Literary List

If you're a writer like myself, you might have an interest in names of authors, or names used by other authors for their characters. Here's a list of all of my favourites from Sarah Dessen, John Green, Maureen Johnson, etc.
  1. Auden
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "old friend"
    • Description:

      A softly poetic surname name, associated with poet W.H., Auden is enjoying quiet but marked fashion status. It was chosen for his daughter by Noah Wyle and is definitely one to watch.
  2. Augustus
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "great, magnificent"
    • Description:

      Parents are beginning to look at imposing, somewhat fusty-sounding names like this one with fresh eyes: they definitely make a strong statement.
  3. Aurora
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "dawn"
    • Description:

      The goddess name Aurora has consistently been on the US popularity list since the nineteenth century, but has really taken off in the past 30 years. Aurora also enjoys remarkable international popularity, ranking in the Top 100 throughout the English-speaking world as well as in Italy, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, and several other European and Latin American countries.
  4. Bo
    • Origin:

      Norse nickname
    • Meaning:

      "to live"
    • Description:

      A popular name in Denmark, in this country Bo has some cowboy swagger and a lot of substance in its minimal two letters. In Mandarin Chinese, Bo means "wave".
  5. Caitlin
    • Origin:

      Irish variation of Catherine
    • Meaning:

      "pure"
    • Description:

      An Irish and Welsh form of Catherine, Caitlin was a boom name of the eighties, rocketing from obscurity (Americans first heard it via the wife of doomed poet Dylan Thomas) to the height of popularity in the space of a decade. The original name was gradually eclipsed by its myriad spelling variations -- Katelyn and Kaitlyn both soon topping it on the popularity lists.
  6. Caroline
    • Origin:

      French, feminine variation of Charles
    • Meaning:

      "free man"
    • Description:

      Caroline is a perennial classic, one of the elite group of girls' names that's ALWAYS ranked among the Top 1000 and that's been in the Top 100 since 1994. Elegant yet strong, Caroline calls to mind the Kennedy Camelot years and Princess Caroline of Monaco.
  7. Casey
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "brave in battle"
    • Description:

      One of the original unisex Irish surname names, energetic Casey bounced onto the scene in the 1960s, then peaked in the 1980s for both boys and girls. Today Casey is having a resurgence for both girls and boys and re-entered the charts on the girls' side, likely due to the character Kayce Dutton (pronounced like Casey) on the hit show Yellowstone.
  8. Cassandra
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "shining or excelling man"
    • Description:

      The name of the tragic mythological Trojan princess who was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but was condemned never to be believed, Cassandra has been used for striking characters in movies and soap operas. Ethereal and delicate, Cassandra was in the Top 70 throughout the 1990s but is now descending in popularity.
  9. Cassie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Cassandra
    • Meaning:

      "prophetess"
    • Description:

      Though not much in use, still retains a cozy Little House on the Prairie-type pioneer feel.
  10. Clementine
    • Origin:

      French feminine version of Clement, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "mild, merciful"
    • Description:

      Clementine is a Nameberry favorite that broke back into the US Top 1000 in 2014 after more than half a century off the list.
  11. Colin
    • Origin:

      English diminutive of Nicholas or Irish and Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "people of victory; pup"
    • Description:

      Thanks to its dashing Anglo-Irish image — due partly to Colins Firth and Farrell — and its C-initialed two-syllable sound, Colin and its cousin Collin have enjoyed a long run of popularity, reaching as high as Number 84 in 2004.
  12. Cricket
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Description:

      Nickname name from the era of Father Knows Best, though we can see it making something of a comeback, a la Clover and Pippa. Cricket has new potential especially since it has recently been chosen by Busy Philipps. Still, it's one of the quirkier girl names starting with C.
  13. Deb
    • Origin:

      Short form of Deborah, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "bee"
    • Description:

      During the heyday of Deborah, Debra, and Debra -- the late 1950s and early 60s -- there were enough baby girls named Deb, just Deb, for it to make the Top 1000.
  14. Dexter
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "dyer, right-handed"
    • Description:

      The jazzy, ultra-cool Dexter, like most names with an "x," has a lot of energy and dynamism.
  15. Dessen
    • Emmeline
      • Origin:

        Old French form of archaic German Amal
      • Meaning:

        "work"
      • Description:

        Emmeline is an Emma relative and Emily cousin that is destined for greater use in the wake of the megapopularity of those two names. A recommended Nameberry fave, Emmeline hopped onto the US Top 1000 in 2014 for the first time ever. While it is genuinely an old name, it was rarely used a century ago; only 17 baby girls were named Emmeline in 1915, the same number as were named Ernie!
    • Ginny
      • Origin:

        English, diminutive of Virginia, American place-name and Latin
      • Meaning:

        "virginal"
      • Description:

        Ginny was more common before Jenny and its myriad variants came along.
    • Grace
      • Origin:

        English, virtue name
      • Description:

        Grace, a simple and pure virtue name which originally referred to divine grace, is a fashionable classic. In the early 2000s, it seemed headed for the Top 10 but pulled back from the upward trajectory, which you may consider a very good thing.
    • Haven
      • Origin:

        Word name, English
      • Meaning:

        "a place of safety"
      • Description:

        Haven is a recently invented safe-harbor name that appeals to an increasing number of parents who don't want to voyage quite as far as Heaven.
    • Hayden
      • Origin:

        English place name
      • Meaning:

        "hay valley"
      • Description:

        Hayden – a formerly obscure name that's risen to huge popularity – has dipped in this year's ratings. Though Hayden is among the most distinctive of the bunch, it gets lost in the crowd of Jaidens, Bradens, Aidans, and endless variations. Associated with Hayden Christensen, of Star Wars fame.