In the article Unusual Baby Names from Children’s Literature, readers got to learn about some of the more unusual names children receive in kids books. Now this article looks at the character names of other figures from children’s literature – including not only kids but also animals and aliens!
Cool Baby Names for Boys
Dusk: This character appeared in Dan Gutman’s funny middle grade book The Million Dollar Goal along with his fraternal twin Dawn. Why Dawn and Dusk? According to Dusk, that was how long their mother was in labor with them! (In the interests of full disclosure, Dusk claims he hates his name and wants to be nicknamed “Rocket.”)
Shade: The lead character in Kenneth Oppel’s Silverwing books, Shade is a Silverwing bat ridiculed for his small size. But when he’s separated from his colony during a winter migration, Shade embarks on an amazing journey that reveals how his unique ability to use sound for echolocation, mapping, and even disguise enables him to survive many trials – including dangerous encounters with Goth, an evil carnivorous vampire bat.
Dak: In K.A. Applegate’s science fiction adventure novel The Hork-Bajir Chronicles, Dak Hamee is a Hork-Bajir, a vicious-looking but peaceful alien, who lives on an alien world full of lush plant life. Born with a genius-level I.Q. that sets him apart from the rest of his simple-minded race, Dak learns he must use his remarkable intelligence to help his people survive an invasion by the Yeerks – a hostile parasitic alien race.
Exotic Baby Names for Girls
Coraline: The lead character from Neil Gaiman’s book Coraline, Coraline Jones is a young girl who wants to escape her boring everyday life. When she discovers a door to an alternate world where everyone – including alternate versions of her parents – has button eyes and seems much more interesting, Coraline figures her dreams have come true. But beneath this world’s perfect exterior lies some sinister secrets…
Marina: Another character from Kenneth Oppel’s Silverwing books, Marina is a Brightwing bat who befriends the lost Silvering bat Shade and helps him return to his colony. Captured by humans before meeting Shade, Marina was implanted with a mysterious metal band on her leg that makes her an outcast in her own colony, yet a worshipped figure among other bats.
Aldrea: A friendly alien Andalite who appears in K.A. Applegate’s The Hork-Bajir Chronicles, Aldrea and her family journey to the Hork-Bajir world on a mission of peaceful exploration. Once there, however, she befriends the genius Hork-Bajir Dak Hamee and winds up helping him defend his planet against an invasion by the Yeerks, an alien menace that Aldrea’s father accidentally helped create.
More Lists of Unusual Names
Looking for some more unique baby names? Try reading Unusual Baby Names from Popular Culture Books.
Sources:
Applegate, K.A. The Hork-Bajir Chronicles. New York: Scholastic Books. 1998. ISBN: 0-439-04291-7
Gaiman, Neil and Dave McKean. Coraline. New York: HarperTrophy. 2004. ISBN: 0060575913
Gutman, Dan. The Million Dollar Goal. New York: Hyperion Books for Children, 2003. ISBN: 0786818832
Oppel, Kenneth. Silverwing. Aladdin Paperbacks/Simon & Schuster, 1997. ISBN: 0-689-85202-9
Michael Jung - Michael Jung is a professional writer, children’s literature specialist, and online book dealer whose articles, reviews, interviews, ...
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