Musical names for babies
Whether you're hoping for your son or daughter to be the next Yo-Yo Ma or a Mozart in the making; whether you love music or simply just on the lookout for a name full of rhythm and resonance, we have the names for you! Here are some of our favorite names inspired by music that should soon have you singing.
Melody This Greek name meaning 'song' is sweet, strong and sensuous. It sounds way more fashionable than the traditionally more popular Melanie, and its forceful final consonant makes it a powerful contender. Dee would be a suitable nickname, but we can't imagine you'll want to cut down this beautiful name!
Harper Without a doubt the most popular of all the musical names on this list: Harper was 10th last year for baby girls born in the US. Its ascent seems pretty unstoppable, but what it might lose in uniqueness, it certainly gains back tenfold in character and sass.
Piper But if you're still worried that your daughter will be lost in a sea of Harpers, perhaps think about Piper. It is definitely rising fast through the US rankings, and currently sits at #67. It's an extremely fun, playful and slightly tomboyish name for any little girl. We think it would make a fantastic boy's name too, but given its current popularity with the girls, it does have the potential to cause confusion.
Lyra A much more lyrical and fashionable Tyra. It's also pretty unique, only entering the top 1000 two years ago. It is the Greek for 'lyre', and also has a number of important astronomical and mythological associations. Lyric is also an option, and though it's currently trending higher as a girl's name, it is definitely unisex.
Reed Reed has a number of different meanings and associations, including with the color red, with the wetland plants, and with woodwind instruments. The spelling variant Reid is currently more popular among American parents (#255 versus #351), but we favor the more natural and versatile Reed. Traditionally a boy's name, it definitely has the potential to be used as a girl's one.
Harmony Hopefully a name which won't tempt fate and bring dis-Harmony and chaos into your home and hearts! Harmony both means and sounds tranquil and peaceful and has a delightful melodic pattern. It's been in the girl's top 200 for the last 5 years, so while it's theoretically a unisex name, you might want to consider another musical name for your son.
Viola Over the last few years, we've been seeing a trend of traditionally "old-fashioned" names been reclaimed and made super-chic. We definitely think Viola could fit into this trend. It's effortless elegant and has a cross-cultural appeal.
Sonata Coming from the Italian for 'to sound', this musical term is ripe for use as a name. A brilliant choice if you're looking for something completely new, but still rich in culture and history. Sonatina – the musical term for a shorter or lighter sound – would also make a really attractive name choice.
Cadence – meaning 'rhythm, beat', this name saw a meteoric rise from nowhere little under two decades ago, but has been in decline ever since. Still, we think it has a lot going for it, and we think it's another hit in the making.
Aria Aria means 'air' in Italian and 'lion' in Hebrew, and it's currently seeing a huge amount of popularity here in the States. It's currently in the top 25, having only entered the top 1000 less than two decades ago. It's reaches operatic heights of sweetness and we think the pretty name is an absolute winner.
Jazz Definitely a bold choice, but one full of snazziness, pizazz and, eh, Jazz! One for the true music lover perhaps. If you're looking for something a little more subtle, go with Jaz. Jaz is frequently used as the diminutive of a number of names, including Jasmine, Jasper and Jeremy.
Beamer On occupation name that has yet to make much of an impression in the US, Beamer means 'trumpet player'. It definitely has a lot of appeal: it sounds forceful and booming, though also friendly and approachable. The only drawback is it might be assumed to be a reference to the similarly named car, but we think that this name is pretty cool and positively beaming!