“A poem is the very image of life expressed in its eternal truth.” — Percy Bysshe Shelley
Poetry is an art entrenched in a poet’s soul. Poets tend to write about their personal lives and experiences. They express their thoughts, observations, philosophies, and various facets of their lives through poems.
Parents who love poetry may wish to instill the spirit of poetry into the names of their babies. If you are looking for poetic baby names to showcase your love for poems, the following list will help. There are names inspired by poets, poems, and poetic elements. Here is our selection of poetic baby names for girls and boys, along with their meanings.
Poetic Names For Girls
1. Alexandrine
It means ‘defending men’ and is a French and German variation of Alexandra. In poetic terms, it is a twelve syllable line.
2. Angelou
The Greek name for ‘angel,’ and it was the last name of the famous poet, Maya Angelou. She is an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist.
3. Annabel
It means ‘beauty of grace,’ and is inspired by Edgar Allen Poe’s last poem named ‘Annabel Lee.’
4. Auden
This popular poetic name is associated with the famous poet, W.H.Auden. it is a fashionable name with meaning ‘half-Danish.’
5. Audre
It is the name of the American writer, poet, civil rights activist, and feminist, Audre Lorde. The name refers to ‘noble strength.’
6. Ariel
This great poetic baby girl name means ‘Lion of God.’ It has its roots in the famous collection of poetry by Slyvia Plath published in 1965.
7. Blake
It was the surname of a famous Romantic poet, William Blake. It is an Old English name with meanings, ‘someone with dark hair,’ and ‘someone with pale hair.’
8. Bridget
It is an anglicized form of Brigid, an Irish-Gaelic name with meaning ‘strength or exalted one.’ The name is from Irish myth, where they were sister Goddesses named Brigid. One of them is the Goddess of poetry.
9. Cadence
Cadence means a ‘poignant and rhythmic way of communicating’ or ‘poetry.’ It is a popular poetic name for a baby girl.
10. Calliope
This name is inspired by the poetic element, and means ‘the Muse who looks over poetic art.’ It has Greek and Latin origin.
11. Ceridwen
It is the name of the Celtic Goddess of poetry and is a unique name of Welsh origin. The name means ‘beautiful as a poem.’
12. Corinna
Found in Old English poetry, it means ‘beautiful maiden.’
13. Dandelion
It is of English origin meaning ‘Lion’s tooth.’ The name is associated with Morgan Mercury’s poem, ‘Dandelion.’
14. Dearbhla
It means ‘poet’s daughter,’ and is an alternative form of Dervla. This poetic element’s name has its origin in Irish and Gaelic languages.
15. Dervia
Dervia means ‘daughter of a poet,’ and has its origin in the Irish language.
16. Dorie
The name is inspired by the poem, ‘Dorie off to Atlanta,’ by Mark Halliday. It is of American origin, meaning ‘the sea.’
17. Dorothy
Dorothy means ‘gift of God’ in Greek. It is taken from the American satirist and poet, Dorothy Parker.
18. Dove
Dove is associated with peace and purity. Rita Dove is a famous American poet. It also appears in John Keat’s poem, ‘The Dove Poem.’
19. Edda
It comes from ‘Poetic Edda’ a collection of Old Norse poems written by anonymous poets. It also refers to ‘Prose Edda,’ an Old Norse poem from Iceland.
20. Eliot
Eliot means ‘the Lord is my God,’ and is of English origin. It is the name of the renowned modern poet, T.S. Eliot.
21. Emily
The famous bearer of this name is the American poet, Emily Dickinson. It is a Roman name of Latin origin, and means ‘one who is hard-working.’
22. Erato
A mythological name of Greek origin, and it means ‘Goddess of erotic poetry.’
23. Erinna
Erinna means ‘Ireland,’ and it was the name of an Ancient Greek poet.
24. Evangeline
The poetic name was introduced by Longfellow in his narrative poem, and is a popular name, meaning ‘good news.’
25. Felicitas
It is associated with Goddess Felicitas, the Roman Goddess of good luck and an inspiration for many poets. The name is of Roman origin and means ‘happy.’
26. Gertrude
Gertrude means ‘strength of a spear,’ and is of Germanic origin. It is associated with the famous editor and poet, Gertrude Stein.
27. Gretel
The name is derived from the poem ‘Gretel’ by Andrea Hollander. It means ‘pearl’ and has a German origin.
28. Gwendolyn
It means ‘someone who is blessed,’ and is of Welsh origin. Gwendolyn Brooks was a renowned American poet to win a Pulitzer Prize.
