Unique Baby Names Inspired By The Grimm Brothers’ Tales
One of the most exciting and difficult parts of becoming a new parent is finding the right name. With so many choices out there, there is a never ending list of names to filter through. After all, you just want the very best name to suit to the baby you are going to raise.
Many people find inspiration in other sources when looking for names. From different cultures to different movies they love, having a name for your baby that has a connection to yourself can be extra meaningful.
For those lovers of fairy tales and history, looking for a name for your baby beyond Disney movies is a good way to go. Before the animated cartoons, there were tales written by the Grimm Brothers’, who gathered folklore stories around the Germany area in the 1800s. These tales not only have sweet morals and interesting social values, but are also littered with beautifully unique names.
Find some inspiration for your baby’s name with these unique and interesting baby name ideas.
Elsie
Elsie from Clever Elsie is soaring in popularity, just like the counterpart Elsa from the Disney film Frozen. This sweet, old-fashioned name has a lovely ring to it.
Elsie was actually originally a Scottish nickname for young lasses named Elspeth. The name means ‘my god is bountiful’ in Scottish Gaelic culture. Although it was most popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this unique name has its place in modern society.
Conrad
Conrad from The Goose Girl tale is a beautiful and timeless name. It comes from the tale published in 1851. The name is originally spelled Konrad because of its Proto-Germanic roots.
This is a lovely name for boys and there are many variations on the spelling. It was very popular back in Medieval France and England before it went out of fashion. It become trendy again around the 19th century.
Griffin
Griffin from The Singing, Springing Lark is a name with as much bounce in its step as the title of the tale. The cute boy’s name can be spelled Griffin, or more uniquely Gryphon which comes from its Greek roots.
The name comes from a mythical creature. In many folklore tales, a griffin is a mythical bird-dragon hybrid. It definitely has a magical ring to it.
Roland
Roland from Sweet Roland is a gorgeous boy’s name that summons the image of a hero to mind, and for good reason.
This name was immortalised in the French epic La Chanson de Roland and has been used in other forms of literature, such as the Grimm Brothers tales.
Hazel
Hazel from The Hazel Branch is a stunning girl’s name. Although it is quite popular and common today, it still has a certain unique air about it. This lovely name is English, derived from the colour found on hazel trees.
The name is used beautifully in this Grimm Brothers’ tale, not as a name of a girl but as actual hazel branch. The branch, in the story, protects a young baby boy from harm and danger.
Islebill
Islebill from The Fisherman and His Wife is a fairy tale twist on Isabelle or Isabella. Since these names soared in popularity thanks to the Twilight book series, perhaps a more unique fairy tale version will one day too.
This name has origins somewhere in the 17th or 18th century, perhaps with a loose connection to the English name Elizabeth. It is most likely Germanic or Scandinavian.
Taylor
Taylor from The Valiant Little Tailor is a sweet name that works very well for both boys and girls. Although not entirely unique in its popularity, there are many unique ways to spell different versions of Taylor.
From Taylah to Taelor, this is a timeless name. It originally came from English roots and was a surname for those who worked as tailors back in the olden days.
Katrinelje
Katrinelje from Fair Kaltrinelje and Pif-Paf-Poltrie has lovely, unique spelling and isn’t as much of a mouthful as the full title of the tale it is from! This interesting name is an old Germanic twist on Katrina or Katharina.
It has a very magical ring to it and it certainly something out of a fairy tale. The best thing about it, although the letters look daunting, is that it is a phonetic name so not too many pronunciation errors await.
Heinrich
Heinrich from The Frog King is a unique way to bring a little Henry into the world without the standard English version of the name. The Grimm Brothers used this name a lot, given its strong Germanic connection.
Heinrich has a unique and elegant twist on it, but it is easily shortened back to Henry for the schoolyard fun.
Rosamund
Rosamund from Little Briar Rose, which is the Grimm Brothers original tale of Sleeping Beauty, is the name of the original princess in this tale. Many know her now as Aurora thanks to Disney, but this was her first name.
Rosamund is a beautifully elegant and unique in its presentation. It is a great choice for girls as it can easily be shortened to Rose or Rosie when the time is right.
Maleen
Maleen from Maid Maleen is another gorgeous girls name with that classic fairy tale sound to it. The name appears in the Grimm Brothers tale about a young maid who falls in love with a prince.
This name is similar to Melanie or Melina, but has a unique Irish sound to it, making it very pretty for little girls.
Ivana
Ivana from Puss in Boots has a lovely Slavic sound to it. The name conjures images of a fierce and brave young lady, which is exactly how the character in the Grimm Brothers’ version of Puss in Boots is.
This name can have many nicknames and shortenings, including Ivy, Ivanka, or Ivie. In fact, there is an international celebration day of the name Ivana on April 4.
Fitch
Fitch from Fitcher’s Bird is a cute name for boys that actually has French roots. It was originally a French surname and meant ‘fissel’ in old French, which roughly translates to an ‘iron pointed instrument’.
Fitch is on the same level as Hudson or Harlen – names that were originally surnames but sound great as first names. These are becoming increasingly popular, but are still unique in their own way.
Marli
Marli from the Seven Swabians is a name that is beautifully timeless and works very well for both boys and girls. There are many variations of the name, such as Marlee or Marley. Either way, it always sound cute and sweet.
Originally, Marli was the pet name of the English name Marilyn. However, now it is used as a name in its own right more commonly.
