Here you’ll find 31 Literary girl names that start with E, organized from “Edna” to “Irene”. These names come from novels, poems, plays, and author-coined creations spanning languages and eras. Expectant parents, writers, and literary fans use this list for naming or inspiration.
Literary girl names that start with E are female names that appear in novels, poems, plays, or author inventions. Many carry cultural weight, like Edna from Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, which sparked lively debate.
Below you’ll find the table with Name, Origin, Pronunciation, and Meaning.
Name: The exact literary name as it appears in texts, so you can evaluate sound, style, and personal appeal.
Origin: Author and work where the name appears, plus original language or cultural context to help you understand its roots.
Pronunciation: Simple phonetic respelling to guide pronunciation, so you can test how the name sounds aloud.
Meaning: Etymology or literary significance giving literal meanings and symbolic associations that inform the name’s tone.
Literary girl names that start with E
| Name | Pronunciation | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth | eh-LIZ-uh-beth | Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1813, English | God is my oath (Hebrew) |
| Eliza | eh-LYE-zuh | George Bernard Shaw, Pygmalion, 1913, English | Variant of Elizabeth; “pledged to God” |
| Emma | EM-muh | Jane Austen, Emma, 1815, English | whole or “universal” (Germanic) |
| Elinor | eh-LIN-or | Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility, 1811, English | Variant of Eleanor; “light” or “foreign” |
| Estella | ess-TEL-uh | Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, 1861, English | star (from Latin stella) |
| Esme | ez-MAY | J.D. Salinger, “For Esmé — with Love and Squalor”, 1950, English | loved or “esteemed” (French aimé) |
| Eponine | eh-poh-NEEN | Victor Hugo, Les Misérables, 1862, French | Likely derived from Celtic goddess Epona |
| Esmeralda | ez-meh-RAL-dah | Victor Hugo, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, 1831, French | emerald (Spanish) |
| Evangeline | ee-VAN-juh-leen | Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Evangeline, 1847, English | bearer of good news (Greek) |
| Ellen | EH-len | Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights (Ellen “Nelly” Dean), 1847, English | Variant of Helen; “light” |
| Edna | ED-nah | Kate Chopin, The Awakening, 1899, English | pleasure, delight (Hebrew) |
| Electra | eh-LEK-truh | Sophocles, Electra, c.5th century BCE, Ancient Greek | amber or “bright, shining” |
| Eurydice | yoo-RID-ih-see | Ovid, Metamorphoses, c.8 CE, Latin | wide justice (Greek roots) |
| Eowyn | EH-oh-wyn | J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, 1954-55, English | Old English elements “horse” + “joy” (Tolkien coinage) |
| Elanor | eh-LAN-or | J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, 1954-55, English/Sindarin | sun-star (Tolkien Sindarin coinage) |
| Enid | EH-nid | Mabinogion, “Geraint and Enid”, 12th–13th century, Middle Welsh | soul, life (Welsh) |
| Eloise | eh-LOYZ or eh-LOH-eez | Kay Thompson, Eloise at the Plaza, 1955, English | From Old French Helewise; “healthy, wide” |
| Eleanor | el-uh-NOR | Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House (Eleanor Vance), 1959, English | Variant of Alienor; “light” or “foreign” |
| Eve | EEV | John Milton, Paradise Lost, 1667, English (biblical origin) | life (Hebrew) |
| Esther | ESS-ter | Book of Esther, Hebrew Bible, c.5th century BCE, Hebrew | star or linked to Ishtar |
| Elena | eh-LAY-nah | Elena Ferrante, My Brilliant Friend (L’amica geniale), 2011, Italian | Variant of Helen; “torch, bright” |
| Elaine | eh-LAYN | Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d’Arthur, 1485 (Arthurian legend), Middle English | bright, shining (variant of Helen) |
| Emmeline | EM-eh-leen | Charlotte Smith, Emmeline: The Orphan of the Castle, 1788, English | From Germanic amal “work” |
| Eloisa | eh-loy-SA | Alexander Pope, “Eloisa to Abelard”, 1717, English | Variant of Héloïse; “healthy, wide” |
| Evelina | ev-eh-LEE-nah | Fanny Burney, Evelina, 1778, English | Diminutive of Aveline; “desired” or “pleasant” |
| Emilia | eh-MEE-lee-ah | William Shakespeare, Othello, c.1603, English | From Latin Aemilia; “rival” or “eager” |
| Irene | eye-REEN | Arthur Conan Doyle, “A Scandal in Bohemia” (Irene Adler), 1891, English | peace (Greek eirene) |
| Eppie | EH-pee | George Eliot, Silas Marner, 1861, English | Diminutive of Euphemia; “good speech” (Greek) |
| Esperanza | ess-peh-RAN-sah | Sandra Cisneros, The House on Mango Street, 1984, English/Spanish | hope (Spanish) |
| Eileen | eye-LEEN | Ottessa Moshfegh, Eileen, 2015, English | Irish form of Eibhlín; “desired, pleasant” |
| Eulalie | yoo-LAY-lee | Edgar Allan Poe, “Eulalie—A Song”, 1845, English | well-spoken (Greek roots) |
Descriptions
Elizabeth
Elizabeth Bennet is witty, independent heroine; timeless, widely popular literary classic.
