Music Inspired Baby Names

Mom of three, grateful they all turned out musical, even without explicitly musical names!

Music lovers, pick a baby name that sings!

Are you a rockin' parent-to-be? Lean more toward classical music, blues, jazz, maybe country? A Beatles fanatic like me?

Consider these musical names for a tuneful touch. They add an extra layer of meaning and fun without (for the most part) being too "out there." Your baby boy or girl will sing your praises for years to come, 'cause a cool name is the gift that keeps on giving!

girl names:

Abbey (as in Abbey Road)

Alison (Elvis Costello song)

Allegra (musical term)

Angie (Rolling Stones song)

Apple (Beatles' record label)

Arietta (musical term)

boy names:

Alto (musical term)

Adagio (musical term)

girl names:

Billie (Billie Holliday, "Billie Jean"--Michael Jackson)

boy names:

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Banjo (Rachel Griffiths chose this for her son ... really!)

girl names:

Calliope (musical instrument)

Caroline ("Sweet Caroline"--Neil Diamond)

Cecelia (Simon & Garfunkel tune)

boy names:

Cash (Johnny Cash)

Coltrane (call him Cole for short)

gender-neutral names:

Cadence (musical term)

Clancy (Clancy Brothers)

girl names:

Demi (musical term)

boy names:

Daltrey (Roger Daltrey)

Desmond (Beatles -- "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," ska legend Desmond Dekker)

gender-neutral names:

Dylan (after Bob)

girl names:

Eleanor ("Eleanor Rigby")

Ella (I know it's popular now, but I can only think of the great Ella Fitzgerald)

Emmylou (Emmylou Harris)

Evangeline (Matthew Sweet power-pop hit)

boy names:

Eli ("Eli's Coming"--Three Dog Night)

Elvis (Presley or Costello -- take your pick)

gender-neutral names:

Everly (after the Everly Brothers)

girl names:

Fretta (musical term)

boy names:

Fernando (Abba song)

Floyd (as in "Pink")

Forte (musical term)

girl names

Georgia ("Sweet Georgia Brown," "Georgia on My Mind")

boy names

Gillespie (Dizzy Gillespie)

Guthrie (Woody Guthrie, Arlo Guthrie)

girl names:

Harmony

boy names:

Hank (after Hank Williams)

Harrison (after George)

gender-neutral names:

Harp

gender-neutral names:

Indigo ("Mood Indigo"--Duke Ellington)

Isley (Isley Brothers)

girl names:

Jane (Jane's Addiction, "Sweet Jane"--Velvet Underground)

Julia (another lovely Beatles tune)

boy names:

Jackson (Michael Jackson / Jackson 5, Jackson Browne)

James ("Sweet Baby James" -- James Taylor)

Johnny ("Johnny B. Goode"--Chuck Berry)

Jude (Beatles--"Hey Jude")

gender-neutral names

Jessie ("Jessie's Girl" -- Rick Springfield)

Joplin (Scott Joplin, Janis Joplin)

girl names:

Kora (musical instrument)

boy names:

Kantor (musical term)

girl names:

Layla (Eric Clapton song)

Lizzy (Thin Lizzy, "Dizzy Miss Lizzy"--Beatles)

Lucille (if it's good enough for BB King's guitar...)

Lucy ("In the Sky With Diamonds")

boy names:

Lennon (after John, of course)

Leroy (Jim Croce -- "Leroy Brown")

gender-neutral names:

Lyric

girl names:

Maggie ("Maggie May"--Rod Stewart, "Maggie's Farm"--Bob Dylan)

Magnolia ("Sugar Magnolia"--Grateful Dead)

Martha (Beatles--"Martha My Dear")

Melissa (Allman Bros. -- "Sweet Melissa")

Melody/Melodie

Michelle (Beatles)

Molly ("Molly Malone"--Irish folk classic)

boy names:

Marshall (Marshall amps)

Maxwell (Beatles -- "Maxwell's Silver Hammer")

Miles (Miles Davis)

gender-neutral names:

Marley (unbeatable for reggae lovers)

gender-neutral names:

Nico (Velvet Underground & Nico)

girl names:

Ocarina (musical instrument)

Ottava (musical term)

girl names:

Patsy (after Patsy Cline)

Penny ("Penny Lane")

Prudence ("Dear Prudence")

gender-neutral names:

Parker (Charlie Parker)

Presley (as in Elvis)

gender-neutral names:

