Our Favorite Baby Names Inspired by Authors

Kurt
Best known for his 1969 satirical anti-war novel Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut was an incredible American author of novels, short stories, plays, nonfiction, and even graphic arts creations. While Vonnegut might have shuddered at the association of the word cute with his name, we think it would adorable for a baby, particularly if your newborn expresses an interest in dystopian science fiction.

Jane
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a parent in possession of a baby, must be in want of a name for that baby. And while some totally unfortunate people might associate the elegantly simple name Jane with plain, anyone who has read English novelist Jane Austen’s work—and fallen crazy in love with classics like Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility—would beg to differ. And, hello, the modern-classic film Clueless was based on Austen’s Emma.

Thornton
Want to set your baby up for Pulitzer fame? We’re not making any promises, but why not start by naming him after a past winner? Our Town writer Thornton Wilder’s famed play was first produced and published in 1938, but it remains a classic today. And we think the award-winning playwright and novelist would make an excellent inspiration for a baby name. Might we suggest an accompanying spartanly decorated nursery—no curtain, no scenery.

Harper
The name Harper has been steadily climbing the ranks over the last five years, but that doesn’t mean you should shy away from giving this name to your kid—especially if your inspiration for it is the incredible American novelist Harper Lee, who totally knocked it out of the park with her first book, To Kill a Mockingbird, the only one she published for half a century. Literary history was made this year with the publication of Lee’s earliest-known work, Go Set a Watchman. But if you do pick this name for your baby, you can expect his/her first words to go something like this: “Mama.” Drops mic. Says nothing for five months. Then, “Dada.”

Bryson
Bestselling author of books like Notes from a Small Island and In a Sunburned Country, Bill Bryson is one of the funniest travel writers around. His book A Walk in the Woods, a laugh-out-loud account of his attempt to tackle the Appalachian Trail with a friend who’s unprepared for the task, has even been adapted into a film starring Robert Redford, out September 2. Baby’s first passport holder would make a fine birthday present for little Bryson.

Ezra
Want to encourage baby’s love of a good snow day? Name him/her after Ezra Jack Keats, the author and illustrator of the beloved Caldecott Medal–winning children’s book The Snowy Day. Peter wakes up one morning to find his urban neighborhood blanketed in snow, and he can’t wait to go exploring. And how cute is baby Ezra going to be bundled up in his/her own little red snowsuit? If picking this name, the snowsuit is not optional.

Mo
OK, so technically the author of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and the Elephant & Piggie books’ first name is Maurice, but to all of us, he’s just Mo Willems. The prolific and popular author-illustrator has created more than four dozen silly and engaging children’s books that even make grown-ups chuckle. We think Mo would work for a baby boy or a girl, and, hey, it’ll be as easy for the kid to spell as it is for him/her to draw The Pigeon from Willems’ books (yes, the bird’s first name is The, another acceptable baby name).

Maya
We should all be so lucky to be named after someone like the incomparable Maya Angelou. A celebrated poet, author, actress, singer, and dancer (whew!), Angelou may be best known for the 1969 autobiographical debut memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which details her early life with poetically powerful prose. If Maya’s the name you choose, you have to invest in a baby quotes book, because this kid’s going to have a lot of them.
What’s your favorite author-inspired baby name?