29. Jhankar
This poetic element means ‘rhythm of a soft voice,’ and has a Sanskrit origin.
30. Jia
Jia is an unusual poetic name for baby girl and means ‘good, auspicious and beautiful.’ Jia Dao is the name of an ancient Chinese poet.
31. Kavindra
Kavindra is a unique baby girl name meaning ‘poet’ and is of Sanskrit origin.
32. Kavya
Kavya means ‘poetry,’ and is a unique poetic name for a baby girl of Sanskrit origin.
33. Kyrie
It is associated with Thomas Transtomer’s ‘Kyrie.’ The name means ‘the Lord,’ in Ancient Greek.
34. Leighanna
This unique baby girl’s name has English origin, and it means ‘gracious, poetic.’
35. Lenora
It is taken from the famous poem written by the American poet, Edgar Allen Poe. The meaning is ‘light.’
36. Lirita
The meaning of Lirita is ‘poetic’ and is a Hebrew word.
37. Lorca
This cute poetic name is taken from the Spanish poet, Federico Garcia Lorca. It is the name of a place in Spain, meaning ‘town with fine water.’
38. Lucasta
It is taken from Richard Lovelace’s poetry collection, and it means ‘pure light.’
39. Mariana
It is derived from the poem ‘Mariana’ by Alfred Tennyson. The name means ‘of the sea’ in Spanish.
40. Marilis
It is an abbreviation of Amaryllis, the flower, and is a poetic reference to a simple shepherdess or country girl.
41. Marlowe
The poetic girl’s name, Marlowe is of English origin, and it means ‘driftwood.’ It is the name of Christopher Marlowe, An English playwright, poet, and translator of the Elizabethan era.
42. Maya
Maya has its usage in Spanish, Hebrew, and Greek, and it means ‘water.’ It is the name of the famed author and poet, Maya Angelou.
43. Meera
Meera Bai is one of the famous mystical Hindu poets. It means ‘prosperous or amazing.’
44. Millay
Millay is an English literary name and a distinctive choice for poetry lovers.
45. Miranda
It is the name of a famous character from ‘The Tempest,’ revived by poet, W.H. Auden. It means ‘one who is worthy of admiration.’
46. Mirabai
Mirabai is of Hindi origin and is the name after the 16th-century Hindu poetess.
47. Muse
Muse refers to the ‘Gods and Goddesses of poetic inspiration of Greek mythology.’ It is of Old French origin.
48. Naazima
Naazima refers to poetess and is an Indian Muslim baby girl’s name.
49. Ode
It refers to a famous poem, ‘Ode on a Grecian Urn,’ by John Keats. The English meaning is a type of poem praising/glorifying an event or individual.
50. Phillida
This unique name is taken from Nicholas Breton’s poem. It means ‘loving’ in Greek and has a Latin origin.
51. Poem
Poem is a variation of poetry, which is a lyrical choice. It is a beautiful baby girl name.
52. Poesy
It means ‘poetry.’ The name is of English origin and has an antiquated charm to it.
53. Phyrne
It is an Ancient Greek name meaning ‘toad.’ This poem-themed baby girl’s name is from the title of a poem by the 17th-century poet, John Donne.
54. Remora
The name means ‘delay’ in Latin. It is the name of the poem ‘Remora’ by the poet Thomas Lux.
55. Rumi
Rumi means ‘beauty, flow’ in Japanese. Rumi is the best name of the Persian Sunni Muslim mystic and poet of the 13th-century.
56. Sanelma
It means ‘story, poem,’ This Finnish name is derived from the verb Sanella, meaning ‘to dictate.’
57. Sappho
Sappho means ‘sapphire and is of Greek origin. It is the name of the seventh-century Greek poetess, from the Island, Lesbos.
58. Sestina
It refers to a type of poetry developed by medieval troubadours in France and Spain. Sestina means ‘the sixth one,’ in Latin.
59. Shaai’ra
It is a Muslim baby girl name, with meaning ‘poetess or princess.’ The variant spelling is Shaira.
60. Sonnet
Sonnet means ‘short lyrical poem’ and has its origin in English and Italian languages.
61. Slyvia
It means ‘from the forest’ in Latin. The famous bearer of this name is Sylvia Plath, the Tragic heroine of modern poetry.
62. Syne
Syne is derived from Synecdoche, a poetic device. It means ‘since then’ in the Scottish language.
63. Tallulah
Tallulah Flores is a modern American poet. It means running water.
64. Teagan
This poet-inspired baby girl name has Irish origin, and it means ‘fair poet.’
