Life

17 Baby Names Inspired By Fierce Literary Heroines

From the moment you learn a baby is on the way, parents start planning everything from the design of the nursery to where their child will go to college. But one of the most important decisions you can make for your child is one that is usually made before they even arrive — their name. But if after you've poured over the Internet for the perfect baby name, you're still afraid that your little girl will be one of five Meghans in her class, why not try a baby name inspired by literary heroines?

Whether you were the bookworm who eagerly absorbed every novel on your English class reading list, or the kind who just skimmed the Cliff's Notes and watched the movie to get a passing grade, you've at least heard a cultural reference made to some of these fierce females plucked from classic literature. And, unless your daughter goes to school with kids who all have English professors for parents, you can be confident that your little girl's name will stand out.

Check out this list of literary ladies to help you find the perfect name for your little girl. And once you've decided, go back and check out one of the books you should have read sophomore year instead of daydreaming about that Chad Michael Murray lookalike in your class.

1

Alice

The star of Lewis Carroll's children's classic, Alice means "noble."

2

Amelia

Amelia Bedelia is a fun-loving children's book character who takes everything literally. Since the name Amelia means "work," she probably has a pretty runway walk.

3

Aurora

The central character in both Terms of Endearment and Sleeping Beauty, Aurora means "dawn."

4

Bella

Bella, which means "beautiful," is a popular name in literature. Edward Cullen's lady love in Twilight as well as the central character in Charles Dickens' novel, Our Mutual Friend both bear this beautiful name.

5

Brett

A shortened version of Brittany, Brett was the fiercely feminine protagonist in Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises.

6

Calliope

It's no wonder this muse was the goddess of music and song according to Greek mythology. The name Calliope means "beautiful voice."

7

Charlotte

Inspired by the lovable spider in E.B. White's children's novel, Charlotte means "free," a great choice for hippie parents.

8

Cressida

Fans of The Hunger Games and the finer things alike will undoubtedly flip over the name Cressida, which means "gold."

9

Daisy

Even if you didn't read The Great Gatsby in high school, you'll appreciate this classic name, which is also a beautiful flower.

10

Eloise

The first thing that probably comes to mind when you hear the name Eloise is that mischievous little darling who gets into all kinds of trouble at the Plaza Hotel. But Eloise actually means "healthy or wise," which are great traits to have.

11

Emma

Inspired by Jane Austen's novel by the same name, Emma means "universal."

12

Matilda

Roald Dahl made this name famous with a series of children's books. Matilda means "battle mighty" — you can't get more bad ass than that.

13

Ophelia

Hamlet's lover in the Shakespearean tale, Ophelia means "help" in Greek.

14

Ramona

Even though, she's the pesky younger sister to Beezus in Beverly Cleary's children's book series, Ramona means "wise protector."

15

Scarlett

Another word for "red," Scarlett was the heroine in Margaret Mitchell's classic, Gone With The Wind. Just hope that your little girl doesn't end up with Rhett Butler.

16

Sula

Taken from Shulamit, a name from the Old Testament, Sula is the title character of Toni Morrison's award-winning novel, of the same name, and the epitome of a bad chick.

17

Zora

American author and civil rights activist, Zora Neale Hurston is most known for her classic novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. Zora means "dawn,"