Just because you’re wanting a literary boys name doesn’t mean it has to be a male character for a classic book. Call back to a beloved contemporary female author by naming your son Atwood, a name that is unique and strong even without its literary roots.

Huckleberry Finn from Mark Twain’s book is such a beloved literary character. The name Finn is of Irish descent meaning “fair” and it’s short, easy to pronounce and has become extremely popular of late.

Twilight fans will instantly recognize Jasper as the name of one of the vampires in Twilight and Alice’s love interest Rising in popularity, Jasper was the 36th most popular name for boys in 2022 according to data from BabyCenter, moving over 100 spots up on the list from the year before.

Whether you’re channeling Charles Dickens, or giving a nod to Charles, good friend to Mr. Darcy, Charles is a charming and classic name with distinct literary roots. It means “free man” and it’s a good fit for a free spirited little boy. The nickname Charlie calls back to a certain chocolate factory as well as The Perks Of Being A Wallflower.

A comic book may not seem super *literary* but for a lot of kids, falling in love with comic books is the beginning of a lifelong passion for reading. The name Calvin (meaning “little bald one”) calls back Calvin & Hobbes, beloved my children and adults alike. Cal is such a cute nickname too. There’s also a Cal in East Of Eden, and a Calvin in A Wrinkle in Time.

You can’t think of literary icons without Ernest Hemingway coming to mind, a prolific writer perhaps best known for The Sun Also Rises, This name, meaning “serious” is perfect for a budding English scholar.

One of two central characters in Jane Austen’s 1813 classic, Pride and Prejudice, Darcy is a cool name meaning “dark haired” that’s due for a resurgence. It’s gender neutral and a nice alternative to Darby

Later in the list you’ll find Mr. Darcy’s rarely mentioned first name name.

The title character from Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist is a good kid with strong morals, even when surrounded by corruption. Oliver is a popular name— it was the third most given boys’ name in 2021, according to the Social Security Administration, but that’s because it’s classic with several great nicknames. Oliver means “olive tree” so it’s also a nice nature-inspired name.

Atticus, as in Atticus Finch from Harper Lee’s beloved book, To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a name with a strong sound, similar to Magnus or Titus. The nickname Atti offers a softer alternative.

Dante Alighieri is the name of the Italian poet who wrote The Divine Comedy, and this name stands the test of time. It is simple and powerful, and literally means “enduring, steadfast, everlasting”.

Written in the 1700s, Gulliver’s Travels stands the test of time. In the book, the name is a surname (the character’s name is Lemuel Gulliver). Perfect for a future adventurer, Gulliver is sweet and strong.

We already covered Finn, but Huck (or even Huckleberry) is also a really cute literary boys name that will also work well when your newborn eventually grows into an adult. The full version of the name means “sweet berry”, perfect for your sweet boy.

Gone With The Wind fans will instantly know who inspired this name, as Rhett is the main love interest from the famous ‘30s book. Rhett also stands on its own as a classic Southern name meaning “to speak” so it’ll be perfect your little chatterbox.

Sawyer is the last name of the title character Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. I’m hearing this whimsical literary gender neutral name more and more recently, and it means “woodcutter.”

Name your baby after American writer, Ralph Ellison who is best known for his book Invisible Man. Ellison is a unique alternative to Ellis or Elliot, and it means “Son of Ellis.”

Poet Langston Hughes is perhaps the most well-known for his poem, Harlem (“What happens to a dream deferred?”). Langston is a unique, sturdy name that I’m surprised isn’t more widely used. Langston means “long stone” and and Hughes could be a cool alternative if you’re looking for something different.

Fine, the Twilight series may not be considered high art by everyone, but Cullen — as in Edward Cullen — is a solid name and is from a book (whether that book qualifies as “literature” or not). It means “Son of the holy one” and is a nice alternative to Colin.

Chances are your little one has a copy of Where The Wild Things Are on their bookshelf, and the and the name Max calls back to the book’s protagonist and littlest wild thing. Max means “greatest” and is a classic baby name choice.

Channeling the energy of J.D. Salinger’s Holden Caulfield, the main character in The Catcher in the Rye, the name Holden means “valley”. It’s another strong, simple, powerful choice.

The idea for the name Monroe came from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book, The Last Tycoon, whose main character is Monroe Stahr. Monroe is a gender-neutral baby name meaning “mouth of the river Roe.”

Pip is short for Phillip typically — though this adorable name could stand on its own — and it means “lover of horses.” Philip Pirrip is a beloved literary character from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.

Augustus is one of the main characters from John Greene’s lovely and heartbreaking book, The Fault In Our Stars. It means “majestic” and this name has several nicknames including Gus, Auggie, or Augustus.

Yep, Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice has a first name and — in case you don’t remember — it’s Fitzwilliam. Both Fitz and William are lovely baby boy names on their own, and fusing the two together gives you plenty of options for cute nicknames.

Elie Wiesel was a prolific author best known for his book, Night, which is a heartbreaking read detailing his experience at Auschwitz. The name is at once classic and contemporary and it means “the Lord is my God.”

If you’re not yet a fan of poet Ocean Vuong, you will be as soon as you read his breathtaking work. This serene, evocative name is growing in popularity — it’s nature-inspired and gender neutral, too.

It’s hard to resist the surreal and vividly-detailed novels of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. If your baby boy has half the creativity of this author, he’ll be in great shape. Gabriel means “hero.”

Borrow the first or last name of playwright Tennessee Williams. Tenny or Tenn makes a cool nickname, and this is a memorable name with clear literary roots.

It’s surprising that the short, cute name Moby isn’t more heavily used. Of course, this name immediately calls to mind Moby Dick — as well as a certain musical artist — and it seems likely to have been invented for the book without any agreed upon meaning.

Pulled from the pages of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Lennox is a strong sounding baby boy or unisex name, ideal for families who like the X sound at the end (like Alex or Jax). Lennox means “elm grove” and Lenny or Knox are both cute nicknames.

Raise your hand if you loved The Secret Garden as a child. Colin is one of the main characters in the book, and while he starts off sick, by the end he is healthy and thriving. Colin means “cub.”

The name Jarvis hails from A Tale of Two Cities. It’s a unique baby name that doesn’t feel new or made up, and it means “spear.”