Sometimes the best names are the ones that stand the test of time. These baby names won't go out of style or immediately tell people which year we were born. For parents who want to go this route for their baby girl, classic names can be found in some of the most popular novels of all time. And Jane Austen is a great inspiration for finding the best name for a little girl.
Austen was a master of storytelling, and through her novels (many of which were turned into movies way later down the line), we came to fall in love with a variety of interesting characters. Her stories were written in the 1800s – over 200 years ago – and people are still captivated by them today.
Because Austen was a wizard in crafting timeless stories, it makes sense to look to her characters for inspiration for our baby girl names. These are proven to still be relevant centuries later.
ELIZABETH
Giving a baby girl the name Elizabeth isn't going to jump right out and be obviously tied to the incredible writer, yet it's a perfect option for fans of her characters because there are several Elizabeths across multiple Austen novels, the most notable being every Austen fans favorite: Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist from Pride and Prejudice.
MARY
Mary is one of the most popular names and we believe is never (ever) going to go out of style. It is timeless and while it was more commonly used back in the 1800s when Austen was choosing names for her characters, it's still a great option for parents who want that classic feel. Mary was the third Bennet sister out of five in Pride and Prejudice.
DARCY
One of Jane's most beloved stories is Pride and Prejudice, and one of the lead families in the story is a great place for inspiration. Everyone knows Mr. Darcy, the male lead in the story, and it turns out his surname also makes for a beautiful name for a girl.
MARIANNE
Marianne is inspired by Marianne Dashwood, the middle of the sisters in Sense and Sensibility — and a beloved Austen character. It's a great name for parents who are looking for one of those combo names (in this case: Mary and Anne), and a classic that will likely always be around.
HARRIET
Harriet was the name of the character married to Colonel Foster in Pride and Prejudice. She wasn't a lead character, so the connection will be subtle. The name means "home ruler."
EMMA
Emma is a name that we hear pretty much all the time — and the titular character of one of Austen's most beloved novels. Emma has been made a few times into a movie as well (remember the Gwyneth Paltrow version?). We love that the name means "whole" for a full-rounded baby girl.
ANNESLEY
We love a good, uncommon name and Annesley sounds like one we should hear once in a while. It's certainly not common, but it's a good choice for huge fans of Austen who will recognize the moniker as a minor character in Pride and Prejudice.
ELINOR
We love a name that has a real classic and regal feel to it — and that's the vibe we get from Elinor. It's not one we hear enough of these days and it's inspired by Elinor Dashwood, one of the lead characters in Sense and Sensibility.
ANNE
In baby name world, Anne is a play on the name Hannah, which means "gracious" or "full of grace." In the world of Austen, it's a name that was common in the 1800s, so it's a character in several of her novels — some lead characters and others playing minor roles in the story.
KITTY
Perhaps a family is looking for a name that's less formal and more playful. Kitty definitely fits that bill and it's a nickname that was used for Catherine "Kitty" Bennet in Pride and Prejudice — the impulsive youngest Bennet sister that causes a whole lot of chaos. Parents can go the same nickname route or name it their baby's official name.
CATHERINE
Chances are, the name Catherine is never going to go out of style. It's been around since way before the 1800s when Austen was writing her novels, and three of her books have a character with the name Catherine.
GEORGIANA
Georgiana is a powerful and uncommon name that we don't get to see much these days. The naming inspiration comes from Georgiana Darcy, Mr. Darcy's little sister, whose presence makes a big difference to the trajectory of the story in Pride and Prejudice.
JANE
Jane is a sweet name for a little girl and a tie directly to Austen herself. It's one of those short and sweet names that is never really so popular that there are many kids in the same class haring the name, but it's not so uncommon to never have met a Jane before.
LYDIA
The name Lydia comes from an ancient kingdom, but in Austen world, it's a nod to Lydia Bennet — the youngest child in the Bennet family. The name has been around since long before the 1800s and has never really risen to the top of baby name charts.
MARIA
Maria is far from a unique name, and it's one that we've seen around for a long time. For parents looking to tie in Jane Austen characters, Maria is a minor character name is several of the novels including Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Northanger Abbey.
