10 Unique Names Inspired by Jane Austen

My mom did it, and now you can, too!
But seriously. Jane Austen is one of the most iconic writers ever, and what better way to honor that than to use your child (or dog, or cat, or plant) as a living reminder of her genius, am I right? Of course, for those of you who prefer baby names that aren't quite as common, "Elizabeth", "Edward", "Henry", and "Anne" are probably off the table. No worries! I have compiled for you below a list of names taken from Jane Austen's novels (and a few off of her own family tree) that are a little more unique, but still Austen-adjacent. :)

1. Pemberly (Pride & Prejudice) - I'm not going to lie, I would seriously consider naming my future child this. Because it's the name of an estate and not a character--William Darcy's estate, to be precise--it's relatively unused, but still easily recognizable as a homage to Jane Austen's most popular love interest. Also, it would easily fit in with the plethora of -lee/ley/leigh names that are topping the charts these days (Bailey, Hadley, Hailey, Kaylee, Harley, Marlee, Presley) while also being a more unique choice. 
2. Philadelphia - this name was incredibly popular in Jane's time, and she had at least one aunt and a cousin with it as the first name. Obviously it is also the name of an American city, so people will probably assume you're super patriotic at first instead of connecting it immediately to JA. Nevertheless, plenty of people use cities as names nowadays (Brooklyn, Austin, Savannah, Bronx, Paris) and if you're looking for a more subtle connection, this might be the way to go. 
3. Benwick (Persuasion) - if you like the names Bentley, Benjamin, or Benedict but find them too common, Benwick might be the name for you! The name has a positive connotation as well, coming from one of JA's characters in Persuasion who is described as an excellent young man and officer, valued very highly by any who know him. 
4. Tilney (Northanger Abbey) - the last name of another charming, intelligent Jane Austen hero. In my opinion, it works better as a middle name, but whatever floats your boat. Similarly to Pemberly, it definitely follows the -ey/ee/eigh name trend that's popular right now, while having a more unique -ln- sound in the middle. 
5. Dashwood  (Sense & Sensibility) - JA used this as the last name for her heroines in Sense & Sensibility, but I think it would be an incredibly funny name for a plant. Of course, if you like it for another type of living creature (human or animal), have at it! It's classic and easily spelled/pronounced, so it would make a fine choice for any being. 
6. Tysoe - this name comes from Jane's uncle (married to her aunt Philadelphia, to be exact). It definitely has that salty sea captain vibe, but if that's your thing (or you have a fish in need of a name) it might be the perfect choice for you.
7. Wentworth (Persuasion) - if you're an uberfan, the last name of one of Austen's most dreamy love interests could be the way to go. It's classy, a little hipster, and relatively easy to pronounce. It also carries enough versatility that it could be used as a middle name, in my opinion. 
8. Netherfield (Pride & Prejudice) - another estate, this time that of Mr. Bingley, the supporting hero of Pride & Prejudice. Once again, probably a better middle name when it comes to human children, but up to you. 

FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO TAKE RISKS

1. Wickham (Pride & Prejudice) - personally I wouldn't judge you if you have a badly behaving cat that tends to ho around with all the neighborhood cats named Wickham. Even better if you have a cactus named George Prickham (credit me if you use this please!). If you're planning on using it for a human child, I won't judge you either, but I can't promise the rest of the world won't, haha. 
2. Willoughby (Sense & Sensibility) - not quite as bad as Wickham (and in my opinion, a better sounding middle name), but still carries quite a saucy connotation.