Amazing Gilmore Girls baby names abound.
How could they not? The show’s premise involves a mother-daughter duo who share an unusual family name. The cast includes dozens of characters, from preppy, privileged classmates of the younger Gilmore to the quirky denizens of Stars Hollow.
The show ran for seven seasons, beginning in 2000 and ending in 2007. Plenty of characters married and started families over the years. A four-installment Netflix sequel called A Year in the Life ran in 2016, catching us up on their lives since the original series closed.
There’s no question that Amy Sherman-Palladino and her team of writers and collaborators are bold, smart namers, truly ahead of their time.
In fact, as an entire generation of Gilmore Girls fans grows up, and more viewers discover it on Netflix, the show continues to help drive the names we love.
LORELAI, LORELAI, and LORELAI
LORELAI
Lauren Graham plays the mom at the center of the series. She’s the first person introduced by the name. Her full name is Lorelai Victoria. More often spelled Lorelei, the name rose sharply in use following the series’ debut.
RORY
The second Lorelai we meet is introduced as Lorelai’s daughter, known almost exclusively as Rory. When Rory registers at her new school, we hear conversation galore about how mother and daughter share the same name. It’s proof that the show’s writers included at least a few world class namers. We eventually learn her middle name is Leigh.
TRIX
The show’s earliest conflict involves Lorelai and her mother, Emily. But a few seasons later, we learn that Emily’s relationship with her mother-in-law is no walk in the park. It also turns out that the mother-in-law is the original Lorelai, though she’s known to her loved ones as Trix.
THE EXTENDED GILMORE FAMILY
EMILY
Lorelai clashes with her mother, Emily, but the pair eventually reconnect over Rory. Her name is classic and refined, just like Emily Gilmore herself.
RICHARD
Lorelai’s dad, a successful insurance exec who also bonds with his granddaughter. During the show, he is exclusively called Richard, never Rick, Rich, or Dick.
CHRISTOPHER
Back in high school, Lorelai and Christopher Hayden dated. He proposed when they found out Lorelai was expecting, but she declined. They have an on-again, off-again relationship for a few seasons.
HAYDEN
Christopher’s last name isn’t often heard on the series, but it’s polished and appealing, an Aiden name with staying power.
GEORGIA/GIGI
Christopher eventually settles down with Sherry, and they welcome a daughter, Georgia called Gigi, a half-sister for Rory.
STARS HOLLOW
BABETTE
Babette lives next door to Lorelai and Rory. Played by sitcom royal Sally Struthers, Babette often shares the scoop on Stars Hollow happenings. Along with dance school owner Miss Patty, Babette’s past is rich with fascinating stories.
DEAN
Sweet, athletic Dean Forester becomes Rory’s first boyfriend.
GYPSY
Mechanic to Stars Hollow, Gypsy appears atmany a town event. The only problem? While this name might feel like a Bohemian, offbeat choice and it is used in small numbers for girls born in the US, “gypsy” is considered an insult. (File it somewhere between inaccurate and a racial slur.)
JESS
Luke’s wayward nephew comes home to Stars Hollow to stay with him, and becomes another love interest for Rory.
KIRK
Jack-of-all-trades Kirk Gleason is a Stars Hollow mainstay. Played by actor Sean Gunn, you might also recognize him from Guardians of the Galaxy or other movies. (Yes, Guardians director James Gunn is his brother.)
LANE
Lane Kim and Rory met in kindergarten. The daughter of super-strict Korean Christian parents, Lane struggles to find her way in the world. All ends well, though – she becomes the drummer for a rock band, marries the lead singer, and welcomes twins named Steve and Kwan in the final season.
LUKE
From the first, Luke Danes is the every-guy, reliable and rock solid. He owns Luke’s, the Stars Hollows Diner where Lorelai and Rory regularly eat three meals a day. For years, Luke and Lorelai have an on-again, off-again, will-they, won’t-they romance.
LULU
Kirk’s sweet girlfriend.
MOREY
Babette’s husband.
PATTY
As in Miss Patty, the unforgettable owner of the dance studio, known for a snappy line.
TAYLOR
A mainstay of the town of Stars Hollow, known for owning Doose’s Market, serving on the town’s council, and often torturing Luke to comply with various town activities.
TILLIE
Tillie is the young girl who talks Luke into sponsoring a local soccer team.
THE INDEPENDENCE and THE DRAGONFLY
DRELLA
Ella, Stella, and … Drella? In early seasons, Lorelai managed The Independence, a historic inn on the edge of Stars Hollow. Gilmore Girls fanatics know Drella for two reasons: first, she played the harp in the Independence during the first season. Second, actress Alex Borstein played Drella – but she’d originally been cast as Sookie. (Amy Sherman-Palladino went on to work with Borstein on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.)
