Baby Names Inspired by Books
If you’re a literature buff, you’ve probably already considered naming your child after one of your favorite characters. Books can change your life almost as much as babies can!
We at Tummy Cradle are dedicated to sparking conversation about all aspects of pregnancy. Though alleviating back pain for expectant mothers happens to be our specialty, we also like to take the time to appreciate other great parts of pregnancy. We’re sure you’d agree when we say that finding a baby name — one that has meaning, and also complements the personality you’d love your future little one to demonstrate — is probably one of the most exciting parts.
So, for all you bookworms out there, we’ve selected a few of the names we love from our favorite reads. These names represent the classics we all grew up with, and hopefully inspire you to dig deeper to find the perfect name for your future kiddo!
Charlotte
“Why did you do all this for me?’ he asked. ‘I don’t deserve it. I’ve never done anything for you.’ ‘You have been my friend,’ replied Charlotte. ‘That in itself is a tremendous thing.”
E.B. White’s classic tale Charlotte’s Web popularized this feminine version of Charles in modern literature — and what a lovely and kind character to be reminiscent of!
Also within the sphere of literary greats was Charlotte Brontë, the eldest sister of a legendary writing family active from the early to mid-1800s. Charlotte is most well-known as the author of Jane Eyre, which follows a strong-willed girl as she overcomes considerable adversity throughout her life.
Related baby name to inspire a mom-to-be: the fierce protagonist of another Brontë classic, Wuthering Heights, is Heathcliff.
Janie
Janie Crawford is the main character of Zora Neale Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. The book, first published in 1937, follows Janie’s “ripening from a vibrant, but voiceless, teenage girl into a woman with her finger on the trigger of her own destiny” — inspiring some of the most prominent feminist themes of the time.
Matilda, “Tilly”
British author Roald Dahl was a master of creating compelling, whimsical stories — and Matilda was certainly no exception. The book’s namesake was not just compassionate, but also incredibly gifted, possessing a certain special intelligence that was truly … moving. A classic movie as well as a classic book for many expectant moms these days!
Boys:
Holden
Holden Caulfield from J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye may seem like an unlikely choice for a baby name, considering he is often referred to as the classic icon for teenage angst and rebellion. The novel, however, told the ultimate coming-of-age story. It’s difficult to read it without relating to your own personal journey, prompting a certain degree of understanding in parenthood. Plus, we just think the name Holden is pretty cool.
Rhett
Inspired by one of the greatest love stories of all time, Rhett comes from Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind. Rhett Butler is a passionate and brave male lead in both novel and film, oftentimes easier to relate to than his famous female counterpart, Scarlett O’Hara (though we love the name Scarlett, too!).
Atticus
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view….Until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”
Uncommon but undeniably recognizable, the name Atticus is most often associated with the loving-but-stern father figure in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. A moral man, Atticus Finch spends most of the novel defending a black man on trial in 1930s Alabama, earning the respect of his children and community along the way.
Any luck?
We hope that our list has either provided you with the perfect name for your literary little one, or at least inspired you to keep hunting. Without the weight of your pregnant belly holding you back, a great place to continue brainstorming is face-down in a Tummy Cradle. Good luck, Momma!
