36 Fantasy Baby Names Inspired by Movies, TV Shows, Books and More

From 'The Lord of the Rings' to 'Game of Thrones' and beyond.

Fact checked by Elizabeth Brownfield

Whether you were a child who devoured The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe series or you're now a grown-up who lives for a Lord of the Rings marathon, there’s something magical about tales of far-away kingdoms and fantastical realms. Fantasy and sci-fi books, movies, and TV shows encourage us to use our imaginations and find the magic in every day—and important lesson to share with your little one as they grow up! Travel to Oz, Westeros and even a galaxy far, far away with names inspired by some of the most iconic fantasy characters of all time.

Related: 40 Rockstar-Inspired Baby Names for Your Future Superstar

Although many baby names are often separated by gender, Parents believes that sex does not need to play a role in selecting names. It's important to choose a name you feel fits your child best.

Fantasy Baby Names Inspired by Movies

Bastian

The young main character of the Neverending Story series, Bastian is a lonely young boy who finds purpose and potential in a magical book. Throughout the film — based on a book of the same name — he discovers that he is hero of his life story.

• Origin: Latin

• Meaning: Venerable

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Sebastian, Bastien

• Peak Popularity: 2016

Arwen

Gorgeous, ethereal Arwen is the half-elven, half-human maiden who helps unite the two worlds and bring peace to Middle Earth in Lord of the Rings.

• Origin: Welsh or Elvish (depending on who you ask)

• Meaning: Noble maiden

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Arwyn

• Peak Popularity: 2004

Galadriel

The beautiful and powerful elven Galadriel, played by Cate Blanchett in the Lord of the Rings movies, conveys feelings of light, wisdom and strength.

• Origin: Sindarian (created by J.R.R. Tolkein)

• Meaning: Maiden crowned with a radiant garland

• Fun Fact: This name came straight from Lord of the Rings, so if you’re a true fan, look no further than Galadriel.

Éowyn

The brave warrior Éowyn from LOTR makes for great baby name inspiration; it’s a subtle nod to the franchise without being too tied to a character.

• Origin: Welsh

• Meaning: Horse lover

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Elowyn

Paul

The hero of the Dune books and movie franchise has a strong, simple, classic first name — one that may see a bump due to Timothée Chalamet’s portrayal of the heir to the house of Atreides.

• Origin: Latin

• Meaning: Humble

• Peak Popularity: 1931

• Famous Namesakes: Paul Simon, Paul McCartney, Paul Newman, Paul Giamatti

Chani

Expect this name to rise in popularity after the second Dune movie, as the character played by Zendaya has a lot more screen time.

• Origin: Hebrew

• Meaning: Grace, favor

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Shani

Jareth

We love how this name, inspired by the goblin king made famous by David Bowie in Labyrinth, feels so ‘80s, but so cool.

• Origin: English

• Meaning: Gentle one

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Jared, Jaryth

Westley

As you wish! Westley, Cary Elwes’ beloved character in the cult classic The Princess Bride, is the perfect balance of romantic and heroic.

• Origin: English

• Meaning: Western meadow

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Wes

• Peak Popularity: 1977

Luke

Mr. Skywalker himself, Luke is a great pick for Star Wars fans of all ages.

• Origin: Greek

• Meaning: From Lucania

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Luc, Lukas, Lucas

• Peak Popularity: 2014

• Famous Namesakes: Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Luke Hemsworth

• Fun Fact: Luke has been in the top 500 names since the ‘50s.

Leia

Name your little princess after the beloved General Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker’s twin sister who is gifted in the Force too.

• Origin: Hebrew, Hawaiian

• Meaning: Weary, relaxed/Child of heaven

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Leah, Lia

• Peak Popularity: 2022

• Fun Fact: This name gained popularity in 1978, not too long after Carrie Fisher played the intergalactic princess.

Aurora

This fairytale princess-inspired name just feels like something out of a fantasy movie, and while it may conjure up visions of Sleeping Beauty, it isn’t too tied to the Disney character. “Rory” is a cute nickname.

