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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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comixminx · 02/05/2010 20:48

I've only heard Aphra B referred to as "Aff-ra" and her surname as "Benn". Wouldn't call our daughter Ay-phra personally (if we have one, as I say - but this is def the front-runner name if so).

I like the name Linton too - and the poet / musician too! Great stuff.

allbie · 02/05/2010 20:40

We have a Laurie and is a girl. And yes, was after the writer.........

kickassangel · 02/05/2010 20:37

once came across an ozymandius

ArsMamatoria · 02/05/2010 20:27

Whoops, that should be 'poem'

ArsMamatoria · 02/05/2010 20:26

Amaryllis (conventional name for a shepherdess in Classical pastoral poetry) after a peom by Callimachus.

Miranda after The Tempest and also because it means 'worthy of admiration' in Latin.

Am I pretentious or wot?

Adair · 02/05/2010 20:20

'Benn', I thought.

We say Aff-ra. And call her Aph/Aff. Her friend calls her Aphie/Affie.

mixedmamameansbusiness · 02/05/2010 20:19

I would LOVE to have an Atticus, but no way would DH allow it and a little girl called Ophelia

GrendelsMum · 02/05/2010 20:13

I've always said / heard it as 'Bath' with a short 'a', 'sheba' as in Queen of.

Those of you with daughters called Aphra, do you say it 'Ay-phra' or 'Aff-ra'? (And do you call her 'Been' or 'Beyn'?) I have a memory that 'Affra' is what she called herself, but I prefer 'Ay-phra'.

GnocchiGnocchiWhosThere · 02/05/2010 20:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

dizzydixies · 02/05/2010 20:05

I love Dash too but not Tristan but thats due to an association of sorts

nancydrew - is it not just as its written? thats how I've always done it

thecatatemygymsuit · 02/05/2010 20:03

I wanted a Clover (from What Katy Did)but it was verboten!
Have met boys called Dash (short for Dashiel) and Rider, both of which I love - but I am a bit poncey .
Tristan is a fabulous boys name, as is Wolf (think there's a Wolf in Noel Streatfield's Apple Bough).

nancydrewrocks · 02/05/2010 20:00

How do you pronounce bathsheba?

prozacpopsie · 02/05/2010 19:51

We have a Laurie (boy) and he doesn't get teased. Mind you he's only three, so teasing hasn't quite begun yet. All his friends are called weird and wonderful things too, though, so I can't see it being a problem at school. That's one of the good things about being in a metropolis - it's such a melting pot of cultures that no-one stands out for ridicule!

Adair · 02/05/2010 19:44

Ah, I love Matilda too!

And Linton. Linton Kwesi-Johnson... fantastic poet.

Comixminx, it is a great name. I still love it. And we get lots of positive comments - and people 'get' it as a name too (not so much with ds's name ). She does know another though, same age, same name - we met in the local park!

LittleWhiteWolf · 02/05/2010 19:12

I wanted Laurie for a boyLittle Women is one of my all time favourite booksbut was vetoed. My cats called Meg though...

I also have two other tom cats who are brothers and both ginger so I named them Fred and George.

LittleSilver · 02/05/2010 18:58

I wanted Hero too for DD1! (also vetoed, as was Jude, am big TH fan!)

CaveMum · 02/05/2010 18:55

DH's best mate is called Gibran (Gib for short) after the poet Kahlil Gibran - yes I had to Google him to find out who he was!

GnocchiGnocchiWhosThere · 02/05/2010 18:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

florence2511 · 02/05/2010 18:23

My DD was named after the Roald Dahl caracter. I loved the book as a child and always wanted to call my first born Daughter Matilda. Twas not to know that it would become so popular.

Second choice for DD1 and first choice for DD2 (if we are blessed) is Harriet (Hattie). DH loved Tom's Midnight garden as a child.

mumsmalarkey · 02/05/2010 18:10

I've alwasy like the name Tristan. So romantic sounding yet masculine at the same time!
From the story of Tristan and Isolde - and that's a gorgeous girls name too, though people may stumble on how to pronounce it.

stripeyknickersspottysocks · 02/05/2010 17:44

I wanted Scout for DD but bottled it.

earpiece · 02/05/2010 16:11

Can I add that my mum is called Isabella who went on to marry a Linton so her name now is the same of the sad Isabella who reached her downfall in Wuthering Heights. Unfortunately my own daughter has the same first and surname!

meadowlarks · 02/05/2010 16:01

Though I forgot to say, I have a soft spot for Cassandra as well due to ICTC. Amazing book.

dizzydixies · 02/05/2010 16:00

am delighted there was no Boss Hog in their either!!

said · 02/05/2010 15:55

Had a girl - and she's not called Daisy