SOOKIE
Sookie St. James rivals any chef in the area for inventive cuisine. She starts out as Lorelai’s BFF and colleague at the Independence. The pair eventually open The Dragonfly Inn together.
MICHEL
Born in France, talented concierge Michel comes across as difficult and uptight. But he’s loyal to Lorelai and Sookie, and goes with the duo to the Dragonfly.
TOBIN
While Tobin appears just a few times, the night manager proves that the inns have plenty of staff besides Lorelai, Sookie, and Michel.
AT CHILTON
FRANCINE/FRANCIE
Among the most popular of the Chilton students, Francie’s attempts to recruit Rory for a school sorority cause problems.
HANLIN
Headmaster of Chilton, Hanlin Charleston is a dear friend to Richard and Emily Gilmore.
LOUISE
Madeline, Louise, and Paris are usually seen together, though Paris focuses on good grades, while Louise and Madeline are much less driven.
MADELINE
One of the mean girls that make Rory’s life difficult early days at the prestigious prep school.
MAX
Chilton teacher Max Medina briefly dated Lorelai after Rory started at the school.
PARIS
Overachieving Paris Eustace Geller starts out as Rory’s rival, but they eventually become close friends and head off to Yale together.
TRISTAN
Tristan becomes an early love interest for Rory when she enrolls at Chilton.
AT YALE
DOYLE
Yale Daily News editor Doyle McMaster is Rory’s first boss, and eventually becomes boyfriend to Paris.
LOGAN
Privileged and arrogant, Logan Huntzberger eventually becomes Rory’s college boyfriend.
FINN, ROSEMARY, JULIET
Three friends to Logan, they are equally privileged and wealthy.
THE ST. JAMES-BELLEVILLE FAMILY
JACKSON
We first meet Jackson Belleville as the producer supplier for The Independence, a farmer devoted to his craft. He eventually become’s Sookie’s husband, and they welcome three children together. While Jackson was already catching on as a given name in the era, I suspect the character added something to its appeal.
DAVEY
The couple welcomes David Edward shortly after their wedding.
MARTHA
Martha Janice Lori Ethan Rupert Glenda Carson Daisy Danny arrives a few years later. Sookie feels strongly that their family is complete with the arrival of Martha, so she uses all the names they’d considered over the years, even though Jackson was willing to save some of the names “for the next one.”
BABY #3
As the series ended, the couple was expecting a third child. While we’ve yet to get a name confirmation, after Davey and Martha, it should be great!
BEAU
We meet Jackson’s brother, Beau, just a few times.
MORE GREAT GILMORE GIRLS NAMES
APRIL
Luke learns late in the series that he has a school-aged daughter named April.
GIL
Lane’s band includes Gil, played by Sebastian Bach. He lives in a neighboring town, and the band almost rejects him because he’s much older than them – but Gil proves to be a key member.
HONOR
Older sister to Logan, Honor befriends Rory.
MACON
We meet Gil’s school-aged son just once, but I love the name they chose for him.
PENNILYN
We meet Pennilyn Lott just once, but hear about her for years. She dated Richard Gilmore before he met Emily; we later learn that Trix Gilmore far preferred Pennilyn. No explanation is given for the name, but it seems like there must be a story, right?
STEVE and KWAN
Lane’s twin sons.
ZACK
Lane’s bandmate in Hep Alien, and later her husband and dad to their twins. In the sequel series, they’re still together and still making music.
Okay, I’m still missing dozens of Gilmore Girls baby names! Which are your favorites? Would you use any? And what would you add to the list? Minor characters are fair game, too.
ALSO, a big shout-out to Kacey for correcting my spelling in the original version of this post! I had Lorelei spelled Loralei. Yikes!
First published on November 4, 2016, this post was revised on September 22, 2024.
We just named our son Tobin (Oct 15) and since I’ve been up at night nursing a lot I’ve been re-watching Gilmore Girls and saw the Tobin character which I’d completely forgotten about – fun!
You would need a whole separate post for all of Emily’s maids! Lol. I loved hearing their names too. Definitely an international flair (kind of sad that the international names were mostly just for the maids). Love Gilmore Girls and the names! Fun post ๐
Yes! Good point, Carol Ann. ๐
You forgot…
Taylor Dosey- Stars Hollow greengrocer come candy shop owner, town everything and all round busy body and pain in (particularly Luke’s) butt
Marty-the naked guy from Torus first night at Yale who then later makes things weird with her post-Logan friends by pretending they don’t know one another
Doula-Luke’s sister Liz and her husband T.Is first child names after their…doula
My favourite character was always Jess (Literati forever) but the name I most loved for being out there is a toss up between Morey (Babette’s husband’s) and Doula