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.

Get new posts sent to your inbox!
Don’t miss out! Subscribe and get all the new posts first.

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.

About Abby Sandel

Whether you're naming a baby, or just all about names, you've come to the right place! Appellation Mountain is a haven for lovers of obscure gems and enduring classics alike.

You May Also Like:

What do you think?

4 Comments

  1. 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!

  2. 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 ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. 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