Poetic Baby Names

Briefly faddish a few decades ago when Darrell was cool. But does have a creative connection to poet Randall Jarrell.

The name of a medieval romance poem. The title character, Emaré, was desired for her great beauty.

Welsh form of Margaret, borne by Mererid Hopwood, the first female poet to win the chair at the National Eisteddfod.

In literary circles, this name will be immediately recognized as a reference to the poetic stanza; outside such circles, this name may cause confusion for names like Coltrane or Cobain.

Ovid is the English form of the Roman family name Ovidius, which possibly comes from the word for sheep. It is the usual English name for the first-century poet Publius Ovidius Naso.

Often used in connection with poetry, Imagery has potential as an unusual name. Perhaps you'll get a daydreamer with this one.

This Indian girl name not only has a gorgeous sound, it has a wonderful meaning as well — poem or poetry.

The Phillis spelling of this once-popular name lives on thanks to Phillis Wheatley, the first African-American to publish a book of poetry, in the 18th century.

A seventh-century Welsh poet about whom little more than his name is known.

Florimel is an English name created by Edward Spencer for his poem, The Faerie Queene.

Sanelma is an invented Finnish name derived from the verb sanella, meaning "to dictate."

Caïssa was invented as a goddess of chess by Italian poet Marco Girolamo Vida in 1527. The name is known in the chess community, but not much outside of that.

The titular character of a tragic poem by Edgar Allen Poe set in a lonesome October. Ulalume may be representative of death itself, making the name feel gothic and otherwordly. The etymology is uncertain, but Poe may have derived it from the Latin ululare meaning wailing or lumen a light symbolizing sorrow.