Put Your Records On: 122 of the Best Music-Inspired Baby Names

Musician-Inspired Names for Boys

Andre

Pay homage to the hip hop artist who paved the way for some of the greatest in the industry. Of course, we’re talking about Dr. Dre, whose birth name is Andre Romelle Young. 

Barker

For those of us who grew up listening to 1990s and early 2000s rock music, we were already familiar with Travis Barker, whose name came back into the spotlight in recent years. If you automatically say the words ‘I know’ after hearing anyone say ‘work sucks,’ consider this baby name that is totally rock n’ roll and highly unique. 

Benito

By now, everyone may know the backstory of celebrated artist Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio—AKA Bad Bunny—who won three Grammys this year and brought the house down at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show. The name Benito, of Spanish and Italian origin, means “blessed.”

Boone

Using surnames as first names is an ongoing trend, so new parents may want to consider the last name of the pop star known for his stage flips and his pipes, Benson Boone.

Elton

Few musicians reach the level of success earned by Sir Elton John. Meaning “from the old town,” Elton is a timeless pick to grow into.

Ezra

No artist has a voice quite like that of George Ezra. The surname of the Budapest and Shotgun singer is a great first name option for a little one. This name has also gained popularity after being used for a character in the TV series Pretty Little Liars, and by Ezra Miller, the American actor. 

Harrison

While inspiration from The Beatles is all over this list, Harrison might be one of our favorites. As the surname of the lead guitarist, George Harrison, this name is clever, bold, and sure to elicit a few “where did that name come from?” questions. 

Hendrix

Of course, we’re drawing inspiration from the 1960s rocker, Jimi Hendrix, with this one. Typically seen as a surname, Hendrix is as unique as it is strong, and has slowly grown in popularity as a first name in recent years. 

Jack/Jackson

There are many songs that reference the name Jack/Jackson, such as Jack and Diane by John Mellencamp and Captain Jack by Billy Joel. Not to mention Motown artists The Jackson 5, country artist Alan Jackson, singer-songwriter Jack Johnson, the list goes on, making this strong music-inspired name a great option for a little boy. 

Jagger

Little ones named after the lead vocalist of The Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger, are sure to have ‘the moves.’ For any classic rock fans or music lovers in general, this is a unique name to consider when naming a newborn. 

Legend

We can’t think of very many R&B artists of today who are quite as talented as the singer, songwriter, pianist, and producer we know as John Legend. This mystical name can be a great option for a boy who’s destined for greatness. 

Marvin

Early Drake fans, circa 2011, who still know all of the words to Marvin’s Room, and those of us who appreciate the classics like Marvin Gaye alike, can consider using this vintage name.

Rhett

What first comes to mind for me when hearing this name is the surname of the country singer Thomas Rhett. But this name was also seen in the movie Gone With the Wind as the name given to Clark Gable’s character. 

Smith

For fans of the moody rock band The Smiths, consider drawing inspiration from the band name. Seen almost exclusively as a surname, using Smith as a first name is sure to make any little one stand out in the best way. 

Tucker

Inspired by the surname of the Delta Dawn singer, Tanya Tucker, is a name that dates back to the 1800s. While fluctuating in popularity over the last century, it has regained steady popularity since the mid-1990s. 

Turner

We have to thank Schitt’s Creek for revitalizing our love for Tina Turner’s hit song The Best in recent years. Because your little one is sure to be simply the best, consider drawing inspiration from this surname baby name.

More music-inspired baby names for boys

We couldn’t stop there with so many more musician-inspired baby names to choose from:

• Cash: A strong name inspired by the one and only Johnny Cash.
• Eddie: Choose your rock guitarist inspiration: Eddie Van Halen or Eddie Vedder.
• Franklin: The surname of the wildly talented Aretha Franklin. 
• Hank: An old-fashioned name that’s made this list thanks to Hank Williams and Hank Williams Jr. 
• Harry: For a little one that has as much style as Harry, consider this timeless name. 
• Kendrick: Drawn from one of the most influential hip hop artists today, Kendrick Lamar. 
• Louis: What a wonderful name to consider, inspired by American jazz musician and singer Louis Armstrong. 
• Marshall: The given name of iconic rapper Eminem. 
• Simon: As seen in the duo Simon & Garfunkel, as well as record executive and original American Idol judge, Simon Cowell.  
• Waylon: From the pioneer of the Outlaw Movement of country music, Waylon Jennings. 
• Willie: Raise a little outlaw by naming him after the influential country music artist Willie Nelson.
• Zeppelin: A highly unique name inspired by the 1970s rock band Led Zeppelin. 

