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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Literary Names

101 replies

Nightstar · 17/12/2011 17:41

I'm a writer and wanted to pick a name that shows my connection to literature, but cant think of anything I like!

I suggested some names from LOTR and from Shakespeare to my husband, but he thought the LOTR ones were too wierd and the Shakers ones were too mainstream to be obvious where they were from.

I need a boys name that says "From a famous book" like Sherlock, but not quite so odd. Does that make sense?

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RillaBlythe · 18/12/2011 08:24

You could always pick a name & then find a book. The options are endless.

Laurence
Teddy
Jack
Frank
Ed
Bob
Ralph
Ronnie
Aziz
Cyril
Freddie
Phillip
Tim

Boys names from the books I've read recently (L M Alcott, E M Forster, Dickens).

My name is from the Golden Notebook.

VivaLeBeaver · 18/12/2011 01:26

Jonty

Fishpond · 18/12/2011 01:12

Rohan
Jude
Dorian
Heathcliff nn Heath or just Heath
Silas
Pip
Adam or Caleb from East of Eden
Sawyer
Peter

Really like Jay as in Gatsby also.

Going along with your Shakespeare thing..
Angus
Griffith
Hector
Fabian

None of those scream Shakespeare to me.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 17/12/2011 21:48

The riders of Rohan - LOTR.

I think Simon is due a revivial too (LOTF).

nkf · 17/12/2011 21:43

Where is Rohan from?

NorkyPiesWithJingleBellsOn · 17/12/2011 21:39

Yorick, Silas, Heathcliff

FriedSprout · 17/12/2011 21:35

Liking Roland, Rohan and Jude

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 17/12/2011 21:28

And Browning's 'Childe Roland' too, of course. Do we have a winner? :)

Love Atticus too.

PercyFilth · 17/12/2011 21:24

Roland is a great suggestion. There is The Song of Roland as well so it ticks the French lit box as well :)

nkf · 17/12/2011 21:20

Lancelot?

rachel234 · 17/12/2011 21:18

Quentin Durward (historical novel by Walter Scott)

broccolitrees · 17/12/2011 21:15

oops just read you need a boys name
artemis
arthur both could use nn arty Xmas Grin

yellowraincoat · 17/12/2011 21:13

But if you take it from here, it's not "a name from literature", it's a name from Mumsnet!

Why not just pick a name you like?

broccolitrees · 17/12/2011 21:11

we like arwen (lotr) for a girl, so pretty and gentle but strong

Motherofhobbit · 17/12/2011 21:04

Atticus. I had my heart set on it for DS but DH vetoed it Sad

lostlady · 17/12/2011 20:56

Jay, as in Gatsby

oldgran · 17/12/2011 20:54

Silas?
Maximillian?
Barnaby?

MuddlingThroughItAll · 17/12/2011 17:54

I know you're looking for a boys name but my favourite ever girls name in the Shakesperean name Hero - it is beautiful!

As for boys how about Lennox, Fabian, Iago or Orlando - shakesperean but not too mainstream!

scaevola · 17/12/2011 17:52

Fitzwilliam
Merlin
Grendell
Oliver
Titus
Marlowe
Benedict
Virgil
Jonson
Dante

stickyLFDTfingers · 17/12/2011 17:52

Pip? Bastian Balthasar or Carl Conrad?

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 17/12/2011 17:51

Tristram and Jude both lovely.

I'm rather liking Roland (from King's Dark Tower books) but suspect that's a bit of a personal one!

tabulahrasa · 17/12/2011 17:48

Why does it need to be obvious where it's from? Surely you'll know where it's from?

stickyLFDTfingers · 17/12/2011 17:47

Erm, how "out there" do you want to be? The names that came to mind were: tristram, heathcliff, Jude, Huckleberry, Steerpike. I saw some celeb had called their son Hucklberry, but can't remember who now!

peacemoon · 17/12/2011 17:45

How about Winston from 1984?

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 17/12/2011 17:44

Fitzwilliam :)