20 Most Popular Literary-Inspired Baby Names in America

The character Luna Lovegood first appeared in “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” and was described as having a dazed look on her face. The term Luna is often used in scientific writing and in science fiction to distinguish the Earth’s moon from other moons.

Holden Caulfield is the narrator and protagonist of J.D. Salinger’s classic “The Catcher in the Rye.” While Holden is a fine name, the character isn’t especially appealing: He is cynical and jaded and has become a symbol of teenage rebellion and angst.

“Romeo and Juliet” is one of William Shakespeare’s most popular plays and the doomed lovers are among his best-known characters. They reached a whole new audience when Baz Lurhmann’s film adaptation “Romeo + Juliet” was released in 1996, with Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio in the leading roles.

Arya Stark is a character in George R. R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” fantasy series — better known to the world through its television adaptation as “Game of Thrones.” She trains as a warrior to avenge the massacre of her family.

Rhett Butler is one of the main characters in Margaret Mitchell’s 1936 novel “Gone with the Wind,” which was adapted into one of the most successful movies ever in 1939, with Clarke Gable playing the role. Both the novel and the film have been criticized in recent years for what are said to be racist depictions of characters and treatment of of slavery.

It’s not surprising to find Romeo on a list that also includes his Juliet. Even people who haven’t read or seen a Shakespeare play are probably familiar with the famous line “O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?”

“The Picture of Dorian Gray” is a Gothic novel by Oscar Wilde. The book is highly regarded and Dorian is a beautiful young man, but it’s a bit odd that the name is so popular because he sells his soul so that his portrait will age and fade while he remains youthful. (Spoiler alert: The deal doesn’t work out well for him.)

Atticus Finch is the hero of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1960 novel “To Kill a Mockingbird.” He’s a lawyer who defends an African-American man falsely accused of rape. Atticus was played by Gregory Peck in the very successful 1962 film version.

Uriah Heep is a character in Charles Dickens’ novel “David Copperfield,” but he’s anything but a hero. In fact he’s obsequious and insincere, so possibly not the ideal name for a young man. (Uriah Heep is also the name of a British rock band.)

“Matilda” is a hugely successful children’s novel by British writer Roald Dahl. The title character is super-smart and has special abilities. In 1996 Danny DeVito directed a successful film version of the story starring Mara Wilson.

“Forrest Gump” is a 1986 novel by Winston Groom that was made into a blockbuster film starring Tom Hanks. It’s the story of a slow-witted but kind-hearted man from Alabama who gets mixed up in all kinds of historic events.

“Great Expectations” is one of Charles Dickens’ most popular novels. It’s a coming-of-age story about an orphan called Pip who falls for a girl called Estella, who is beautiful but cold.

Ophelia is a tragic character in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” She falls for Hamlet but he kills her father Polonius and abandons her. She is driven out of her mind and dies by drowning. She has been referenced in many other literary works, and been the subject of numerous paintings and songs.

Coraline is the title character of a 2002 novella of the same name by Neil Gaiman, made into an animated film in 2009. It’s about a young girl who enters a strange parallel universe through a door in her new home.

Lyra Belacqua is the heroine of Philip Pullman’s trilogy “His Dark Materials,” about a young girl who inhabits a parallel universe. The television adaptation premiered on BBC in the United Kingdom and HBO in the United States in November 2019, so the name caught on very quickly.

Fitzwilliam Darcy is a central character in Jane Austen’s romantic novel “Pride and Prejudice.” He’s rich and handsome and becomes the love interest of the protagonist Elizabeth Bennett. He is often ill at ease and haughty, leading people to assume he’s full of pride. Darcy has become a popular first name for girls, notwithstanding the fact that Austen’s Darcy is very much a male, and Darcy is actually his character’s last name.

Khaleesi owes its popularity to the television series “Game of Thrones,” based on George R. R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” fantasy series. It isn’t actually a name though — it’s a royal title meaning queen. The character DaenerysTargaryen becomes a Khaleesi when she marries Khal Drogo, leader of the Dothraki clan.

Winnie-the-Pooh, also known as Pooh Bear and Pooh, is a hugely popular teddy bear character created by English author A. A. Milne. He’s also the star of film and television productions from The Walt Disney Company. (In addition to being the name of a number of real-life people, Winnie is also a popular nickname for Winifred, Edwina, and Winona, among other names.)

Lisbeth Salander is the central character in Stieg Larsson’s award-winning Millennium series, which begins with the 2005 novel “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” Larsson said he based Lisbeth on what he thought Pippi Longstocking might have been like as an adult.

It’s odd that Lucius has become a popular name because he’s not a very nice person in the “Harry Potter” books. In fact, he has been described as a psychopath. He’s ruthless and prejudiced, serves Voldemort, and is father to Harry’s rival Draco.