Quincy (Quincy Jones)

Quinn [Bob Dylan -- "Quinn the Eskimo (Mighty Quinn)"]

girl names:

Rhiannon (Fleetwood Mac song)

Rita (Beatles -- "Lovely Rita")

Rosalita (Springsteen song)

Roxanne (Police song)

Ruby (Rolling Stones -- "Ruby Tuesday")

boy names:

Ramone (after the Ramones)

Reed (musical equipment, Lou Reed)

gender-neutral names:

Rain (Beatles tune)

girl names:

Sadie (Beatles -- "Sexy Sadie")

Sonata (musical term)

boy names:

Seeger (Pete Seeger ... caveat: everyone will think you meant Bob Seger...)

Smith (Patti Smith, The Smiths)

gender-neutral names:

Song

Stevie (Stevie Wonder, Stevie Nicks, Stevie Ray Vaughan, "Little Stevie" Winwood)

Poll: What's your style? - Which musical names are in tune with you?

female names:

Tabla (musical instrument)

Tuesday (Rolling Stones -- "Ruby Tuesday")

gender-neutral names:

Taylor (James Taylor, Taylor Swift)

Tempo (musical term)

girl names:

Vera (Beatles -- "When I'm 64")

Viola (musical instrument)

boy names:

Van (Van Morrison)

boy names:

Wilson (Brian Wilson, Wilson Pickett)

girl names:

Zoppa (musical term)

boy names:

Ziggy (Ziggy Stardust--Bowie, Ziggy Marley)

Zydeco (musical style)

~~ want more musical names? ~~

Check out these resources...

Beatles baby names from babyhold.com

Rock'n'Roll baby names from nameberry.com

Classical Music names from nameberry.com

Country Music names from nameberry.com

Early Jazz & Blues names from heptune.com

Jazz baby names from nameberry.com

Hip-hop names from BabyHold

Bluegrass names from BabyHold

Musician-inspired baby names from everydayfamily.com

Baby Names from Popular Songs from babycenter.com

And here's a broad-ranging list from Oh Baby! Names that cleverly includes monikers based on types of musician, such as Harper & Piper

What's your favorite music inspired baby name? Have you or will you use one for your baby? Please share :)

Name that tune!

Cronicbeats on November 06, 2013:

Here is some more: Jack and Diane by: John Mellencamp, and Meet Virginia By:Train , Meet I'm shocked they aren't on the list :)

markkruzan on August 02, 2013:

I love your new blog theme! It's very nice. And a lot easier to read then old one, Actually... Regards Babynology.com

babynology on May 28, 2013:

Babies are liked music and song. because The music have positive impact on the minds from all babies.

Mary (author) from Chicago area on February 03, 2013:

@anonymous: omg thank you for catching that! hubby would be appalled I got that wrong. I remember even telling my kids the story of Lucille (the fire etc.) & BB King a couple years ago, so there's no excuse for mixing that up. I owe ya :)

anonymous on February 03, 2013:

"Lucille" is BB Kings guitar..not Buddy Guy.....

anonymous on December 06, 2012:

Gideon will be my sons name.. Its biblical but also mentioned many times in the beatles song "Rocky Raccoon"

anonymous on October 30, 2012:

Amie by Pure Prairie League

anonymous on October 23, 2012:

My daughters name is Fender as in the guitar brand :) it suites her to a tee

anonymous on September 30, 2012:

What about Stacy (or Stacey) as in "Stacy's Mom"? Or Lyra (musical instrument)

Jogalog on August 30, 2012:

Some beautiful and unusual names here. I wouldn't have even associated some of them with music though. I hope I can remember this lens and come back for ideas next time I have a baby!

Mary (author) from Chicago area on August 30, 2012:

@KReneeC: too funny! cute, too.

KReneeC on August 25, 2012:

I've known friends that have named their sons' Fender and Gibson. They obviously love their guitars.

dream1983 on July 14, 2012:

Beautiful lens, well done!

Mary (author) from Chicago area on June 06, 2012:

@anonymous: & thx for adding a new name to the list!

Mary (author) from Chicago area on June 06, 2012:

@anonymous: you are pretty much guaranteeing she'll be cool :]

anonymous on June 06, 2012:

Presley (as in Elvis!) is on our list for baby girl names!!

thebloodmusic on April 06, 2012:

Nice compilation of baby names related to music. Good job.

anonymous on April 04, 2012:

Jessie