Have you read the entire Harry Potter series at least three times ? Do you have the entire Charmed series on DVD? Were you obsessed with Sabrina the Teenage Witch when you were a kid? And are you expecting your own little charmer on or near Halloween? Then perhaps you should consider a baby name based on a famous witch character of TV, movie, or stage fame.
Once reviled and persecuted, witches have gained greater acceptance in America over the years. The 1900s saw a surge of popularity in Halloween parties, where women enjoyed dressing up as witches and other spiritual beings, according to National Geographic. Then, in the 1960s, the hit TV show Bewitched inspired the infamous town of Salem, MA, to reinvent itself as a witch-oriented tourist attraction, reported Mental Floss. Since then, shows and movies have continued to bring us memorable witch characters — along with their very cool names.
Not every famous witch can make a good namesake, though. Even the most avid fan of Wicked would think twice before naming a child Elphaba or Glinda. The Witch in Into the Woods has all the good songs, but no actual name. And retro-loving parents might adore the old kids' show H.R. Pufnstuf, but no way would they saddle a child with a name like Witchiepoo.
Still, there are enough awesome choices out there to fill your baby name list, if you're looking for mystical inspiration. Try these on for size:
Sabrina
The Archie comics' spell-caster became a household name through her 1971 Saturday morning cartoon (per IMDb) and, later, the long-running Melissa Joan Hart series. Nameberry explained that Sabrina is the name of a Celtic goddess, making it all the more appealing to spiritually-minded parents.
Willow
Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans came to love Buffy's Wiccan bestie just as much as the Slayer herself. The name is derived from the willow tree, which is associated with grace and flexibility, according to Baby Name Wizard.
Minerva
No witch-name list would be complete without a nod to the Hogwarts crew. You could name your little charmer after a student like Hermione or Luna, but Professor McGonagall deserves consideration, too. Her name comes from the Roman goddess of wisdom, according to The Bump.
Winifred
Bette Midler's memorable character in Hocus Pocus is also a Welsh name meaning "blessed peacemaking," according to Nameberry. Winifred also lends itself to the adorable nicknames Winnie and Freddie.
Rowena
The founder of Ravenclaw House is also well-named. According to Nameberry, Rowena (pronounced row-WEE-na) is a Welsh name meaning "white spear or famous friend."
Tabitha
Bewitched fans also know that Samantha and husband Darren had a baby girl named Tabitha who inherited her mom's magical powers. The name comes from the Aramaic word for "gazelle," explained Baby Name Wizard.
Samantha
"An American classic," according to The Bump, Samantha is Hebrew for "God heard," as well as being the name of the iconic suburban witch in Bewitched.
Prue
The sisters of Charmed enchanted audiences for eight seasons, according to IMDb. Their names are equally charming: Shannen Doherty's character's name is the French version of Prudence, meaning "caution," per Nameberry.
Piper
The Bump offered this interesting tidbit: In 2000, two years after Charmed debuted, the name Piper (meaning "pipe player") entered the top 1,000 baby name list for the first time.
Phoebe
According to Baby Name Wizard, the Greek name meaning "light" is also another name for Artemis, goddess of the moon. No wonder Phoebe was such a perfect choice for the third Charmed sister.
Marie
The French version of the Hebrew name Mary, according to Nameberry, is a classic that's also appropriate for parents fascinated by witches in the media. Marie Laveau, played by Angela Bassett in American Horror Story: Coven, is based on an actual person. According to Britannica, Marie Laveau was a New Orleans voodoo queen in the 1800s who was said to have extraordinary healing powers.
Cordelia
Another gorgeous name from AHS: Coven, Cordelia has Latin and Celtic origins meaning "heart" and "daughter of the sea," according to Nameberry.
Regina
The magical Evil Queen in Once Upon a Time has evolved into a (gasp!) good guy, affirmed ABC. But her name is still royally good (it's Latin for "queen," per The Bump). Or you could go with the equally cool name Roni, which is Regina's new alter ego as bar owner of Hyperion Heights.
Gillian
This pretty French name means "youthful," according to Nameberry, and it's also the name of the main character played by Kim Novak in the movie Bell, Book and Candle. The modern urban witch casts a spell on her cute neighbor to keep him from marrying her old college rival, only to end up falling for him herself.
Bonnie
Along with high-school buddies Sarah, Rochelle, and Nancy, Bonnie makes the fourth member of the coven in the movie The Craft. All four names have their merits, but Bonnie, a Scottish name meaning "pretty," is starting to experience a slight resurgence in popularity, according to Baby Name Wizard.