65. Thi
The short and sweet name refers to poetry and is a Vietnamese word.
66. Uriel
It means ‘God is my light,’ in Hebrew, and is the name of a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
67. Virelai
This unique poetic baby name is a French poetic name. It is a common poetic verse form used in poetry and music in Europe from the late 13th to 15th centuries.
68. Williamina
It is the feminine form of William, meaning ‘resolute protection.’ It is derived from the famous poet and playwright William Shakespeare and William Wordsworth.
Poetic Names For Boys
69. Alfred
Alfred means ‘a wise counselor’ in English. It is associated with a famous British poet, Alfred Tennyson.
70. Anatoly
It means ‘sunrise’ in Greek, and the popular bearer of this name is Anatoly Kudryavitsky, a Russian poet.
71. Austin
This is a common poetic baby boy name with the meaning ‘great or magnificent’ in Latin. Alfred Austin was a famous English poet.
72. Baird
The name means ‘poet’ in the Scottish language. The popular namesake is Blythe Baird, a famous slam poet.
73. Bolan
It is a perfect poetic name for your boy and means ‘little poet.’ Bolan is an Irish name.
74. Brooks
Brooks means a ‘stream’ in English. This name is associated with the popular American poet, Gwendolyn Brooks.
75. Byron
It refers to ‘from the barns’ and is of English origin. The name is derived from the famous poet, Lord Byron.
76. Carroll
Carroll means ‘fierce in battle,’ and is an Irish origin name. It is associated with Lewis Carroll, the one who started the nonsense verse format.
77. Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer is a 14th-century poet, and one of his major works is ‘The book of the Duchess.’ The name means ‘making of breeches,’ in French.
78. Crane
Crane refers to ‘long-necked’ or ‘ a tall person.’ The popular connection to this name is Hart Crane, a famous American poet.
79. Cullen
Cullen is the ‘holy tree’ in the Irish language. The name is derived from the American poet, Countee Cullen.
80. Dante
The name is associated with the Italian poet, Dante Alighieri. It means ‘enduring’ in Latin.
81. Devin
This poetic baby boy name means ‘poet’ and is of Irish origin. It has become popular with Devin Johnston, a poet of New York.
82. Dickinson
It means ‘son of Richard’ in English, and has become popular from the 19th-century American poet, Emily Dickinson.
83. Deor
It is connected with the English poem, ‘Deor’ of the tenth century. It means ‘beloved and precious baby’ in French.
84. Dryden
This poetic baby boy name means ‘dry valley’ in English. It is associated with English poet, translator, and literary critic, John Dryden.
85. Dylan
The poet’s name is associated with Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas. It is a Welsh name meaning ‘son of the sea.’
86. Emerson
It is a popular poetic baby name, meaning ‘powerful.’ The poetic inspiration begins this name is the famous poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson.
87. Etheridge
It refers to a ‘noble ruler’ in English, and was borne by the famous African-American poet and civil rights activist, Etheridge Knight.
88. Ezra
Ezra Pound is the most famous American poet, and the name originates from a Hebrew phrase, meaning ‘help.’
89. Frost
Frost means ‘ice’ in German. This name is derived from the poet, Robert Frost, who won the Pulitzer Prize four times in his lifetime.
90. Giovanni
It is a classic Italian name and means ‘gracious.’ Giovanni Boccaccio is an Italian poet, writer, and Renaissance humanist.
91. Haiku
Haiku is associated with Japanese poetry and is one of the most popular names for baby boys.
92. Homer
It means a ‘pledge,’ and is derived from the Greek poet, Homer known for writing the two greatest epics of Greece.
93. Horace
A Latin clan name with meaning ‘timekeeper.’ Quintus Horatius Flaccus, known as Horace by the English-speaking world, was one of the leading Roman poets during the time of Augustus.
94. Hughes
It means ‘mind or intellect,’ and has Scottish, Irish, and English origins. The name is of the American poet and novelist, Langston Hughes.
95. Hugo
Hugo means ‘mind or intellect,’ and is associated with the famous French poet, Victor Hugo. The name has Portuguese, Spanish, and German roots.
96. Jarrell
The name means ‘brave.’ It is a creative name for a baby boy, taken from Randall Jarrell.
97. Kunjal
This poetic name for a baby boy means ‘melodious voice of a nightingale’ and is of Sanskrit origin.
98. Kavi
Kavi is an Indian baby boy name meaning ‘poet.’
99. Keats
It means ‘a shed worker,’ and is the name of a popular English poet, John Keats.