• Origin: Latin

• Meaning: Dawn

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Rory

• Peak Popularity: 2022

• Famous Namesakes: Actress Troian Bellasario of Pretty Little Liars named her daughter Aurora.

Willow

This name plays dual roles as a reference to both the 1988 film about a farmer protecting a magical baby and Alyson Hannigan as Willow the witch in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

• Origin: Old English

• Meaning: Willow tree

• Peak Popularity: 2022

• Famous Namesakes: Willow Smith

• Fun Fact: Willow has made a pretty impressive jump in popularity over the past 20+ years; it went from #504 in 2002 to #37 in 2022.

Related: 45 Gender-Neutral Baby Names

Fantasy Baby Names Inspired by Books

Cassian

One of the main characters in Sarah J. Mass’s enormously popular A Court of Thorns and Roses series, Cassian becomes friends with heroine Feyre. This name made its first appearance on the Social Security tracker in 2021, definitely because of the books.

• Origin: Latin

• Meaning: Son of Cassius, hollow

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Cassien

• Peak Popularity: 2022

Nesta

Another ACOTAR character, Nesta is Feyre’s sister and soon becomes an essential piece of the story and a heroine in her own right.

• Origin: Welsh

• Meaning: Pure

• Famous Namesakes: Gwen Stefani’s son Zuma’s middle name is Nesta.

Rhysand

Rhysand, the ruler of ACOTAR’s Night Court, is Feyre’s love interest.

• Origin: Welsh

• Meaning: Venerable

Artemis

Artemis is a gender neutral name with roots in Greek mythology, as well as the fantasy series Artemis Fowl. 

• Origin: Greek

• Meaning: Twin of Apollo

• Peak Popularity: 2021

• Fun Fact: Artemis is the Greek goddess of the moon.

Cullen

Cullen, the last name of vampire Edward and his family, is a sly nod to the Twilight franchise without going so far as to name your child Renesmee. The name peaked in 2010, probably driven by Twilight fandom.

• Origin: Irish, Gaelic

• Meaning: Handsome

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Cullan

• Peak Popularity: 2010

Isabella

You could also choose to name your baby after the central character in Twilight, the beautiful Isabella Swan. Just watch out for vampires!

• Origin: Spanish, Italian

• Meaning: God is my oath

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Bella, Isabela, Isabelle, Izabella

• Peak Popularity: 2010

• Famous Namesakes: Isabella Rosselini

Dorothy

As more and more “old-fashioned” names are coming back into vogue, there may just be a resurgence in little Dorothys, especially after the Wicked movie premieres in November 2024.

• Origin: Latin

• Meaning: Venerable

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Dorothea, Dorothe

• Peak Popularity: 1927

• Famous Namesakes: Dorothy Dandridge

Glinda

This gorgeous fairylike name will definitely stand out, even if your baby doesn’t travel from place to place in a pink bubble.

• Origin: Welsh

• Meaning: Fair

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Glenda

• Peak Popularity: 1951

• Fun Fact: In Wicked, the character is first known as Galinda.

Ozzy

If you dreamed of following the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City, why not give your little one a name inspired by the wonderful wizard himself?

• Origin: German

• Meaning: Spear

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ozzie, Oz

• Peak Popularity: 2022

• Famous Namesakes: Ozzy Osbourne, the Wizard of Oz

Caspian

The titular prince of the Narnia book Prince Caspian is noble, kind and fair — all qualities you want your child to possess.

• Origin: English

• Meaning: White

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Caspien

• Peak Popularity: 2021

• Famous Namesakes: Aaron Paul’s son Rydan’s middle name is Caspian.

• Fun Fact: The Caspian Sea is the largest land-locked body of water.

Lucy

One of the Pevensie children in C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series, Lucy is the one who discovers the magical world awaiting her in a wardrobe. This classic name has become super popular as of late, but it truly never goes out of fashion.

