Baby Names Inspired by Popular TV Shows and Movies
Have you ever watched a popular TV show or movie and thought, “That character’s name would be perfect for my baby!”? If so, you’re not alone. Many parents have turned to pop culture for inspiration when choosing names for their children. From the iconic characters of Game of Thrones to the latest hits on Netflix, there’s no shortage of unique and meaningful names to consider.
If you’re expecting a baby in 2026, why not look back at some of the most popular TV shows and movies from recent years to find the perfect name? Whether it’s a classic or something more unique, there’s something for everyone.
‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’
Amazon’s adaptation of the popular book series took over our TVs in late summer. The show introduced us to several memorable names:
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Jeremiah
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: God will uplift
Peak Popularity: 2011 -
Conrad
Origin: German
Meaning: Brave counsel
Peak Popularity: 1931 -
Isabelle
Origin: French
Meaning: Pledged to God
Famous Namesakes: Isabelle Huppert, Isabella Rosselini
Peak Popularity: 2007 -
Laurel
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Bay tree, laurel tree
Peak Popularity: 1956 -
Susannah
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Lily
Peak Popularity: 1973 -
Steven
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Wreath
Famous Namesakes: Steven Spielberg, Stephen Colbert, Stephen King, Steve Carrell, Steven Tyler, Steve Jobs
Peak Popularity: 1961
‘Andor’
For Star Wars fans, the latest spinoff series on Disney+ offers some unique names:
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Andor
Origin: Scandinavian
Meaning: Thor’s eagle -
Kleya
Origin: Greek -
Luthen
Origin: German
‘The Pitt’
HBO’s Emmy-winning medical drama, The Pitt, features several names worth considering:
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Robby
Origin: German
Meaning: Bright fame
Famous Namesakes: Robbie Williams
Peak Popularity: 1964 -
Collins
Origin: Gaelic
Meaning: Young dog
Peak Popularity: 2023 -
Samira
Origin: Arabic
Meaning: Evening conversation
Famous Namesakes: Samira Wiley
Peak Popularity: 2024 -
Mateo
Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Gift of god
Peak Popularity: 2023 -
Perlah
Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Pearl -
Cassie
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Shining
Famous Namesakes: R&B singer Cassie Ventura and actress Cassie Scerbo
Peak Popularity: 1982
‘Nobody Wants This’
This Netflix rom-com about a Rabbi who falls in love with a woman who isn’t Jewish is a millennial dream:
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Noah
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Rest
Famous Namesakes: Noah Cyrus
Peak Popularity: 2016 -
Joanne
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: God is gracious
Famous Namesakes: Joanne Woodword
Peak Popularity: 1935
‘The Hunting Wives’
Soapy, fun, and a bit racy, this show is also a source of cute girls’ names:
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Margo
Origin: French
Meaning: Pearl
Peak Popularity: 1951 -
Sophie
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Wisdom
Famous Namesakes: Sophia Loren, Sofia Coppola, Sofia Vergara
Peak Popularity: 2011 -
Callie
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Beautiful
Peak Popularity: 2020
‘The Studio’
Seth Rogen’s Emmy-winning series on Apple TV is a Hollywood send-up:
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Quinn
Origin: Latin, Irish, Gaelic, Celtic
Meaning: Leader, wise
Peak Popularity: 2022 -
Maya
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Good mother
Famous Namesakes: Maya Rudolph
Peak Popularity: 2023
‘Only Murders in the Building’
This cozy series on Hulu starring Selena Gomez, Martin Short, and Steve Martin has some great names:
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Mabel
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Loveable
Peak Popularity: 1902 -
Oliver
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Olive tree
Famous Namesakes: Jamie Oliver, Oliver Platt, Mary Oliver
Peak Popularity: 2024 -
Charles
Origin: English
Meaning: Free man
Famous Namesakes: King Charles, Ray Charles, Charlie Chaplin
Peak Popularity: 1929 -
Loretta
Origin: Italian
Meaning: Laurel
Famous Namesakes: Loretta Lynn
Peak Popularity: 1938
