Literary Names for Boys

Japhy Ryder was a hero of Jack Kerouac's Dharma Bums. Compared with Moses and Noah, Japhy sounds downright adorable and eminently baby-worthy.

The names may sound the same, but they have different origins and meanings. Take your pick.

A name used in Germany and Holland as a form of Jerome, it's the unlikely moniker of fictional detective Hieronymous "Harry" Bosch.

A solid, brief but not brusque single-syllable surname with a presidential pedigree.

This name of a character in Faulkner's As I Lay Dying is short, sweet and Southern-sounding.

An interesting Canadian province and city name that has some literary history as the name of a character in Dickens's Bleak House; could make a distinctive choice for parents with northern roots.

The unlikely name of the hero of Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake, named for an author his father revered.

Is it a real name....or no?

A Californian mountain range, named for the Indigenous American tribe, the Shasta People, Shasta has been predominantly been used for girls in the US. In Sanskrit, however, it is used as both the name of a male deity and a term meaning "teacher, guide, or ruler". C.S Lewis also used it as a masculine name in the 5th book of his Narnia series, The Horse and His Boy.

Surname of a character in Henry James' What Maisie Knew.

Used by Emily Brontë in her novel Wuthering Heights , Hareton is a distinctive, rugged and literature-inspired choice. With the sounds of an English place name and the vibes of a last name as a first name, Hareton was likely an invention of Emily Brontë's, which she created by changing up the name of a neighbourhood family, The Heatons.

The name of the hero of Nathan Englander's The Ministry of Special Cases is also the name of the prayer Jews say for the dead, so be aware that this could definitely be seen as an offensive choice to avoid.

Romance may initially strike you as too ardent of a name for a baby, but given that Love has been a fast-rising name in recent years — not to mention soundalikes Roman and Romy — Romance is well-suited to our current naming climate. Presently, it makes the charts for baby boys but not baby girls.

Samuel Johnson invented the name Rasselas for the title character of his novel, Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia. Rasselas is actually the son of the prince.

Falmouth may be a beautiful seaside spot in Massachusetts, but as a name it's perilously close to "foul mouth." Falmouth Kearney was the name of Barack Obama's great-great grandfather.

Also spelled Silvander, this poetic and woodsy name was used in various works of literature throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Deriving from the Roman and Biblical name Silvanus, Sylvander could also be considered a compound name, blending together Sylvester or Sylvan with Anders or Alexander.

This name was invented by J.R.R. Tolkien for his Lord of the Rings series, where Elros is a half-elf half-human king. One of the more obscure LOTR names with a princely feel and soft, handsome sound, Elros would be an attractive choice for those looking for a more subtle nod to their favourite franchise.

A character in the Wicked novels and musicals, Dr. Dillamond is a Goat, mentor, and professor. It could blend the Old English element mund meaning "protection" with Dil, a Germanic diminutive meaning "people" or an English word, referring to the herb, dill.