Most Popular Music-Inspired Baby Names

The name Prince has been around for hundreds of years and was surprisingly popular in the early 20th century; however it saw a revival in the early ’80s when the singer of the same name was first garnering fame.

A celeste (or celesta) is a sweet-sounding instrument that looks like a small piano and takes its name from the French word for “heavenly.”

You can bet that the man Rolling Stone has named the greatest guitarist ever would be an inspiration to parents seeking an edgy musical name.

Although most babies named Nico are boys, the name is most prominently associated with the German singer who performed with the Velvet Underground in the late ’60s before going solo.

The name Cash might well allude to the Man in Black himself, Johnny Cash. It began rising in popularity following his death in 2003.

Despite the current popularity of entertainer Selena Gomez, it was late Tejano singer Selena (Quintanilla) who made the name famous in the early ’90s. During that time, it reached the top 100 most popular girls’ names.

Meaning “perfect agreement” or “a group of simultaneous pitches that sound pleasing together,” Harmony is a musical name one can aspire to live up to.

Perhaps it is the legacy of English musician and activist John Lennon, most famous as a member of the Beatles, that has led to the name Lennon becoming a popular name for boys and girls.

Although the name Norah was common in the early 20th century, it began to enjoy a resurgence in 2003, the year after singer Norah Jones released her debut album. Its popularity has been rising ever since.

A good number of the folks who have named their child Arlo were likely inspired by the rambling folk musician Arlo Guthrie.

The subject of a hit song by the soft-voiced duo Simon and Garfunkel, Cecilia even has a musical ring to it.

Referencing a harmonious chord sequence, this name has been in fashion for the last 80 years.

It’s hard to hear the name Jude without recalling the 1968 Beatles song “Hey Jude,” which Paul McCartney wrote for John Lennon’s son Julian.

This cheerful name means “pipe or flute player.”

Late singer Aaliyah rose to fame in 1994, the same year that her name hit the charts as one of the top 300 baby names for girls.

After the success of the Plain White T’s hit single “Hey There Delilah,” in 2007, the name jumped in popularity and has been rising ever since.

During the early ’90s, the name Axel began rising in fame in the U.S., likely thanks to Guns ‘N Roses singer Axl Rose, though Axel is also a popular old Scandinavian name. It reached the ranks of the top 100 boys’ names in 2018.

The outlaw country singer Waylon Jennings was most popular in the ’70s, and the name Waylon gained prominence during that decade.

This name, which means “soldier,” may owe its popularity to the legendary jazz trumpeter and improvisational genius Miles Davis.

A major surge in this name’s popularity came after the release of Eric Clapton’s hit song of the same name, which he wrote after falling in love with his friend George Harrison’s wife, Pattie Boyd. Layla is the name of the heroine of the old Arabic love story about a man who goes insane when he can’t marry his beloved, Layla. (In real life, Clapton did marry Boyd after she and Harrison got divorced.)

An aria, which means “air” in Italian, is a musical term referring to a vocal solo, usually as a part of an opera.

Dylan as a given name was virtually nonexistent in the United States until 1966, during the height of folk icon Bob Dylan’s fame. Coincidence? We think not.

The 10th most popular girls name in 2021, Harper first appeared as an English surname that means “harpist” or “one who plays the harp.”

Johann Sebastian Bach is hailed as one of the greatest musical composers of all time. It’s likely that the popularity of the name Sebastian is at least partially due to his enduring fame. And if not Bach, then a certain singing crustacean from Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” may be to blame.