Gender-Neutral Musician-Inspired Names

Billie/Billy

The music world has given us far too many Billies not to include this name on our list. The first to come to mind are Billie Eilish, Billy Joel, Billy Ray Cyrus, Billy Idol, and Billie Holiday. And let’s not forget Billie Jean.

Bret/Brett

Just like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song, every rose has its thorn. This name is included on our list thanks to the lead singer of the classic rock band Poison, Bret Michaels.

Brooks

Brooks has significantly gained in popularity over recent years for both boys and girls. It reminds us of the country group Brooks & Dunn and seasoned country singer Garth Brooks. 

Cyrus

Every music fan can appreciate the name Cyrus. Country fans love Billy Ray’s Achy Breaky Heart, rock fans can Shake It with Trace, hip hop fans love Billy Ray’s collab with Lil Nas X, and almost everyone, but especially pop fans, have come to love Miley. 

Denver

Even if you’re not from the Centennial State, you can appreciate this name that we drew from acclaimed folk artist John Denver. 

Lennon

This unisex name, of course, is inspired by John Lennon of The Beatles. We love this name not only because it reminds us of the musician and peace activist, but also because of its Irish origin, meaning “lover.”

Marley

Don’t worry about a thing. Because every little thing is gonna be all right—especially for little ones named after iconic Jamaican reggae singer Bob Marley. 

Montana

This geographical name packs quite the punch as it can have many different meanings behind it. Whether you’re from Big Sky Country, a fan of Yellowstone, or grew up loving Miley Cyrus’ fictional pop star persona, Hannah Montana, this is a fun name to consider for a little one. 

Morrison

For little ones born as brown-eyed girls (or boys), maybe naming them after singer Van Morrison is the perfect choice. The name can be tied back to the lead vocalist for The Doors, Jim Morrison, as well. 

Presley

This list wouldn’t be complete without referencing the King of Rock & Roll. We can inspire little ones to be as influential in everything they do by naming them after the incomparable Elvis Presley. 

Stevie

Just like Billie’s, there are a lot of great Stevies out there. There’s, of course, the 1970s and 1980s icon, Stevie Nicks. We also have the talented Stevie Wonder and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

More musician-inspired unisex names

• Beck: Known as the artist behind the songs Loser and Where It’s At.
• Chesney: Inspired by the beloved country singer, Kenny Chesney.
• Cobain: All music fans are familiar with the lead singer of Nirvana, Kurt Cobain. 
• Collins: I can feel it coming in the air tonight—all the baby name inspiration you could want. 
• Dylan: Name a little one after one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Bob Dylan. 
• Everly: This lovely and unique name can be attributed to the 1950s rock duo, The Everly Brothers. 
• Jameson: While often known as the Irish whiskey brand, it’s also the name of up-and-coming country artist Jameson Rodgers.
• Lauryn/Lauren: Pay homage to the talented Ms. Lauryn Hill with this name. 
• Nelly/Nellie: A great gender-neutral option inspired by hip hop artist Nelly and singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado. 
• Noah: This singer-songwriter from Vermont has had a meteoric rise in recent years: Noah Kahan.
• Osbourne: This unique and edgy name choice is, of course, inspired by the wild one himself, the late Ozzy Osbourne.
• Parker: We expect to see this name rise and rise on the charts, especially with the increasing popularity of new country artist Parker McCollum.  
• Santana: Just like the band, this name transcends generations. 
• Whitley: This unique name is inspired by country music artist Keith Whitley. 

More Musical Baby Names

Baby name inspiration can also be found in musical terms and musical instruments, like these adorable picks:

Alto

Derived from Latin and meaning “tall” or “high,” the name Alto is closely connected to musical instruments and vocals as the range below the soprano and above the tenor in a harmony.

Lyric

This musical name has Greek and French origins and means “songlike.” It’s no surprise that Backstreet Boys star AJ McLean and his wife Rochelle chose this moniker for their daughter in 2017. Ed Sheeran and his wife Cherry Seaborn chose the variation Lyra for their oldest daughter in 2019. After all, where would music-inspired baby names come from without lyrics? 

Melody

A more literal music-inspired baby name with Greek origins, Melody means “music” or “song.”

More names inspired by musical terms

• Allegra: allegro is a fast tempo in music.
• Alto: means “elevated,” and is the vocal range below the soprano and above the tenor in a harmony.
• Aria: a strong solo performance that comes from the Italian word meaning “air.”
• Carol: means “joyous song.”
• Harmony: music name meaning “a pleasing combination of musical sounds” and “in agreement.
• Harper: means “harp player.”
• Jazz: honoring the iconic, improvisational music style.
• Lyra: inspired by the musical instrument, the lyre.
• Piper: means “pipe player.”
• Viola: the string instrument—also meaning “violet.”
• Wren: a small songbird.