Boys names that appear in literature/arts

[NatMac]

Still trying to think of a good name for DS due in June. Was thinking it would be nice to have suggestions of names of great characters from books/plays or from the art world - sometimes it's nice to have a name with a link to something like that - any suggestions please anyone?

I'm going to go against the grain here and say I think it's a bit pretentious to name your child 'Auden', or anything that is quite so obviously named after a poet / writer / character - Oberon anyone?! I think it'd be much nicer if you called them something like quite normal like Jude for example, because you loved the book rather than just because you want a random literary name. Then it's quite nice, a secret meaning as to why you called them what you did.

I met a Byron once. I asked the mother if she liked his poetry. She hadn't even read any of it, she just thought it'd be nice to name her son after him

You're right actually, what is the point of a literary name if you don't read books.

OP if you like any of the names on here, please do go to the library and read sopme of the work in question!

In any case, I reckon almost every name (well, not quite, but you know what I mean...) has a literary link: Andrew (Motion), Philip (Larkin/Pullman), William (Shakespeare), Benjamin (Jonson), John (Donne), Charlotte (Bronte), Jane (Eyre/Austen), Arthur (Knights/Conan Doyle), Roger (kitchen boy in Northern Lights), Joanna (Rowling), Gerald (Manley Hopkins), Margaret (girl addressed in poem by Gerald Manley Hopkins), Zadie (Smith)....

I'm bored now. But it seems a bit of an odd way to go about things.

Quentin (Durward) by Walter Scott

I agree with you notanumber, however, I suggested this way of looking at names as my hormone ravaged brain seems unable to dredge up character names that I liked or can even remember anymore - seeing certain names has prompted me to remember books/plays I've enjoyed and characters I liked/disliked, so really it's been very interesting and helpful from that point of view. Everyone has come up with some wonderful, interesting and unusual names, whether they are connected to literature/'the arts' or not. So, for my purposes this link has been helpful and if as a bonus I can say - oh yes I named my son '......' because I liked the character from a particular book, then that would be nice too - if not I can just say I like the name. I'm not trying to 'be' anything in particular - I'm just trying to find a name that I like. TBH eventually it won't really matter to anyone where the name came from as it will just be his name!

You don't have to defend your naming process to me NatMac! I'm sorry if it seemed as though I was having a go at you, or implying you are a wanker - I really wasn't intending to. I was just sort of musing it over. I'm glad the thread has been useful for you.

On that note, if you would like my contribution it is..... ....

Zachary, nicknamed Zooey.

I will think you cooler than cool and not at all a wanker if you use this

I have given both my children names inspired by my favourite authors- means a lot to me, for the hours of pleasure they have provided.