictional Middle-earth. The word means "long river" or "great river".

There aren't many characters in the notoriously amoral world of Game of Thrones with a spotless record of moral righteousness -- but Brienne of Tarth comes close. She's one of the most accomplished, ferocious fighters in the entire series -- she was one of the few people ever to best The Hound in one and one combat. And yet she always tries to use her power for good.

Menna is used regularly in Wales in modern times. Its origins are uncertain: perhaps created by a poet, or possibly connected with the Menai Strait that separates the island of Anglesey from mainland Wales. Either way, it's pretty, straightforward, and honor Welsh heritage without screaming it.

Of all the Game of Thrones creations this is surely the most delicate and the most wearable. Margaery, (pronounced like the Scottish name Marjorie) is a beautiful, powerful and intelligent character who becomes queen.

Gentle giant Rubeus Hagrid is the groundskeeper at Hogwarts in the Harry Potter novels (probably after Hagrid Rubes, the equally kind ancient Greek mythological giant), but that's not the only reason this name could prove a playground liability.

Célimène is a literary name invented by the 17th century French playwright Molière for a character in his 1666 play Le Misanthrope. It may be derived from Latin and Greek elements meaning "heavenly" and "moon" or "strength". Notable real-life bearers include French singer Célimène Gaudieux and pianist Célimène Daudet.

Clorinda is a romantic name invented by a sixteenth-century poet, but has a synthetic sound today.

The name of a red-haired warrior-woman in the Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series and its TV adaptation Game of Thrones, in which the character is played by Scottish actress Rose Leslie. Note - the name is pronounced the same way as egret - a type of heron.

Trilby was used first for a character by French novelist Charles Nodier (1822) and made more famous by writer George du Maurier in an 1894 work. A Trilby hat, which Du Maurier's character wore, is a short-brimmed fedora of the kind recently revived by hipsters. Du Maurier's character Trilby fell under the hypnotic power of Svengali: not the best choice for an independent and self-determining daughter. Still, if you want a unisex name that moves far beyond the usual Taylor and Morgan and has energy and feminine verve, Trilby might well be your girl.

The eponymous character in an Edgar Allan Poe ghost story, gothic Morella was likely based on Latin mors ("death") or Greek mauros ("black"). It’s also a subtle nature name, being an alternative name for the poisonous black nightshade plant.

Eddard is a spin on Edward created by author George R.R. Martin for the Game of Thrones series. Eddard, usually known as Ned, Stark was the wise and good King of the North whose shocking murder at the end of the first season of the TV show set off years of chaos. While Eddard as a name may have more earthly ties than Sansa or Daenerys, it's linked firmly to the Game of Thrones franchise and will peg you as a fan.