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Baby names

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

Original poster

Literary baby names?

162 replies

Bluesunday · 01/05/2010 21:09

I was just wondering (because I'm bored and there's nowt on telly) if anyone here had given their LOs literary-inspired names? My LO-on-the-way is going to have the name of my favourite book-character as a middle name if it's a boy... I was watching Jonathon Ross last night and found out Russell Crowe's DS2 is called Tennyson... can anyone beat that?

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LittleWhiteWolf · 04/05/2010 16:29

bessie26 Its not Goldberry is it?

CheerfulYank · 04/05/2010 15:58

If you really wanted to go with an Alice reference you could even go with Lewis or Charles/Charlie after the author, if you're not bothered by those persistant rumors of paedophilia...

CheerfulYank · 04/05/2010 15:57

My middle name is Christine.

After the homicidal car. Because my mother was reading it the night before she had me, and she thought it sounded pretty after Megan.

Homicidal car.

annasophia · 04/05/2010 15:05

We have a Quentin. Most people assume he's named after the Famous Five or Quentin Tarantino, neither of which is the case .

poorbette · 04/05/2010 14:47

My DD has Eliza as a middle name, as a cockney girl no longer living in London, I named her after the most famous cockney of them all!

bigbluebump · 04/05/2010 14:29

We're thinking of naming our soon to be born bump Quentin (not necessarily after William Faulkner or Quentin Durward, though ), but because we love the name.

Also like Atticus.

babymooner · 04/05/2010 14:17

We have an Atticus! Love the book but it's Gregory Peck in the film that does it for me every time

vaunieathome · 04/05/2010 14:13

Don't hate me but I quite like Vesper! Shame about the motorbike reference but its rather lovely! If we had another girl, I wanted a middle name after a Cornish village we used to go on holiday near - St Endellion. So beautiful and Tolkien-esque. However, no 2 was a boy so we went with something fab and really unusual to go with our very common surname!

bessie26 · 04/05/2010 13:11

I am named after a character in LOTR - thankfully a very minor part as she wasn't included in the film & I would have hated it if my fab & very unique name had become common knowledge and used by all & sundry (which is why I'm not telling you what it is! )

Turniphead1 · 04/05/2010 12:39

Brtanav - fabulous! I loved that Caitlin character. You need a Rupert to go with.

Atticus is a fabulous name.

mixedmamameansbusiness · 04/05/2010 12:34

ohhh I am adding Jem to my list for our yet to be conceived DC3 if it is blue. This fits with my cultural background too albeit spelt slightly differently. I wonder if I can find an Islamic reference to Ophelia and then convince DH.

LuluF · 04/05/2010 12:25

feralgirl - please could you advise on pronunciation of Yseult? I was at school with a girl named Iseult (she pronounced her name 'Iz - Elt' but not sure that's the usual way).

Thanks

carrotsarenottheonlyvegetable · 04/05/2010 12:10

viv but then I would have to beat him when he sneezes and that's a bit cruel.

dotty2 · 04/05/2010 11:22

IvaNighSpare - DD2 has your name, mostly because I thought it was beautiful, less because of the Shakespeare connection. I wanted DD1 to be Dorothea (Middlemarch), but it was vetoed by DH, probably quite sensibly.

Original poster
Bluesunday · 04/05/2010 11:07

Chegirl - your babies' names are amazing! I have a DS called Billy - I always wind him up he was named after Billie Holliday because I love her so much (evil mum). He was actually named after Shakespeare. LOVE Cassius - LOVE Anna Cordelia

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GnocchiGnocchiWhosThere · 04/05/2010 10:22

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Rocinante · 04/05/2010 06:38

DH wanted to call DD Mina after the character in Dracula, but I wasn't keen so his next suggestion was Vesper after Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale (he's a big Ian Fleming fan).

It sounded too much like a scooter so that was vetoed as well .

IvaNighSpare · 04/05/2010 06:15

I'm named after a trgic Shakepearean heroine ("star-crossed" and all that).
Love it now, but every boyfriend I ever had was nicknamed after the heroine's equally star-crossed lover.....

CheerfulYank · 04/05/2010 01:52

I really like Bennet for a boy, after Elizabeth of course.

Imarriedafrog · 03/05/2010 23:25

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carrotsarenottheonlyvegetable · 03/05/2010 22:49

derv there's a thought .

Although a more major character would be good (not that I'm fussy/greedy LOL)

chegirlWILLbeserene · 03/05/2010 21:50

Blues My DD was called Billie (Holiday) and my DSs have Coltrane (John), Lennon (John), Marley (Bob), Hendrix (Jimi) in their (long) names. They have lots of other names too which are rocky sounding but not after anyone (apart from Cassius which is after Mr Clay).

If DC 5 was a girl she was going to be Tallulah - love that name.

Derv78 · 03/05/2010 21:43

Carrots, what about Henry, after Dorothy's uncle?

My DD is Catherine, not specifically named after Catherine Earnshaw, but I think it's a good literary character to have as a namesake.

carrotsarenottheonlyvegetable · 03/05/2010 21:24

Following missiemac's suggestion I'm seriously considering James! But known as Jamie to differentiate him from the other ones.

But as Alice and Peter Pan were really important books to me as a child, anyone have any ideas of similar types of books that could have some ideas?

Wizard of Oz comes to mind.. but I'm not naming my child "Toto" .

choceyes · 03/05/2010 20:17

My DS is called Atticus. Best name ever!! Always wanted to name a boy that, and luckily DH also loves it.

Currently pregnant with No 2, a girl, and racking our brains for a girls name to go with Atticus.
Thinking of Ianthe , from a Percy Shelley poem.