There's little we find more inspiring than going to a museum and gazing at all the amazing art. The colors and shapes of abstract work often evoke emotions we don't fully understand, while portraits and more literal political work can make us consider both contemporary and historical issues in a new light.
And the people who devote their lives to creating the kind of work that makes us think and feel honestly inspire us. These people are willing to be honest with themselves and the world around them, show their vulnerability, and frequently get super, super weird so they can express themselves — and so we can derive benefits from their insight, imagination, and originality. We can't think of a better group of people who should provide the direction for naming our kids — whether or not their lives were all stable, at least they were lived with honesty.
Parents looking to name the newest addition to their family have endless sources of inspiration. Some are more traditional — like using a classic family name — while others are less so, like, well, taking a name from a favorite artist. Parents who are looking for something less common may want to know LO won't have the same name as other kids in class. Those who love unusual names with an artistic flair might consider Bohemian names for baby girls or boys (whether there's a baby boy or girl in the oven — we think a lot of these names could be adjusted, reinterpreted, or used as they are for babies of either gender). Anyone with a historical perspective might even look to Medieval baby names for a girl, while those looking for the ultra-modern should give names inspired by emojis (yup, really) a shot.
JASPER
Jasper Johns is arguably one of the greatest living American artists. A painter, printmaker, and sculptor, his work is associated with both pop art and abstract expressionism. We think Jasper, which is a beautiful type of quartz, is a lovely name for a baby boy, but could also be a pretty and unusual choice for a girl.
CINDY
Cynthia Morris Sherman, known as Cindy Sherman, is recognized as one of our most important contemporary feminist artists. Her body of work, which is largely composed of self-portraits, satirizes stereotypes of women and is deeply self-reflective as well as exploratory of larger cultural issues. We think both Cynthia and the nickname, Cindy, are strong choices for a baby girl.
JEAN-MICHEL
Born in 1960, Jean-Michel Basquiat was a visionary painter of Haitian and Puerto Rican descent who deeply influenced the New York art scene in the 1970s and '80s. He was a contemporary and collaborator of Andy Warhol's, who was inspired by him. We think Jean-Michel is a lovely Francophone name for a baby boy.
CLAUDE
Claude Monet was a founder of French Impressionist painting, and perhaps the movement's most famous artist. In fact, a painting of his literally named the movement (It was called "Impression"). We think Claude is a cool name for a baby boy, but was used in the past for baby girls, too.
BARBARA
The name "Barbara" feels vintage these days, which is honestly great — it means no other kid in the class is going to have it. However, Barbara Kruger's work is anything but old-school — this revolutionary conceptual artist and firebrand is known for important works that address issues of power and sexuality. We love the idea of naming a baby girl after her.
ANDO
Utagawa Hiroshige, born Ando Hiroshige, was an 18th Japanese artist who has been admired internationally for generations — Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh were both collectors of his work. We think the name Ando would be a beautiful fit for a baby boy.
DIEGO
Born in 1886, Diego Rivera was an extremely influential Mexican painter who is one of the founders of the Mexican mural movement. He was married to artist and visionary Frida Kahlo. We think Diego is a handsome name for a baby boy.
GEORGIA
The name Georgia is beautiful on its own, but we especially love it when we think about the remarkable American artist Georgia O'Keeffe, whose paintings have earned her the nickname "the Mother of American modernism."
VINCENT
Born in 1853, Vincent Van Gogh was an extremely prolific — and internationally beloved — Dutch post-impressionist artist. His work is foundational to the movement of modern art. We think the name Vincent is fantastic for a baby boy.
ROBERT
Born in 1821, Robert S. Duncanson was the first African-American artist to be known internationally. He painted stunning landscapes beloved by the abolitionist community. Robert is a classic, elegant name for a baby boy, but Duncanson (shortened to Duncan) would be a solid choice, too.
KAHLO
Frida Kahlo was a famous Mexican artist especially known for her portraits and self-portraits that were semi-autobiographical and semi-magical realist, while being entirely in conversation with a post-revolutionary Mexican culture. We think Frida is a beautiful name for a girl, but Kahlo could be a first name for a baby of either gender.
LOUISE
Born in 1911, Louise Bourgeois was a French-American artist best known for her enormous installation pieces and sculptures that dealt with equally huge themes like family, motherhood, sex, the subconscious, and death. We think Louise is a beautiful and classic name for a baby girl.
PABLO
Pablo Picasso is perhaps still the most recognizable name in art in the Western world, and with good reason — the Spanish artist was among the most influential of the 20th century, and helped define many styles, including Cubism. We think Pablo is a cool name for a baby boy.
WALKER
Kara Walker is an American contemporary artist and professor of visual arts at Columbia University and Rutgers University. An African-American artist, her work explores issues of race, gender, and sexuality, and she is known for her influential friezes. We love the name Kara for a girl, but we think Walker works as a gender-neutral name.
CORNELL
An American artist known for his small sculptures, Joseph Cornell was one of the original leading voices of the assemblage movement. Largely self-taught, his works remain a favorite among poets. We think Joseph is a strong name for a baby boy, but Cornell could be an interesting option for a baby of either gender.
GUSTAV
Turn-of-the-century Austrian symbolist painter Gustav Klimt created some of his era's most evocative works that remain beloved to this day. His figurative works from his "golden phase" involve literally incorporated gold leaf. We think the name Gustav would be an excellent name for a baby boy.
SALVADOR
Born in 1904, Salvador Dali was an extremely influential Spanish artist whose contributions to surrealism helped define the movement itself. He was a beloved eccentric, and we think naming a baby boy Salvador in his honor is a fantastic — although potentially challenging! — idea.
SAMBA
Sheri Samba, born in 1956, is a painter from the Democratic Republic of Congo who is currently one of the world's most prominent African artists. His paintings are in conversation with issues relevant to contemporary Congo and larger African issues. We think the name Samba would be fantastic on a boy or a girl.
RILEY
Born in 1931, Bridget Riley is a contemporary British painter whose work is important in the op art movement. While we love the name Bridget for a baby girl, we think the name Riley would be a strong gender-neutral choice.
BING
Xu Bing is a contemporary Chinese artist whose massive installation pieces explore the ways language impacts how we understand and explore the world around us. We think the name Bing would be an unusual and inspiring name for a baby of either gender.
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