Trying to find the perfect baby name isn't as easy as it sounds. We quickly discover that everyone has an opinion. Even if we didn't ask for it. That's why it's fun to think about baby names that hold meaning for the parents. That way, if someone doesn't like it, it doesn't matter because it's important to us. There are so many places that we can draw baby name inspiration from, including our favorite novelists and the stories they brought into our lives.
Jane Austen was one of the greatest storytellers. She brought us incredible novels full of interesting characters, twists we didn't see coming, and the stories are timeless. She wrote some of the most popular stories way back in 1800s and we're still eating them up today. Many of her books have been turned into movies which allowed us to fall in love with these characters even deeper — and they're great inspiration for baby boy names!
Check out our list for baby boy names that are perfect for anyone who is a big fan of Jane Austen.
BENNET
This is a name that's not super common today, especially as a first name. But for anyone obsessed with Pride and Prejudice, this name is special. It's the surname of the main protagonist, Elizabeth, and it means "blessed."
GEORGE
George was a popular name back in the 1800s when Austen was alive and conjuring up her timeless stories. The name is still popular today and it has several ties to Austen's books as several characters throughout her novels share this regal moniker.
FITZWILLIAM
Oh, the brooding Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy is the male lead that all Austen novel's are made of. We also love that this old-fashioned name can be shortened to the cute Fitz.
CHARLES
For anyone who doesn't want to rock the boat in terms of baby names, Charles is a classic that will never go out of style. It's been around since way before the 1800s and is still around today. This name is featured in several Austen novels including Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Persuasion, Lady Susan, and The Watsons.
BATES
The Bates family was followed in the novel Emma with Jane, Hetty, and Mr. and Mrs. Bates. While this isn't a boy name that we'd immediately be drawn to, that's what we love about it. There isn't likely going to be another with the same name in our kids' class. And it's memorable.
ELTON
Now, when most of us hear the name Elton we immediately connect that to the singer who is wildly famous. But true fans of Austen will recognize it as the surname of surname for Augusta and Phillip in Emma.
KNIGHTLEY
This isn't a typical boy's name, but it's exactly why we love it. This is a name that will stand out and can be shortened to "Knight' which is pretty cool. And who could ever forget the critical yet kind Mr. Knightly from Emma (aka her true love)?
FREDERICK
We love the name Frederick because it sounds fancy and like it's deep-rooted in history, which it is. This isn't a name we hear too often these days, and it's a subtle nod to Frederick Tilney, one of the characters in one of Austen's lesser-known novels, Northanger Abbey.
COLLINS
This name calls to the character William Collins in Pride and Prejudice — the distant cousin who is the heir to the Bennet estate — and tries to marry Elizabeth. It's a gender neutral name that's not made its way on any popular baby names list yet. This makes it the perfect choice for parents who don't know the sex of their baby and want a name that fits any.
ELLIOT
Elliot is another one of the boy names that we see a few times in Jane Austen's books. Elliott and Lady Elliott are friends of Robert Ferrars in Sense and Sensibility and is the surname of one of the families in Persuasion.
AUSTIN
This is obviously a nod to the author herself. The name Austin has been a common boys' first name for a long time and there are several different ways to spell it so we can put our own spin and flair on the common name to help it stand out.
EDMUND
Edmund is one of the lead characters in Jane Austen's novel Mansfield Park. He was destined to become a clergyman since he was the second-born son. He was known as being a kind and sweet guy, which are nice traits for a baby to inherit.
BRANDON
Brandon was a surname of the character Colonel Brandon in Sense and Sensibility. He was one of the characters who was interested in the youngest Dashwood sister, Marianne. The two eventually get married in the story.
THOMAS
Thomas was a common name back in the 1800s, so it's no surprise that several characters from Austen's novels have this name. We know Thomas as the manservant from Barton Cottage in Sense and Sensibility and a man by the same name was also the master of Cleveland.
WESTON
We love the name Weston, which is a play on a few characters from Austen's books. In Sense and Sensibility the Westons were friends of the Palmers. It's also the last name of Anna Weston from Emma.
