Choosing a name for your baby may be one of the most challenging things you do before your baby arrives. You want something memorable, but not too far out there. Whichever baby name you choose, don’t fret too much. Your child can always change it, or at least go by their middle name, as YA author Sloane Tanen once did as a teen.
When thinking of baby names, movie-inspired monikers might be on your list. Here are some names inspired by characters from the silver screen that you may want to consider.
Choosing a baby name: Movie characters from films we love
Most popular baby names and their movie characters equivalent
In these times of uncertainty, the one constant over the last few years is that the baby names Liam and Olivia have held strong, and were the most popular names given to newborns in 2020 and 2021. Given the other baby names that made it into the top spots in recent years, it looks like many of us were on the binging-movies-on Netflix portion of the pandemic while waiting for our sourdough bread to rise.
7. Emma: This name gained the top spot for girls baby names in 2020 and remains popular
Emma Grace Frost is an X-men character in the Marvel Universe, and Emma Woodhouse is the main character in the 2020 movie, Emma, which is based on Jane Austen’s 1815 eponymous novel.
8. Charlotte: The girls baby name Charlotte grabs 5th place as far as most popular baby names go
The name Charlotte can be found in movies like Beautiful Creatures, Top Gun, Rugrats: All Growed Up, and of course Charlotte’s Web.
9. Lucas: The name Lucas has consistently been in the top 20 baby names for years. They say you never forget your first movie star crush. Mine was Corey Haim — who starred in Lucas — the 1986 film that no one really talks about much, but is definitely an eighties favorite.
10. Benjamin: In 2020, Benjamin was the 7th most popular name in the United States Fans of the cult-classic movie The Sandlot will remember Benjamin as Smalls’ best friend and the best player on the team. National Treasure fans will recognize the name Benjamin Gates as the unlikely protagonist of this beloved 2004 film.
Choosing a name for your baby can indeed be a roller coaster ride. Speaking of John Lucas and his interest in the name Sloane, Tanen wrote, “I imagine he wanted a name that would stand out with the character. I wanted a name that would allow me to fit in.” Finding the perfect balance between the two is something to which many parents can surely relate.