‘Stranger Things’
With its final season finally here, Stranger Things is a source of inspiration:
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Millie
Origin: German
Meaning: Gentle roots
Famous Namesakes: Millie Bobby Brown
Peak Popularity: 2024 -
Finn
Origin: Irish
Meaning: Fair
Famous Namesakes: Finn Wolfhard
Peak Popularity: 2018 -
Gaten
Origin: English
Meaning: From Gaeta
Famous Namesakes: Gaten Matarazzo
‘Too Much’
Lena Dunham’s latest series was a streaming sensation:
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Felix
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Happy
Famous Namesakes: Felix the Cat
Peak Popularity: 1902 -
Wendy
Origin: English
Meaning: Friend
Famous Namesakes: Wendy Williams
Peak Popularity: 1970
‘Love Island’
Reality TV is another great source of name inspiration, and this year, Love Island was the ultimate binge-watch:
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Olandria
Famous Namesakes: Olandria Carthen -
Ace
Origin: Latin
Meaning: One, unity
Famous Namesakes: Ace Frehley, Ace Greene
Peak Popularity: 2022 -
Chelley
Origin: English
Meaning: Who is like God
Famous Namesakes: Michelle/Chelley Bissainthe -
Amaya
Origin: Spanish, Japanese, Arabic
Meaning: Night rain, mother city
Famous Namesakes: Amaya Espinal
Peak Popularity: 2018
Baby Names Inspired by Popular Movies
There were definitely some big-name box office hits in 2025 that offer great name inspiration, from Oz to Jurassic Park.
‘One Battle After Another’
We love the name of Chase Infiniti’s character in this Paul Thomas Anderson film:
- Willa
Origin: German
Meaning: Protection, desire
Famous Namesakes: Willa Ford
Peak Popularity: 1932
‘The Materialists’
Dakota Johnson’s matchmaker has a classic first name:
- Lucy
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Light
Famous Namesakes: Lucille Ball, Lucy Liu, Lucy Lawless
Peak Popularity: 2024
‘Wicked: For Good’
Travel to Oz with these fanciful names:
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Glinda
Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Clean, fair -
Nessa
Origin: Hebrew, Greek, Scottish
Meaning: Holy, pure, butterfly -
Elfie
Origin: English
Meaning: Strength
‘Regretting You’
The latest Colleen Hoover adaptation has some great first-name options:
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Clara
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Bright
Famous Namesakes: Clara Bow
Peak Popularity: 1901 -
Morgan
Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Sea
Famous Namesakes: Morgan Fairchild, Morgan Freeman
Peak Popularity: 1997 -
Miller
Origin: English
Meaning: Grain grinder
Peak Popularity: 2024 -
Jonah
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Dove
Peak Popularity: 2023
‘Freakier Friday’
Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis returned to their roles in this Y2K update:
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Anna
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Grace
Famous Namesakes: Anna Kendrick, Anna Kournikova, Anna Wintour, Anna Paquin
Peak Popularity: 1904 -
Tess
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Summer
Famous Namesakes: Tessa Thompson
Peak Popularity: 1992 -
Harper
Origin: English
Meaning: Harpist
Peak Popularity: 2019
‘Elio’
This strong name is the lead of a recent Disney movie:
- Elio
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Sun
Peak Popularity: 2024
‘Jurassic World’
If you loved the original Jurassic Park, give the sequels a spin for name ideas:
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Zora
Origin: Slavic
Meaning: Dawn
Peak Popularity: 1900 -
Henry
Origin: German
Meaning: House ruler
Famous Namesakes: Henry Fonda, Henry Cavill, Henry Winkler
Peak Popularity: 2024 -
Duncan
Origin: Scottish
Meaning: Warrior
Peak Popularity: 1997
‘Kpop Demon Hunters’
This Netflix sensation delighted both kids and adults with its catchy songs:
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Mira
Origin: Japanese, Slavic, Sanskrit
Meaning: Sea
Famous Namesakes: Mira Sorvino
Peak Popularity: 2024 -
Zoey
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Life
Famous Namesakes: Zooey Deschanel, Zoë Kravitz
Peak Popularity: 2012 -
Rumi
Origin: Japanese, Persian
Meaning: Beauty, lapis lazuli
Famous Namesakes: The poet Rumi, Rumi Carter -
Celine
Origin: French
Meaning: Heavenly
Famous Namesakes: Celine Dion, Celine Song
Peak Popularity: 2024 -
Jinu
Origin: Korean
Meaning: Truth, victorious
