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30+ Storybook Baby Names That Feel Soft, Whimsical, & Woodsy

The names you’d call from the front stoop of your cottage, if you lived in a fairy tale.

by Katie McPherson
An adorable baby girl, nine months old, sitting in a high chair on the porch of a charming cottage. ...
LindaYolanda/E+/Getty Images

If you love all things fairytale, literary, and bookish, you’re probably seriously considering the names of your favorite authors and characters for your baby. You want your little one to sound like the hero or heroine of a classic tale, with a name that evokes whimsy and maybe leans a little moody. These storybook baby names absolutely capture that vibe. They sound like the names you’d call out into the magical forest to summon your children home for dinner (they’ve been playing with the fairies barefoot amongst the toadstools, obviously).

Bron

Bron is an old name with roots in British and Dutch culture, meaning everything from “spring” (as in the water source) to “brown.” It’s perfect for the dark-haired, dark-eyed little boy from which all the joy in your life will soon bubble up.

Delphine

This airy, feminine name feels fitting for a storybook maiden. It’s derived from the Greek word delphís, which means “from Delphi,” the home to the oracle of Apollo and, in Greek mythology, said to be the center of the world itself. This name feels steeped in lore and importance; what more could you want from a storybook name, really?

Fable

Word names have gained a ton of traction in the past few years, with monikers like Legacy, True, and Miracle climbing the baby name popularity charts in the U.S. Fable is one of those words that you’d never think of using as a name, but would actually be gorgeous on a little girl.

Finch

Bird names all have a little something storybook-ish about them, from Lark and Sparrow to Griffin and Peregrine. Finch is a one-syllable, spunky boy name that is somehow still soft and full of whimsy.

More Storybook Baby Names:

  • Alice: “noble”
  • Asa: “healer” or “doctor”
  • Atticus: “from Attica” (a region in Greece)
  • Avalon: “island of apples”
  • Bram: “bramble” or “father of a multitude”
  • Briar: a thorny bush of wild roses
  • Clover: as in the green sprouts known to symbolize luck
  • Elowyn: “elm tree”
  • Emile: “rival,” “eager,” or “industrious”
  • Evander: “good man” or “benevolent ruler”
  • Everett: “strong as a boar”
  • Finn: “fair” or “blessed”
  • Heath: “land of heather and grass”
  • Holden: “deep valley”
  • Hollis: “near the holly trees”
  • Hugh: “understanding,” “bright mind”
  • Isolde: “ice battle,” “iron ruler,” or “fair one”
  • Ivan: “God is gracious”
  • Kit: “pure”
  • Leander: “lion man”
  • Lenore: “light” or “bright one”
  • Lyra: “lyre” or “harp”
  • Meadow: a beautiful grassy clearing
  • Odette: “wealthy”
  • Oliver: “olive tree,” “ancestor’s legacy”
  • Pippa: “lover of horses”
  • Soren: “strict” or “stern”

Do any of these storybook names feel like a perfect fit for your story’s new main character?