46 Unique Names from Children’s Books Authors
While reading the classic book Caps for Sale to my daughters, I noticed the author had a beautiful and unique name- Esphyr.
After researching other classic children’s books, I made a list of the intriguing and unique names I found.
I hope you enjoy this eclectic collection!
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Alida
Alida Malkus was the 1931 Newbery Medal honoree for The Dark Star of Itza: The Story of a Pagan Princess.
The name Alida is a short form of Adelaide, which means noble type.
Aranka
Holocaust survivor and author Aranka Siegal is best-known for her book Upon the Head of the Goat: A Childhood in Hungary 1930-1944.
Aranka is a Hungarian name meaning gold.
Armstrong
Armstrong Sperry received honors from the Newbery Award for his 1935 book All Sail Set: A Romance of the Flying Cloud.
As you may have guessed, Armstrong means strong arm.
Arna
Arna Bontemps was a noted poet, author, and librarian. He was also a noted member of the Harlem Renaissance.
The unisex name Arna can be a name on its own, or it can be short for Arnold, Arnaud, or Arnaude.
Astrid
Astrid Anna Emilia Lindgren, author of Pippi Longstocking and other children’s books, won several awards, including the Hans Christian Andersen Award for writing in 1958. She originally invented tales about Pippi to amuse her daughter Karin when she was sick.
The name Astrid comes from Old Norse and means beloved god.
Conrad
Conrad and Mary Buff co-authored Big Tree, and became Newbery Medal honorees in 1947.
In Ancient German, Conrad means brave council.
Constance
Constance Rourke was an honoree of the 1935 Newbery Medal for her novel Davy Crockett.
As you likely guessed, Constance means constant, steadfast. It started being used as a name in the Middle Ages.
Cornelia
Cornelia Meigs won the 1934 Newbery Medal for her book Invincible Louisa. She also was recognized for several of her other books, including
- 1922 Newbery Medal honoree for The Windy Hill
- 1929 Newbery Medal honoree for Clearing Weather
Did you know that the name Cornelia can have nicknames like Connie, Cory, Lia, Nele, and Nelly?
Cyrus
Author Cyrus Fisher wrote The Avion My Uncle Flew. He received honors from Newbery in 1947 for it.
The Greek name Cyrus means far-sighted.
Dillwyn
Dillwyn Parrish was the 1925 co-author of The Dream Coach, and Newbery Medal honoree.
Dilwyn is a Welsh name that mwans genuinely blessed.
Edwin
American author Edwin Tunis also worked as a mural artist, book illustrator, radio announcer and actor. Some of his books include Oars, Sails, and Steam: A Picture Book of Ships; Weapons; Wheels; Colonial Living; and Indians.
The name Edwin means rich friend.
Elwyn
Did you know that E. B. White’s full name is Elwyn Brooks White? The author of Charlotte’s Web also wrote Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan.
Elwyn is a form of the name Alvin. It was somewhat popular in the US in the early 1900s but is unheard of today
Esphyr
Esphyr Slobodkina wrote and illustrated Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business. She won the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award for her work in 1958. Slobodkina also illustrated several books for Margaret Wise Brown, the author of Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny.
She grew up in Russia and then China before immigrating to the US in 1928
Her unique name was my initial inspiration to write this post!
Esphyr, sometimes spelled Esfer, is the Russian form of Esther, which may mean star.
Related post: Unique baby girl names
Eunice
Eunice Tietjens, 1931 Newbery Medal honoree for Boy of the South Seas.
The name Eunice comes from Ancient Greek and means good victory.
Florence
Florence Crannell Means wrote The Moved-Outers, and received a Newbery Medal honor for it in 1946.
Florence comes from a Latin word meaning prospering, flourishing.
Genevieve
Writer Genevieve Foster wrote George Washington’s World and became a Newbery Medal honoree for it in 1942. She received other accolades for her later works.
The elegant name Genevieve has an unknown origin!
Gianni
Giovanni Francesco “Gianni” Rodari was an Italian writer who authored the tale of Cipollino, or Little Onion. He received the Hans Christian Andersen award for his contributions to children’s literature in 1970.
Gianni is a nickname for Giovanni, which is actually a form of John.
Hendrik
Hendrik Willem van Loon was the 1922 Newbery Medal winner for The Story of Mankind.
Did you know that Hendrick is a form of Heinrich, a form of Henry? Henry means home ruler.
Holling
Holling C Holling (born Holling Allison Clancy), was known for his novels Paddle-to-the-Sea and Seabird.
Holling originated as a name for someone who lived near holly trees.
Idwal
Author Idwal Jones was a 1937 Newbery Medal honoree for his book Whistler’s Van.
The Welsh name Idwal means lord ruler.
Ingrid
Author Ingrid Law won a Newbery Honor in 2009 for her children’s fantasy novel Savvy.
Isol
Marisol Misenta, who writes under the mononym Isol, is an Argentine writer and illustrator. One of her most popular books in English is It’s Useful to Have a Duck.
Isol is a nickname for Marisol. It’s related to the Spanish words mar y sol (sea and sun), and Mary and Sun.
Ludwig
Ludwig Bemelmans wrote The Golden Basket and received honors from the Newbery Medal commission for it in 1937.
