A Web of Names
by Casey Anderson
If you pay any attention to popular culture, you may have noticed that comic books are their related universes are on the rise! The large Comic Con in San Diego was not too long ago, the new Spider-Man: Homecoming has been well received, and of course there are tons of other comic movies on the horizon. I’m a bit of comic nerd myself, so this is great for me!
Plus, it’s a whole other world of name inspiration! If you like comics or comic movies, or even if you don’t, it’s just something cool and different to use for inspiration. Now, there are many worlds of comic book characters out there, so I had to pick one. With the momentum for the current movie, and that fact that I’m a Marvel girl, I’m going with Spider-Man.
Now, if you’ve seen the movies but not read any of the books, there are a multitude of wonderful spider characters that you’ve missed out on. I’m going to be pulling from the extended Spider-verse for some of these names. (Side note, if you like Spider-Man, read the Spider-verse event. It’s awesome.)
Now, on to some web slinging names!
Boys
Peter The obvious right? The name means “rock” and has that sort of reliability. So many Peters in popular culture, that this name is always a safe bet. Peter Parker is the main Spider-Man, and there are various versions of him. Like the name Peter, Spider-Man will be popular for ages, so your little boy will love this namesake!
Parker Parker is a popular unisex name that’s been consistently in the top 100 favorite names. It means “park-keeper” and is still unique enough to stand out. It’s Spider-Man’s last name, but we love it as a first name. After all, it’s part of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
Miguel This is a Spanish version of the name Michael, but is used among different ethnicities nowadays. It’s a new age twist on a classic name for some many, and a way to honor a family naming tradition without having your son be Michael Jr the 4th. In the comics, Miguel is Spider-Man 2099, a high tech spider with an awesome outfit.
Ben This one means “son of” and is a great short name on it’s on, but also a diminutive of Benjamin and Benedict. It’s such a trustworthy sounding name it’s hard not to love. Ben Reilly is one of the Scarlet Spiders in Spider-verse.
Kaine This one is gaining popularity but has many other spellings. The name means “battle, fighter” and has a sharp sound that is memorable. Kaine is another of the Scarlet Spiders, a somewhat bad guy redeemed. We prefer this spelling.
Miles Miles means “soldier or merciful” which is an odd combination but nice. Miles Morales is the Ultimate Spider-Man, and he wears more of a black suit. This name is becoming popular among celebrities recently. We love the fluid sound of it and he is sometimes dating our first mentioned girl spider.
Girls
Gwen This shortened form of Gwendolyn has become very popular on its own. It means “fair, white” and does have that dainty, pretty sound. The Gwen Stacy that is Spider-Gwen however, is not dainty. She kicks butt in another dimension where she was bitten by the radioactive spider. She’s trendy and a bit snarky, in a good way.
Jessica Jessica Drew is the official Spider-Woman. The name means “one who foresees.” This name reigned for many years among girls, but is not less popular. It is still heard though, in the comics Jess as she’s called, is the mentor of the newer spider girls. Jessica doesn’t need to prove herself anymore, which is a great thing.
Cindy Another name dipping in popularity but no less appealing. It means “moon” which is the last name of our inspired character, Cindy Moon, known as the spider superhero Silk. She’s a little more powerful than Peter and helps lend new blood to the name. Name your daughter this now and she’ll be ahead of the game when it comes up in popularity.
Anya Now on to a “newer” more trendy name! Anya is the Russian form of Anna and it’s increasing in popularity, and why not? We love the exotic yet trusted sound of it. It means “grace” and is the name of one of the newer versions of Spider-Girl, also called Arana. This name is sure to make your little girl feel special.
Peni This little name is a whole different way to say “pearl.” It’s a diminutive of Penina. It’s very lovely sounding, with a little pizazz and a little tradition. Peni is the SP//Dr in the Spider-verse, a young girl and a very original character. It lends well the cute and original name.
May Often used as a middle name May is starting to gain attention as a first name too. It is a month name, which is something of a trend right now. The May that inspires us is May Parker, Peter and Mary Jane’s daughter. She becomes one of the many Spider-Girls. The name is so sweet and spring like that it’s something of an instant favorite for many.
