There’s a certain magic about a name that has even the slightest sprinkle of literary joy. The names of childhood storybook characters can often bring to mind the magic and nostalgia of a favorite read or even hint towards the curiosity that many characters aimed at children possess. For me, many literary baby names have that twinge of mischief and potentially a bit of vintage spunk. So for those oh-so-lovely qualities, I’ve decided to go through some of the best literary girl names for today, each one hopefully chock-full of the sweetest, spunkiest, most adorable choices in children’s classic stories. Okay, let’s take a look!
Alice- The curious girl who tumbles down the rabbithole to be met with an unbelievably fantastical world, this sweetly vintage girl name reminiscent of that iconic blue and white dress and her encounters with many oddities and creatures is flooding back into style. Her lilting and dainty sound combined with the spunk and playfulness of her famous literary namesake makes her a wonderful choice for your soon-to-be born baby girl. At #73 today, Alice’s soft sound and retro vibe has put her in a position to continue climbing upwards, and Alice in Wonderland surely isn’t hurting her chances thanks to the childhood nostalgia associated with the story for parents spanning generations.
Pippi- The second most popular plucky redhead orphan (the first being, arguably of course, Annie...oh, and Anne Shirley!), Pippi Longstocking fulfills the childhood dream of living free of parental guidance. The name itself is just as spunky and carefree as it’s namesake, a sweet little mini name that feels adorable as a full name for your little one or as a short form for Phillipa, Penelope, Paloma, Philomena, or any other beautiful P name of your choosing. Pippy or Pippi both bring to mind this beloved childhood character.
Fern- One of the protagonists in the classic children’s tale Charlotte’s Web, Fern is the compassionate animal-lover who rescues the runt pig, Wilbur. A tale adored by many, the main character Fern’s name feels just a tad too retro to come flooding back into style just yet. However, although her sound may not be as frilly or feminine as Lily or Violet, and the plant she represents isn’t quite as visually striking as Daisy or Willow, I think that Fern definitely deserves as spot in the top 1000. Only 106 little girls were given this name in 2019, or #1873, but Fern is a unique and simple choice that remains a sweet and kind little girl in many parent’s hearts.
Matilda- A much-adored little girl in Roald Dahl’s Matilda, Matilda Wormwood is a genius who manages to seek out intelligence and power even without the support of her parents. Classic and sweet, the story of Matilda overcoming rude parents, a horrifying headmistress, and finding a family in a more unconventional place, and is a heartwarming story. The girl at the front of it, Matilda, gives her British name a literary flavor, and makes the name feel witty and clever. Matty and Tillie have been boosting Matilda for years now, along with her storybook character namesake, and Matilda currently ranks at #447, a popular choice on forums. She’s got a lovely vintage flavor and beautiful nicknames to boot, so a name to consider.
Wendy- Peter Pan’s Wendy Darling offers a cheerful girl name with an upbeat sound and layers of spunk and sweetness in addition to bringing up childhood memories and thoughts of Neverland. Although the fast food brand may also dominate the name Wendy association-wise, many people might have the eldest of the Darling children in mind. A nurturing and kind character in both the film and books, Wendy is certainly a lovely association for many. As for Wendy’s popularity, she currently ranks at a sadly underrecognized #1103, but I’m guessing that her appeal will mount as Winnie gets too mainstream for parents looking for something quirky and different for their little girl.
Dorothy- Ugh. I love Dorothy so much. In the popular story The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy and her dog Toto get transported into a magical world in which a witch (fun wordplay there) is attempting to steal a pair of silver shoes. Through the bizarre universe, which readers later discover is merely a figment of Dorothy’s imagination, people see the protagonist as a heroic and friendly girl, attributes that no doubt contribute to the positive association many parents have with the name. There’s the nicknames: Dottie, Dodie, Thea, Dory, and more, the vintage twinge, the hint to the fast-climber Thea, and all at just #563!
Heidi- The curious orphan who manages to make everyone around her smile, Heidi is the story of a playful little girl with the ability to make friends everywhere. She’s also curious to a fault. I highly recommend the unabridged version if you have yet to have read it. Although the name Heidi has, admittedly, seen better days in terms of popularity (#60 in 1974), she currently ranks at a very comfortable #373, a nice sweet spot of popularity for many parents. In addition, Heidi has been very steady in her popularity since the late 90s, so I wouldn’t expect her to sound far too dated. Her cheerful and inquisitive literary namesake may keep her young and fresh enough for parents today to love her, and she surely has my heart with her perky and cute sound.
That’s all the literary girl names I have for today! I hope you enjoyed, and make sure to leave any name related dilemmas in the comments below or in my Contact form. Have a lovely rest of your day!
Sincerely,
-Delphina Moon