Fairytales encompass countless cultures, which makes them perfect sources for baby name inspiration.
If you're looking for just the right enchanted moniker for your little one, fairytales are
goldmines for gorgeous (and even historical) options.
Check out a few of our favorite rare, beautiful, and exotic fairytale-inspired choices that
await the parent who truly does believe in magic.
Caelia
Known for being one of the longest works of poetic brilliance in history, Edmund Spenser's
The Faerie Queene is brimming with epic names, but Caelia is definitely one of the loveliest
ones.
As the matriarch of the House of Holiness, Dame Caelia (whose name means "heavenly")
is the mother to three daughters: Hope, Charity, and Faith.
The pronunciation of Caelia appears to vary, according to both region and preference.
Some pronounce the name as Kay-leia or Say-leia, while others have been known to say it as
Chay-leia.
Some people even pronounce it as the far more common (but still lovely) Celia.
Whichever interpretation you prefer, the name is tied to literary legend.
Nausicaa
Princess Nausicaa comes to us from Homer's The Odyssey.
The name literally means "burner of ships," though the Nausicaa in the story doesn't turn
out to be a pyromaniac after all.
Instead, she rescues a shipwrecked Odysseus, and the rest, as they say, is mythological
history.
Nausicaa is an ideal seagoing name, perfect for a daughter one plans to raise by the ocean,
on a boat, or even among beach bonfires.
Nausicaa is also the name of the heroine in the film series Nausicaä of the Valley of
the Wind, which features a strong and admirable female lead . Your little Nausicaa is bound
to make some waves, and she might just be able to swim before she can talk.
Fable
A unisex moniker, Fable is a wonderful name, and one that likely hails from the seventeenth-century
text Pentamerone, also known as The Tale of Tales, which was recently adapted into an
acclaimed arthouse film.
In the fairy tale, Fable is the baby sister of the boy Eros.
Both children are cared for and nurtured by the nurse Ginnistan, who symbolizes the imagination.
The name evokes Aesop's Fables and the magic of storytelling in general, plus, it’s also
just straight-up cute for a baby.
High-brow and fascinating all at once, this is definitely an enchanting name a child could
grow into beautifully.
Amira
Most often associated with the award-winning actress Amira Casar, this lovely moniker is
an Arabic name that literally means "princess."
Speaking of royalty, the name Amira is described as a feminized form of the male moniker, Amir,
which, as one might expect, means “prince.”
Amira is the name of the acclaimed Israeli poet Amira Hess, and Amira is also the name
of Princess Ameerah Al-Taweel of Saudi Arabia, a noted humanitarian and crusader for women's
rights, proving this is truly a name fit for a royal.
"There are very important issues...that concerns us women, like civil rights, more fields in
education, more fields in the labor force, and more political participation.”
Conrad
In The Goose Girl, a whimsical tale by the Brothers Grimm, Conrad is the gallant goose-tender
who has to chase down his hat in a high wind every time a princess chants a magic slogan.
But don’t feel too bad for Conrad.
In some versions of the tale, the young man becomes something of a hero when he discovers
who the princess really is, leading to the princess revealing her true identity and finding
her way back to her royal roots.
Conrad means "bold, wise counselor," so it’s the perfect name for a baby with big dreams
of ruling the world, or, at least, the playground.
Famous Conrads include actor Conrad Bain from Diff'rent Strokes, the poet Conrad Aiken,
and the character Conrad "Duke" Hauser from G.I.
Joe.
Bet you didn't know that!
Lysander
Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream should most definitely count as a fairytale, as it
certainly has all the elements of one: a fairy queen, a mischievous fairy boy, enchanted
forests, and star-crossed lovers.
One of those lovers, named Lysander, famously falls in love with the wrong fair maiden after
being "poisoned" by one of Puck's "love-spells," and many whimsical moonlight mishaps ensue.
The moniker Lysander itself means "defender."
And if you consider yourself a big Harry Potter fan, you’ll probably best recognize Lysander
as one of the twin sons of Luna Lovegood and Rolf Scamander.
But that’s not all!
If you happen to be expecting a baby girl, Lysander has a beautiful female counterpart
in the form of its feminine version, Lysandra, which also means defender, or liberator.
So if brave, strong genes run in the family, this name will be a perfect fit for your little
one.
Roland
The disturbing-yet-whimsical tale Sweetheart Roland is full of fantasy and surreal adventure.
In the dark fairytale by the Brothers Grimm, the faithful Roland flees from an evil witch
with his lady love.
As they make their trek, they cleverly escape detection by turning themselves into all sorts
of entities, from lakes, to flowers, to ducks.
And of course, in the end, Roland and his true love eventually live happily ever after.
Snapping back to reality, the name Roland means "famed throughout the land”, so if
you’re expecting to have a rising young Hollywood star on your hands, this name is
perfect for your bundle of joy.
The name was first made famous by the French military hero Roland, whose death was one
of the main inspirations behind Boromir in The Lord of the Rings.
Other notable Rolands include the ghostly, avenging hero of Warren Zevon's legendary
song "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner," Roland the Gunslinger from Stephen King's
Dark Tower stories, and Robin from How I Met Your Mother.
"Oh I don't think we've met, I'm Chloe."
"Robin."
"It's nice to meet you Roland!
I'll see you guys later!"
"Roland?!"
Roland is certainly a wonderful, romantic, and chivalrous name, so whether you’re naming
a avenging ghost or a dashing hero, you can rest assured that Rolands have a track record
of being, well…
“Legendary!”