Baby names inspired by famous poets

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Written by Mary Fetzer

A poet’s work is to name the unnameable, to point at frauds, to take sides, start arguments, shape the world and stop it going to sleep. ~Salman Rushdie

While the words of our favorite poets inspire our lives, we can also let the names of the poets themselves inspire us. Check out our list of popular poets as you consider your next baby boy or baby girl name.

* A.E. Housman – The A is for Alfred and the E is for Edward, two names of English origin. Together, they mean Wealthy and Wise. Don’t forget about Alfred Lord Tennyson and another notable Edward: Edward Estlin Cummings, better known as E.E. Cummings.

* Carl Sandburg – If you’re a fan of The Fog poet, then why not consider Carl for a boy or Sandy for a girl!

* Christopher Marlowe – Once again, both the first and last names of this poet would be great moniker for your poet-to-be.

* Edgar Allen Poe – We like all of these – Edgar, Allen, Poe – as first names for a boy.

* Edwin Arlington Robinson – Edwin Arlington is a seriously edgy name for a boy… but so is the title of his most famous poem: Richard Cory.

* Emily Dickinson – Emily has been one of the most popular baby girl names for nearly a decade.

* Elizabeth Barrett Browning – The name Elizabeth can be traced back thousands of years. Brown is an old-time name for a boy. Then there’s Barrett – it's an English name that means To bear power.

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* Henry Wadsworth Longfellow – Henry is a traditional English name that means Rules his household.

* John McCrae – The In Flanders Field poet (and fellow poet John Keats) bore one of the most popular baby boy names of all time.

* Joyce Kilmer – This beloved poet was a man, but we prefer the name Joyce – which means Merry or Cheerful – for a baby girl.

* Langston Hughes – If Langston is too "out-there" for you, then consider Hugh, an English name that means Intelligent.

* Lewis Carroll – His given name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, but we like Lewis and Carroll as prospective baby boy names.

* Louisa May Alcott – The Little Women author penned at least 144 poems.

* Maya Angelou – We love everything about Maya Angelou, including her first name and her surname, which could be modified to Angel, Angela or Angelo.

* Ogden Nash – Switch up these cool names for a super-modern Nash Ogden!

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* Percy Bysshe Shelley – Expecting fraternal twins? Name your baby boy Percy and your baby girl Shelley!

* Ralph Waldo Emerson – Here is another one of those names that combines three very hip first names.

* Robert Browning – Robert, which means Bright or Shiny, has been in used since the Middle Ages. It’s a great name for a boy and can be shortened to Rob, Bob, Robbie or Bobby. Other notable Roberts include Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Frost and Robert Burns.

* Rudyard Kipling – If Rudyard is too much of a mouthful, try Kip – a name that’s growing in popularity for baby boys.

* Sylvia Plath – Sylvia is a name of Latin origin and means From the forest.

* T.S. Eliot – The T stands for Thomas and the S for Stearns, but it’s Eliot (with one L or two) that we like. Another famous Thomas: Thomas Hardy.

* Walt Whitman – There was a time when Walter was a popular name, but it’s rarely used today. Another all-time favorite: Sir Walter Raleigh.

* William Shakespeare – The name William is a masculine classic, but why not give your child a truly unique name: Shakespeare! Other notable Williams include William Blake and William Wordsworth.

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