Eliza
Eliza Doolittle — Cockney flower-seller who reinvents herself; spunky, theatrical name with literary flair.
Emma
Emma Woodhouse is a meddling matchmaker; charming, genteel name revived by Austen.
Elinor
Elinor Dashwood is sensible and reserved; elegant, classic choice from Austen.
Estella
Estella Havisham is raised to break hearts; elegant, somewhat tragic Dickensian name.
Esme
Esmé is tender and evocative from Salinger’s short story; chic, continental feel.
Eponine
Éponine is devoted and tragic; romantic French literary name with strong pathos.
Esmeralda
Esmeralda is a compassionate Romani dancer; exotic and lyrical.
Evangeline
Longfellow’s heroine searches for lost love; poetic, hymnlike name.
Ellen
Nelly Dean is the novel’s primary narrator; sturdy, familiar literary name.
Edna
Edna Pontellier is a complex, independent protagonist; literary and uncommon.
Electra
Mythic tragic figure central to Greek drama; powerful, dramatic name.
Eurydice
Orpheus’s lost wife in myth; lyrical, melancholy classical name.
Eowyn
Shieldmaiden who defies expectations; heroic, distinctly Tolkienic name.
Elanor
A flower and Sam’s daughter in Tolkien; gentle, fantasy-inspired name.
Enid
Arthurian heroine Enid is loyal and noble; medieval romance favorite revived by poets.
Eloise
Playful child protagonist at the Plaza hotel; chic, whimsical name with historical roots.
Eleanor
Eleanor Vance is shy, complex protagonist; classic, stately name in modern fiction.
Eve
First woman in Scripture and epic poetry; short, timeless, richly literary.
Esther
Biblical queen heroine celebrated for courage; strong, traditional name with deep roots.
Elena
Elena “Lenù” Greco narrates a modern Italian friendship epic; modern, Mediterranean literary name.
Elaine
Elaine of Astolat is tragic Arthurian lover of Lancelot; romantic medieval name.
Emmeline
Title heroine of a Gothic novel; genteel, slightly old-fashioned revival name.
Eloisa
Pope’s dramatic poetic speaker inspired by Abelard and Héloïse; romantic, lyrical.
Evelina
Burney’s young heroine navigates society and manners; elegant, 18th-century literary name.
Emilia
Emilia is Iago’s wife and a key voice in Othello; classic Shakespearean name.
Irene
Irene Adler is clever, memorable foil to Sherlock Holmes; graceful, cultured name.
Eppie
Eppie (Euphemia) is Marner’s beloved adopted daughter; sweet, homespun literary choice.
Esperanza
Narrator Esperanza Cordero expresses coming-of-age and identity; modern, hopeful Latina literary name.
Eileen
Title character in Moshfegh’s dark novel; familiar Irish name used in contemporary literature.
Eulalie
Poe’s lyric name evokes melodious romance and Gothic charm; poetic and rare.