Recently I saw an article on Parents.com that said the latest trend in baby naming was to name your kid after a fictional literary and/or cinematic character. Apparently it’s all the rage these days. Considering I named my own babygirl after a fictional nubian princess, I could only agree, although I felt a little “sheepish” knowing I was part of a so-called trend. Still, I was curious to see if babygirl’s name made it on to Parent’s list of top-ten names culled from our favorite books and movies. Not even close. In fact, there’s not one female name on the list of any characters of color. Not a one. Instead, we have names like Gatsby, Eloise (from the children’s book), Darcy and Rhett. Yes, Rhett. Would you name your Black child after Rhett Butler? I’m just sayin.
Still, I love the idea of naming one’s child after a favorite hero or heroine in literature. In case you do too and have a baby to name in the near future, I thought I’d create my own Meltingpot list of best baby names from some of my favorite books and movies. So, here goes:
1. Sula (Toni Morrison’s main character in the novel of the same name)
2. Beloved ( Same as above. I just think it would be cool to name my child Beloved.)
3. & 4. Birdie & Cole ( The two mixed sisters in Danzy Senna’s Caucasia. Obvious Jazz influence there)
5. Coco (From Fame, the movie, not the TV series)
6. Storm (From the X-men, can be for a boy or girl or both.)
7. Isis (From superhero/Egyptian lore)
8. Shelby (From Dorothy West’s The Wedding)
9. Lilo (From one of the better Disney flicks, Lilo & Stitch)
10. Fire ( He was the sexy, Jamaican poet from Colin Channer’s sumptuous debut novel, Waiting in Vain. If I were to have another boy, I might name him Fire.)
Okay, dear readers. What names would you add to this list? I’m listening. And perhaps a whole bunch of expectant mothers are too, so speak up.
Peace!