100. Langston
Langston means ‘the town of a tall man,’ and is taken from the popular American poet, Langston Hughes.
101. Larkin
The poetic baby boy’s name is of Gaelic origin, and it means ‘fierce.’ It is from the poet and writer, Philip Larkin.
102. Limerick
Limerick refers to a ‘humorous form of poetry’ with five lines (the last is the punchline). It is a fun choice of name with a good sense of humor and is of Irish origin.
103. Lowell
Lowell means ‘little wolf,’ and is a poetic name from the patrician families of the 19th-century. Robert Lowell is a reference to this name.
104. Marlo
This is a popular name taken from a famous poet, Christopher Marlowe. the name means ‘rebelliousness.’
105. Millay
It means ‘noble or soft.’ The name is associated with a popular lyrical poet, Edna St. Vincent Millay.
106. Moore
The name comes from Thomas Moore, an Irish writer, poet, and lyricist known for his Irish melodies. Moore means ‘open land.’
107. Morrison
It means ‘son of Morris,’ and is of English origin. The name is connected to American novelist, poet, editor, and teacher, Toni Morrison.
108. Nash
Nash means ‘one who lives by the ash tree’ in English. It is taken from the famous American poet, Ogden Nash, known for his humorous poems.
109. Neruda
A poetic name of Czech origin, it means ‘literary name.’ It is from the great Nobel prize-winning poet, Pablo Neruda.
110. Ogden
The English baby boy’s name refers to ‘the oak valley.’ It is the first name of the American poet, Ogden Nash.
111. Ovid
It means ‘sheepherder’ in Latin. Ovid was a Roman poet renowned for his verse’s technical accomplishment.
112. Pablo
Pablo means ‘small of humble’ in Spanish. It is associated with Pablo Neruda, the Latin American poet of the 20th-century.
113. Poe
It means ‘peacock’ and is of English origin. Edgar Allen Poe was an American poet, writer, editor, and literary critic.
114. Rainer
Rainer means ‘wise army’ in German. It is the name of the Bohemian-Austrian poet and novelist, Rainer Maria Rilke.
115. Riordan
This poetic baby boy name means ‘bard or royal poet’ and is an appealing name of Irish origin.
116. Rudyard
The English name means ‘red enclosure,’ and is taken from Joseph Rudyard Kipling, a poet, novelist, and short-story writer.
117. Runo
This short and sweet name for a baby boy means ‘poem,’ and is a Finnish name.
118. Tabare
Tabare means ‘village man’ in Guarani. It is the name of the poem ‘Tabare’ by Juan Zorrilla de San Martín.
119. Tadhg
Tadhg is a ‘poet or storyteller’ and has Celtic and Irish roots. It is associated with the Irish poet, Tadhg Dall Ó hUiginn.
120. Teague
It means ‘philosopher or poet’ and is of Irish and Gaelic origin.
121. Tennyson
This English origin name means ‘son of Dennis. Alfred Tennyson was a famous British poet and was the Poet Laureate during Queen Victoria’s reign.
122. Thoreau
It is a literary name and surname of French origin. The name is associated with American transcendentalist, philosopher, poet, and essayist, Henry David Thoreau.
123. Uriel
Uriel means ‘God is my light’ in Hebrew. The name is derived from the poem named ‘Uriel’ by American writer Ralph Waldo Emerson.
124. Virgil
The Roman name for ‘flourishing,’ and is from the great poet of Rome, Virgil.
125. Wallace
It means ‘foreigner or stranger’ and has its origin in Scottish and English languages. The name is associated with American modernist poet, Wallace Stevens.
126. Whitman
The meaning of the name is ‘white man.’ A famous bearer of the name is Walt Whitman, an American poet.
127. Wilde
The popular poetic name for baby boy means ‘untamed’ in English. It is based after the name of the famous Irish poet, Oscar Wilde.
128. William
William means ‘resolute protection’ in English. It is one of the most popular boy’s names, and some of the famous bearers of the name are William Blake, William Wordsworth, William Butler Yeats, and Carlos Williams.
129. Wyatt
It is an English surname with the meaning ‘brave in war.’ It refers to the 16th-century lyric poet and politician, Sir Thomas Wyatt, who introduced the sonnet to English literature.
130. Yeats
A unique name of English origin, and it means ‘great.’ William Butler Yeats is a famous poet of the 20th-century.
These are some of the sweet lyrical and poetic names you may choose for your little one. They are not just beautiful but hold remarkable significance. Choose the name that would have the most positive impact on your child as they grow older.
