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Literary Boy Names

These literary boy names are derived from characters in books from all genres. Some of these literary heroes and anti-heroes, such as Romeo and Tristan, come from works of fiction written centuries ago, while others, like Kafka and Edmund, are contemporary.

Along with Tristan and Romeo, other literary boy names in the US Top 1000 include Atticus, Axel, Holden, Magnus, Orlando, Rhett, Samson, and Santiago. Some names for boys remain inextricably tied to their literary namesakes, such as Heathcliff, Gogol, Ishmael, and Zooey.

Here, a selection of the most distinctive literary boy names from books. It might also be worth checking out your own bookshelves for literature-inspired baby names that are relevant to you.

Quebec Quebec is a name that is most often used for...
Origin:Place-name
4752
Origin:Medieval English variation of Tristan, “noise or sorrowful"
4908
Seneca

Meaning: people of the standing rock

Origin:Latin surname and Native American
1655
Fitzwilliam

Meaning: son of William

Origin:English
1863
Aramis The meaning of Aramis is ‘from Aramits’. It ...
Origin:French literary name
1281
Heathcliff

Meaning: cliff near a heath

Origin:English
1284
Crow The meaning of Crow is 'someone with dark or...
Origin:Bird name
1455
Kafka

Meaning: jackdaw

Origin:Czech
1750
Benvolio

Meaning: good wisher

Origin:Italian
2208
Brick Brick is a name of English origin, which mea...
Origin:Word name, various origins
2261
Cleon

Meaning: glorious, renowned

Origin:Greek
2625
Loch

Meaning: lake

Origin:Scottish Gaelic
2675
Barley

Meaning: grower or seller of barley

Origin:English
3274
Brom The name Brom is mostly used as a boy's name...
Origin:English, diminutive of Bromley
3381
Jolyon

Meaning: youthful

Origin:Medieval form of Julian
3879
Quillen Quillen is a unique name and is not enlisted...
Origin:Variation of Quillan or Quillon
4045
Auric Auric is a unique name for boys. It is a goo...
Origin:Literary name
4932
Taft

Meaning: building site

Origin:English
5124
Hieronymous

Meaning: sacred name

Origin:Greek
5292
Japhy

Meaning: he expands

Origin:Diminutive of Japheth
5670