Let’s take a minute to appreciate writers, shall we? After all, the power of the pen (or typewriter, or computer) is vast. For centuries, writers have recorded history, woven tales that captivate generations, and put feelings to paper that most people can’t articulate. But their contributions go beyond these things — they’ve come up with some beautiful names, too! In coming up with the perfect names to call their characters, they have ended up inventing some names that have actually become staples in our society! (Jessica, anyone?!)
Most of the names we know and love originate with people, places, things, or qualities. Amelia, for example, means “brave” or “vigorous.” Noah is a name from the Bible. Thomas means “twin” — a circumstance. Ashley means “ash tree clearing” — a place. Mason is an occupational name. But the names we’ve cultivated for this list are unique to literature, invented for the characters who carried them and made popular by the stories they’re in.
We’ve put together some of the most beautiful girl names that wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the brilliant minds of the authors who invented them. And we think a lot of them will surprise you!
Jessica
Image Credit: SheKnows We have William Shakespeare to thank for this super-popular pick! He first used this name in its current form in The Merchant of Venice (1596). Sources agree that he likely derived it from the biblical name Iscah (meaning “to behold”), which was spelled Jescha in his era. The name remained uncommon as a given name until the mid-20th century, when it peaked in popularity in the U.S., ranking as the most popular girls’ name from 1985 to 1995 — except in 1991 and 1992, when Ashley briefly snagged the top spot.
Arwen
Image Credit: SheKnows Meaning “noble maiden” in the fictional language Sindarin, the name Arwen was invented for Lord of the Rings (1954) by J.R.R. Tolkien. In the book, Arwen is the daughter of Elrond and the beloved of Aragorn.
Coraline
Image Credit: SheKnows French composer Adolphe Adam introduced this name in 1849 for a central character in his opera Le Toréador, probably drawing inspiration from the French name Coralie (meaning “coral”). Over a century later, author Neil Gaiman used it for the protagonist of his 2002 novel Coraline — a choice that he says originated from an accidental misspelling of Caroline, which he ultimately embraced.
Vanessa
Image Credit: SheKnows Jonathan Swift coined this name for his 1726 poem Cadenus and Vanessa by creatively reordering the syllables of his close friend Esther Vanhomrigh’s first and last names. Genius!
Fiona
Image Credit: SheKnows Scottish poet James Macpherson appears to have introduced this name in his 1761 poem Fingal, where it was originally spelled Fióna. It is said to be the female version of the Irish name Fionn, meaning “white” or “blessed.”
Amoret
Image Credit: SheKnows Edmund Spenser featured this name in his 1590 poem The Faerie Queene, assigning it to a character who serves as a figure of married love and chastity. The name Amoret is reportedly a combination of the Italian word for “love” — amore — with the diminutive “et” or “ette” suffix.
Lorna
Image Credit: SheKnows R. D. Blackmore introduced this name in his 1869 novel Lorna Doone, where it belongs to the title character in a tale of forbidden love set in southern England. It’s long been thought that Blackmore drew inspiration from the Scottish place name Lorne, or the noble title Marquis of Lorne.
Eowyn
Image Credit: SheKnows Like Arwen, Eowyn (or Éowyn — both pronounced AY-oh-win) was created by author J.R.R. Tolkien. Derived from Old English, this name means “horse joy.” Tolkien created it as part of the Rohirric language in The Lord of the Rings (1954), where Éowyn is the courageous niece of King Théoden of Rohan.
Veruca
Image Credit: SheKnows Roald Dahl coined this name for a character in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964), playfully drawing from the Italian and Latin word verruca … which refers to a wart. Add this one to the list of beautiful names with less-than-desirable meanings!
Miranda
Image Credit: SheKnows This name originates from the Latin mirandus, meaning “admirable” or “worthy of admiration.” Shakespeare introduced it in The Tempest (1611) for his heroine Miranda, who, along with her father Prospero, is stranded on an island. But despite its early literary roots, the name remained uncommon in English until the 20th century.
Evangeline
Derived from the Greek eu, meaning “good,” and angelma, meaning “news” or “message,” this name signifies “good news.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is credited with its earliest known use in his 1847 epic poem Evangeline. It later appeared in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) as the full name of the character Eva.
Clea
Image Credit: SheKnows Clea (also spelled Cléa) is a Latinate variation of Cleo (meaning “glory”), and was seemingly invented by British novelist Lawrence Durrell for a character in The Alexandria Quartet.
Medora
Image Credit: SheKnows Lord Byron introduced this name in his 1814 poem The Corsair, though its origins remain a mystery. Intriguingly, the same year, it appeared as the middle name of Elizabeth Medora Leigh (1814–1849), who was both his niece and — according to whispers of the time — possibly his daughter. Scandalous!
Claribel
Image Credit: SheKnows Edmund Spenser featured this name as Claribell in The Faerie Queene (1590), while Shakespeare later used it in The Tempest (1611). Alfred Tennyson further immortalized it with his 1830 poem, Claribel. It’s said to come from the name Clara (meaning “bright”) combined with the -bel suffix, which comes from the Latin bella (meaning “beautiful”).
Pamela
Image Credit: SheKnows Pamela is another name whose literary origins surprised us! Coined by poet Philip Sidney in the late 16th century for his romance Arcadia (1593), this name may have been crafted to mean “all sweetness,” combining the Greek pan (“all”) and meli (“honey”). Samuel Richardson later gave it prominence as the heroine’s name in Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740). Though it gained literary recognition early on, it wasn’t widely used as a given name until the 20th century.
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