The German name Ludwig means famous battle.
Lygia
Brazilian writer Lygia Bojunga Nunes authored The Companions and My Friend the Painter. Her use of magical realism and telling stories from children’s points of views earned her the Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1982 and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2004.
Lygia can also be spelled Ligia or Ligeia, and means clear-voiced.
Marguerite
Marguerite Henry received many accolades for her novels Misty of Chincoteague, and King of the Wind.
American writer Marguerite de Angeli received a Newbery Award in 1950 for her book The Door in the Wall.
The name Marguerite is the French form of Margaret, and also the French word for daisy. In Greek, it means pearl.
Marjorie
American author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings won the Pulitzer Prize for her novel The Yearling, about a boy who adopts an orphaned fawn.
The name Marjorie, sometimes spelled Margery, is a form of Margaret, which means pearl.
Meindert
Dutch-born American writer Meindert DeJong won the Newbery Medal in 1955 for The Wheel on the School. He was an honoree of the award several times, as well. Finally, he received the Hans Christian Andersen Award for his contributions to literature for children.
The Dutch name Meindert means brave strength.
You might also enjoy: 503 unique baby boy names
Mildred
Mildred D Taylor, author of the Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, received a Newbery Medal. She also wrote numerous other young adult novels.
Mildred means gentle strength.
Miska
Patricia Miles Martin, who also wrote under the names Miska Miles, Patricia A. Miles, and Jerry Lane, received a Newbery Honor for her novel Annie and the Old One in 1972.
The name Miska is a form of Michael, which means who is like God?
Padraic
Padraic Colum was the 1922 Newbery Medal honoree for The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles.
He was also the 1925 Newbery Medal honoree for The Voyagers: Being Legends and Romances of Atlantic Discovery
Padraic is an Irish form of Patrick and means nobleman, patrician.
Related post: Names That Mean Magic
Rotraut
Rotraut Susanne Berner, a German illustrator, is most famous for her art in The Number Devil. But she’s illustrated over 80 books and designed covers for over 800!
Rotraut may be a form of Rotrude, which means famous strength.
Rutherford
Rutherford George Montgomery wrote Kildee House, and was named a Newbery Medal honoree for it in 1950.
The name Rutherford comes from the Old English words for cattle ford.
Sid
Albert Sidney Fleischman (born Avron Zalmon Fleischman), is best-known for his 1987 Newbery Medal winning book The Whipping Boy.
Sid is usually a nickname for Sidney, which means wide island.
Sorche
Sorche Leodhas, born LeClaire Gowans Alger won the 1966 Caldecott Medal for her book Always Room for One More. She enjoyed seeking out Scottish folktales that had never been recorded.
Sorche, sometimes spelled Sorcha, means radiant, bright in Irish. Sometimes this name is anglicized as Sarah or Clara.
Sterling
American author Sterling North (born Thomas Sterling North) is best known for his 1963 best selling children’s novel Rascal. Rascal tells the tale of a young boy who adopts an orphaned raccoon.
The name Sterling can come from the Scottish city of the same name. Or it can refer to sterling, as in excellent. In Normandy, some silver coins bore a small star, and were called sterling silver because sterling is Old English for little star.
Sulamith
Sulamith Ish-kishor was known for her religious and children’s literature. In fact, both her father and older sister were writers.
Sulamith, sometimes spelled Salima, Shulammit, Shlomit, and Salamatu comes from the Hebrew word for peace.
Thanhha
Vietnamese- American author Thanhha Lai has won numerous literary awards, and is well-known for her children’s novel Inside Out & Back Again.
Thanhha means teal river in Vietnamese.
Tormod
Tormod Haugen wrote many books in his native Norwegian. He also famously translated C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia into Norwegian.
The name Tormod comes from Old Norse and means Thor’s mind.
Related: exotic, short boy names
Tove
Finnish author Tove Marika Jansson invented the Moomin series of books, which she also spun off into a comic strip. These troll-like characters resemble hippopotamuses.
The Old Norse name Tove means beautiful thunder.
Ursula
Best selling sci fi and speculative fiction author Ursula Kroeber Le Guin is known for her Earthsea fantasy series.
Ursula means little bear.
Valenti
Author Valenti Angelo wrote Nino and was recognized in 1939 as a Newbery Award honoree.
Valenti comes from Latin and means strong, healthy, vigorous.
Watty
Watty Piper authored The Little Engine That Could. However, this story was actually a well-known American folktale. Watty was the pseudonym of Arnold Munk, Hungarian-American owner of a publishing firm.
“Watty” wrote the version that is best known today.
Watt and Watty are nicknames for Walter, which means ruler of the army.
Zilpha
Zilpha Keatley Snyder wrote many books for children and young adults, most notably The Egypt Game, The Headless Cupid and The Witches of Worm, which received Newbery Honors.
Zilpha, sometimes spelled Zilpah, comes from the Hebrew word for frailty.
Related post: Extravagant, Luxurious and Dignified Names
Wrap Up – Unique Names from Children’s Books Authors
We hope you’ve enjoyed these unique names and discovered some novel classic books to add to your bookshelf!
Related post: Names Made Popular by Books and Literature!