Kids who become the namesakes of popular characters from children’s literature often gain unusual names with even more amazing histories. Whether they can trace their names back to wizards, child prodigies, or even (gasp!) criminal masterminds, it’s a sure bet they’ll be sharing the name of a very interesting person.
Here is a list of unusual character names from children’s literature that will probably never make the top 100 baby names list, but do make for a good story.
Unusual Character Names for Boys
Artemis: The title character from Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl book series, Artemis Fowl II is a child prodigy who initially used his tremendous intellect and family fortune to steal fairy gold and other magical items. Over the years, Artemis matures somewhat and uses his knowledge to aid the fair folk. (The name also doubles as a girl’s name since Artemis is the Greek goddess of the hunt).
Draco: The childhood nemesis of boy wizard Harry Potter in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series, Draco Malfoy is a cunning bully obsessed with lineage who continually torments Harry and his friends. Despite these negative qualities (or maybe because of them) the character gained many fans. The name is also the Latin term for “dragon,” and the name for a dragon-shaped constellation.
Klaus: The middle child of the Baudelaire orphans from Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events books, Klaus Baudelaire loves reading and possesses an eidetic memory enabling him to remember everything he ever read. He uses this knowledge to help his sisters when all three orphans are pursued by the evil Count Olaf who wants to kill the kids and steal the Baudelaire family fortune.
Sirius: Best known among fantasy readers as Sirius Black, the wrongfully imprisoned godfather of Harry Potter, in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, “Sirius” is also the name of the brightest star in the night sky and part of the constellation Canis Major, causing it to be called the “Dog Star.” In Diana Wynne Jones’ fantasy novel Dogsbody, the Dog Star Sirius is wrongfully cast down to Earth in the form of a dog where he must recover a dangerous weapon.
Tobias: A tragic character from K.A. Applegate’s middle grade sci fi book series Animorphs, Tobias is a loner given the power to “morph” into any animal he touches in order to stop an alien invasion. While he loves using this power to fly as a red tailed hawk, he later becomes permanently trapped in this form – but bravely continues fighting the invading aliens alongside his friends.
Unusual Character Names for Girls
Cimorene: The lead character in Patricia Wrede’s Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Cimorene is a strong-willed princess who decides to escape her boring palace life to cook and clean for a friendly dragon. This lets her to take part in several great adventures – and meet an interesting king.
Glinda: Known as the Good Witch of the South, as well as the Sorceress of Oz, Glinda is the ageless, beautiful matriarch of the Land of Oz in L. Frank Baum’s Oz book series. Although portrayed as slightly scatter-brained in the 1939 MGM Wizard of Oz film, as well as the Broadway musical Wicked, the book version of Glinda is constantly presented as a wise, calm figure who provides sage advice to whoever asks for it.
Luna: A character introduced in Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Luna Lovegood is a talented teenage witch who becomes one of Harry Potter’s most loyal friends. Often considered bizarre by other kids, Luna is nevertheless very intelligent and bears the taunts and insults directed at her with uncommon grace and dignity.
Veruca: One of the five children in Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Veruca is a spoiled girl who whose wealthy father bought thousands of Wonka candy bars and got his factory workers to find her a “Golden Ticket.” The ticket allows her to tour Willy Wonka’s magical chocolate factory, although her time there does not end well. (The name “Veruca Salt” is also the name of an alternative rock band that named their group after the Roald Dahl character.)
Find more unusual names from popular books at Unusual Baby Names from Popular Culture Books.
Michael Jung - Michael Jung is a professional writer, children’s literature specialist, and online book dealer whose articles, reviews, interviews, ...
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