• Origin: Latin

• Meaning: Light

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Luci, Lucille,

• Peak Popularity: 2021

• Famous Namesakes: Lucille Ball

Related: 14 Creative Baby Names Perfect For Gen Z Parents

Fantasy Baby Names Inspired by Video Games

Zelda

As in, the Legend of! Zelda is the titular princess in the beloved video game, and also the name of one of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch’s aunts.

• Origin: German

• Meaning: Gray maid

• Peak Popularity: 1911

• Famous Namesakes: Zelda Fitzgerald, Zelda Williams

• Fun Fact: Legend of Zelda’s creator Shigeru Miyamoto actually named the character after Zelda Fitzgerald.

Cecil

The hero of Final Fantasy IV, Cecil is an expert swordsman. For a baby girl, try Cecelia.

• Origin: Welsh, Latin

• Meaning: Blind

• Peak Popularity: 1902

• Famous Namesakes: Cecil B. DeMille

Yuna

The protagonist of Final Fantasy X, Yuna is a fan favorite character with magical abilities.

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Gentle, kind

• Fun Fact: Yuna is a popular baby name in Switzerland.

Fantasy Baby Names Inspired by TV Shows

Arya

Name your baby after the brave, powerful and unstoppable daughter of Stark. Notice the jump in popularity in 2018? That’s all Game of Thrones’ impact!

• Origin: Sanskrit

• Meaning: Noble, honorable

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Aria

• Peak Popularity: 2019

Brienne

Another Westeros reference, Brienne is a cool, unique spin on Brianna.

• Origin: Irish

• Meaning: Noble

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Brianne, Brianna, Briana, Bryanne

Jamie/Jaime

This gender neutral name has several spelling variations, though it’s “Jaime” in Game of Thrones. It peaked in the late ‘70s, but with the popularity of James as a gender neutral first name, expect a Jamie/Jaime comeback in the near future.

• Origin: Hebrew

• Meaning: Supplanter

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Jamey, Jayme, James

• Peak Popularity: 1976

Khaleesi

After Game of Thrones’ debut on HBO, this name immediately jumped in popularity thanks to breakout character Daenerys Targaryen, the “mother of dragons.”.

• Peak Popularity: 2018

• Fun Fact: This name was invented by Game of Thrones creator George R. R. Martin and means “queen” in the fictional language Dothraki.

Related: These Dark Academia Baby Names Inspire Moodiness and Mystery

Fantasy Baby Names Inspired by Mythology

Guinevere

This stunning name just feels queenly, and it should, given its importance in Arthurian myth. It’s a little dose of Camelot romance in your everyday life.

• Origin: Welsh

• Meaning: White, fair

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Gwynevere, Gwyneth, Gwen

• Peak Popularity: 2022

Arthur

He’s the king of your heart! Arthur has been a go-to choice for little boys since the legendary King Arthur pulled the sword from the stone.

• Origin: Celtic

• Meaning: Bear

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Artie, Art

• Peak Popularity: 1901

• Famous Namesakes: Arthur Conan Doyle, Arthur Miller, Arthur Ashe

Lancelot

Name your little one after the iconic knight of the Round Table and he’ll be ready for anything.

• Origin: French

• Meaning: Servant

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Lance

Hera

A child named Hera is destined for greatness, as she’s the queen of the Olympian gods in Greek mythology.

• Origin: Greek

• Meaning: Goddess of marriage

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Herra

• Fun Fact: Hera is the goddess of marriage and childbirth.

Loki

Loki is the Norse god of mischief and he’s known as a trickster—sometimes for good, sometimes a bit more devious.

• Origin: Norse

• Meaning: Airy

• Fun Fact: Tom Hiddleston’s portrayal of the Norse god gave this name a boost in popularity.

Thor

In Norse mythology, Thor is the god of thunder. The 2011 movie of the same name, starring Chris Hemsworth as Thor, brought the name back into the trend cycle, though it originally peaked in the late ‘60s.

• Origin: Norse

• Meaning: Thunder

• Peak Popularity: 1968

• Fun Fact: Though Thor and Loki are depicted as siblings in the Marvel movies, they’re not actually related in the original myths.
  

Related: 39 Wondrous Baby Names Inspired by Science

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