Suffering from a case of baby name writer's block? Leave the task up to a literary great. Whether it's inspired by a beloved character or favorite author, the perfect title for your little one could be found within the pages of a book.
William
Popularity rank in the U.S.: #5
Meaning: Strong-willed warrior
American author William Faulkner and the great William Shakespeare share this English name that's also common among British royalty. Use Will (No. 763) for a nickname.
Harper
Popularity rank in the U.S.: #11 (girls), #728 (boys)
Meaning: Harp player
Author Harper Lee made headlines in 2015 when "Go Set a Watchman" was released 55 years after the debut of her Pulitzer Prize-winning title, "To Kill a Mockingbird." An Old English surname, this moniker refers a musician or an instrument maker.
Jay
Popularity rank in the U.S.: #372
Meaning: Bird in the crow family
The title character of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 classic, Jay Gatsby is often seen as a symbol of wealth and the American Dream despite his tragic demise. This Latin name can also be short for No. 9 James (Gatsby's real name was James Gatz) or John (No. 26).
Jane
Popularity rank in the U.S.: #322
Meaning: God is gracious
From Charlotte Bronte's famed "Jane Eyre" to author Jane Austen, who wrote "Pride and Prejudice" and "Sense and Sensibility," this medieval English name is deeply rooted in British literary history. It's also the French feminine form of John.
Finn
Popularity rank in the U.S.: #234
Meaning: Fair
troubled yet beloved character in Mark Twain's classics, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and the "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," this Irish moniker has several other variations, including Finnegan (No. 464) and Finley – No. 223 (girls), No. 374 (boys).
Emma
Popularity rank in the U.S.: #1
Meaning: Whole, universal
The complicated heroine in the eponymous novel by Jane Austen, Emma is a Germanic name that skyrocketed from No. 13 in 2001 to No. 4 in 2002 after Jennifer Aniston's character on "Friends" gave birth to a baby girl of the same name.
Ernest
Popularity rank in the U.S.: #880
Meaning: Earnest, serious
This English name was shared by Pulitzer and Nobel prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway and one of the main characters in Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest." Use Ernie for a nickname.
Holly
Popularity rank in the U.S.: #449
Meaning: Plant with red berries
The main character of Truman Capote's "Breakfast at Tiffany's," the iconic Holly Golightly was brought to life onscreen by Audrey Hepburn in 1961. This English name could be perfect for a December baby.
