Wonder Woman Baby Names: Diana, Clio, Atalanta

There are plenty of comic book-inspired baby names, but most of the superheroes? Are guys.

At least we’ve got Wonder Woman.

Back in the 1970s, Lynda Carter leapt from the pages of DC Comics to the television screen. For three seasons, she deflected bullets with her magic bracelets and inspired countless school girls to buy themed lunch-boxes and Underroos.

The Amazon princess first appeared in the comics back in 1941, and she’s slated for a reboot in 2016. Israeli actress Gal Gadot will play the part in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. (You might know her as Gisele in the Fast & the Furious franchise.) Two sequels are planned, including a stand-alone Wonder Woman flick.

So will the warrior boost baby names?

There’s a good chance. With eighty years of story to draw from, there’s no shortage of possible characters that could appear on the big screen as the new DC Comics-inspired movies unfold. And Wonder Woman is closely tied to ancient Greek and Roman myth, a category of baby name inspiration that’s already quite stylish.

Read on for my list of Wonder Woman baby names – and please add your favorites in the comments!

Acantha – A minor character from the comics, and an intriguing name. It means thorny, and the name is associated with the acanthus plant, making this name as botanical as Briar.

Aella – In Greek myth, Aella was one of the Amazons who faced off against Heracles, and lost her life in the battle. In the comics, the name belongs to the royal falconer.

Alexa – While all of the Alex- names are fading now, there’s an Amazon by the name in an animated 2009 direct-to-DVD Wonder Woman film.

Anaya – Anaya seems to be a newer character, and I think Anaya must be an invented name, a spin on Maya. It fits right in.

Ariadne – A great Greek myth name borrowed for a blue-haired Amazon.

Artemis – It’s the perfect name for the leader of another Amazon tribe who challenges Princess Diana. While Diana and Artemis have some differences, Artemis is generally considered Diana’s Greek equivalent.

Atalanta – I have a soft spot for the mythological Atalanta, even though it’s awfully close to the (unrelated) city name Atlanta. In Greek myth, she was quite accomplished. It took trickery, with the intervention of the goddess Aphrodite, for a man to beat her in a foot race and win her hand in marriage. Atalanta makes the list of Wonder Woman baby names because she’s the leader of another tribe of Amazons in the Wonder Woman ‘verse.

Callisto – She’s an Amazon who serves as an oracle.

Cassandra – There’s been more than one version of Wonder Girl, Wonder Woman’s teenaged sidekick. Cassandra “Cassie” Sandsmark is one of the best known. Her backstory? She’s the daughter of the beautiful, mortal archeologist Helena and Zeus. Yes, Zeus. (Why would he leave his lechery in the ancient world?)

Clio – Another Amazon, with a name borrowed from a Muse. Also, one of my Katniss names. And my daughter’s name, so I’m biased about how great it is. In the Wonder Woman ‘verse, she’s a royal scribe.

Dalma – And another Amazon. Is this name wearable? I love D names, like Daisy and Della. And Alma seems sweetly vintage. Still, I’m not sure about this one.

Danae – Another Amazon minor character.

Daphne – Like Diana, a very wearable borrowing from Greek myth. The character seems to be mentioned only briefly.

Dessa – It seems like D names were favored for the Amazons. Dessa is a newer character, first seen in 2011.

Diana – This is the name most likely to be boosted by the movies, if only because it will almost certainly be used. Diana is always the superhero’s given name, both as an Amazon princess and as an under-cover operative in Man’s World. In Roman myth, Diana was the goddess of the hunt, so it seems like a fitting choice for our heroine.

Donna – In several tellings, Donna is an orphan rescued by Diana. She’s not an Amazon, but she’s raised on Themiscyra, the name for Diana’s island. She also becomes Wonder Girl.

Drusilla – And another Wonder Girl name! On the television series, she was played a very young Debra Winger. Her backstory? She was Diana’s little sister.

Eleni – A form of Helen in use in modern Greece, and the name of a minor Amazon character.

Hippolyta – I’m not sure how wearable Hippolyta might be, even in 2015. But I can’t leave this name off the list, because Hippolyta is the Amazon queen. Several actresses played her during the 1970s series’ run, including Cloris Leachman. She’s mom to Diana, and in some versions, briefly served as Wonder Woman herself. While in Man’s World, Hippolyta answered to Polly. So if you’re toying with this name, but eager for a fallback nickname? There you go.

Io – The ultimate mini name, two letters and still two syllables! In the Wonder Woman ‘verse, she’s an Amazonian weapons master.

Magala – An Amazon and a powerful sorceress. I can’t unravel just where this name came from. Magala’s first appearance was 1997, so maybe it was invented instead of sourced from the ancient world? Still, it sounds right.

Mala – Diana’s BFF on Amazon Island was Mala. The character has been around as long as Wonder Woman, appearing with her way back in 1941. Mala faded for a while, but was included in the cast of the 2009 animated movie.

Nubia – Now here’s a twist! Diana has a twin named Nubia. Or not. The character’s origin story changed over the series, but she always has the dark skin that her name implies. Nubia was the name of an ancient African empire, covering the land we now know as Egypt and the Sudan. It may come from the Egyptian word for gold, which makes this a rich and glittering possibility. Nubia was first used in the early 1970s, likely among African American families looking for heritage choices.

Pallas – In ancient myth, Pallas is a name associated with Athena. In Themyscira, she’s a blacksmith.

Penelope – In a 2013 short, this was the name of another Amazon. It’s telling that the ancient names borrowed for the Wonder Woman ‘verse didn’t include Penelope until the name became so mainstream in the US. Wait, it looks like Penelope was used for a minor character even earlier.

Persephone – Another Amazon from a 2009 animated direct-to-DVD installment in the Wonder Woman franchise.

Simone – A minor Amazon character – I think she’s only shown in a flashback. Interesting to me because the name is French rather than mythological or myth-ish, like Anaya.

Sofia – Like Donna Troy, Sofia wasn’t born an Amazon. Instead, she was a Greek terrorist who decided to change her ways. After spending time on Paradise Island, she became an honorary member.

Zelia – Yet another minor Amazon, but one with an intriguing name – though, again, not one found in Greek or Roman myth.

Note on sources: I’m indebted to Carol Strickland’s Wonder Woman Central, the DC Comics Database, and The Wonder Woman Wiki for much of the information in this post. Though, yes, I’ve seen pretty much every episode of the original series. And had the Underroos. And am looking so very forward to taking my daughter to see Gal Gadot take on the role in 2016!

Would you consider any of these Wonder Woman baby names for a daughter?