Never have young adult novels been as prominently featured in pop culture as they are today.
From Divergent and The Maze Runner to The Giver and The Fault in our Stars, YA books are getting big exposure among readers of all ages. And that exposure has far-reaching effects… even influencing the names parents choose for their babies.
When the Twilight saga was at its pop culture peak, the baby name lists reflected it. Jacob, the hot werewolf, dominated the boys’ chart (maintaining the No. 1 spot even amid stiff competition from up-and-comers like Mason and Jayden). And Bella (Twilight‘s heroine) rose from 700 in the year 2000 to No. 48 in 2010, right in the midst of the movie’s theatrical releases.
More:Twilight: Breaking Dawn-inspired baby names
Here, we pay tribute to today’s most fabulous fiction with a list of baby names inspired by their titles and characters.
Image: Amazon.com
All the Bright Places is “The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park,” according to Goodreads. Violet Markey, mourning the loss of her sister, learns much about life from Theodore Finch, a boy who is intent on killing himself.
Image: Goodreads.com
Althea & Oliver by Cristina Moracho is about Althea Carter and Oliver McKinley, two high school juniors who’ve been best friends since kindergarten. Althea wants more than friendship, and Oliver just wants to be normal (what’s wrong with him anyway?). When Althea makes a bad decision that severs their friendship, Oliver leaves. Will she follow?
Image: American Library Association.org
Brown Girl Dreaming is a poetic narrative of author Jacqueline Woodson’s own childhood. She describes what it was like to grow up as an African American in 1960s and 1970s South Carolina and New York.
More: Girl names with great meanings
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Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell was actually published in 2013, but it enjoyed its greatest success in 2014-15. It follows the story of Eleanor Douglas and Park Sheridan, two 16-year-old misfits who fall in love amid mix tapes, comic books, bullying and abuse.
Image: SophieKinsella.co.uk
Finding Audrey is the first teen novel from Sophie Kinsella of Shopaholic fame. Audrey, age 14, is confined by an anxiety disorder that keeps her from enjoying teenage life. But then she meets her brother’s teammate, Linus, who helps her overcome her fears. Will their friendship turn to romance?
Image: DisabilityInKidLit.com
I Was Here by Gayle Forman is about surviving unspeakable loss. Cody’s beloved best friend, Meg, kills herself by drinking a bottle of housecleaning solution. And Cody is left behind to wonder why. The belongings Meg left behind will tell Cody more about her friend than she ever knew… including the broken heart she suffered thanks to Ben McAllister.
More: Baby names your child will grow to hate
Image: AvaDellaira.com
Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira begins with Laurel’s English assignment to write a letter to a dead person. Laurel knows all too well about death; her sister May died way too young. May loved Kurt Cobain, so Laurel chooses to write about him. Before she knows it, she has a journal full of letters to dead people: Amy Winehouse, Heath Ledger, even Amelia Earhart. Through her writings, Laurel learns that she has yet to come to terms with losing her sister…
Image: Goodreads.com
Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen, explores family and self-discovery in signature style. Sydney’s family breaks down when her popular older brother Peyton lands in jail with a drunk driving conviction. But when she meets Mac, she finds acceptance with him and his loving family.
Image: EmeryLord.com
The Start of Me and You is the second book from Emery Lord, author of Open Road Summer. Lord captures Paige Hancock’s high school journey beautifully: crushes, dates, school clubs and fitting in.
Image: Amazon.com
We Were Liars is a brilliant YA novel by E. Lockhart. The Liars — Cadence, Johnny Gat and Mirren — are teenagers hiding the secret behind a terrible accident. It was an accident, right?
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