Explore 115 music names (with definitions) for your baby

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One of these music names might be perfect for your little maestro

Music has a way of connecting people — evoking emotions and creating memories. When it comes to naming a new family member, music can serve as a rich source of inspiration. Below, we’re exploring various musical baby names, touching on musical terms, instruments, iconic musicians, and classical compositions.

Musical names for babies

Musical terms often carry a distinct elegance that translates well into names:

Melody: A sequence of notes that is musically satisfying.
Harmony: The combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce a pleasing effect.
Lyric: Often used to describe a song’s words or a quality of sweetness in voices.

Music names inspired by musical instruments

The world of musical instruments also offers a rich source of music-inspired baby names:

Viola: A string instrument, and also a character from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
Piper: Reflecting a person who plays a pipe.
Reed: Part of a wind instrument, creating a musical sound when air is blown through it.

Music names from musical icons

Names of musical icons often carry a rich legacy of creativity and melody:

Presley: After Elvis Presley, the iconic King of Rock and Roll.
Dylan: Borrowed from Bob Dylan, known for his poetic lyrics and distinct voice.
Marley: A nod to Bob Marley, the legendary reggae musician known for his rhythmic beats and peaceful lyrics.

Music names from the classics

Classical music also offers a treasure trove of name inspirations:

Amadeus: Inspired by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a celebrated composer.
Clara: Named after Clara Schumann, a significant 19th-century musician and composer.
Ludwig: From Ludwig van Beethoven, a name synonymous with classical compositions.

Music names bring a touch of rhythm, melody, and harmony into the life of a child. Each name listed here has a musical essence that might resonate well with the new individual awaiting to make their mark in the world. Through these music-inspired names, finding a name that echoes a love for music is a step closer.

ALSO SEE: 100+ famous songs with names in the title that could be your baby’s name

115 music names with definitions

Note: Some of these baby names are directly related to musical terms or instruments, while others may be inspired by famous musicians. The gender classification is based on popular usage and may vary by culture or individual preference.

Names beginning with A

Adagio (Unisex): A tempo marking indicating a slow pace.
Aida (Girl): Named after the opera by Giuseppe Verdi, “Aida” is a name that carries a dramatic flair.
Allegra (Girl): A musical term meaning “joyful” in Italian, often used to signify a fast tempo.
Allegro (Boy): A musical term meaning “quick and lively.”
Alto (Unisex): A vocal range that lies between tenor and soprano, commonly used for both boys and girls.
Andante (Unisex): A musical term that suggests a moderately slow tempo.
Apollo (Boy): Named after the Greek god of music and poetry.
Arietta (Girl): A short aria or a simple, expressive melody.
Aria (Girl): A self-contained piece for solo voice, usually part of larger works like operas.
Aretha (Girl): Inspired by Aretha Franklin, the “Queen of Soul.”

B

Bach (Boy): Named after Johann Sebastian Bach, a composer and musician of the Baroque period.
Banjo (Boy): A stringed musical instrument associated with folk and country music.
Bard (Unisex): A term referring to a poet or storyteller, often one who sings their tales.
Baroque (Unisex): Named after the Baroque period, known for its elaborate and ornate musical compositions.
Bebop (Boy): A style of jazz music characterized by fast tempo and improvisation.
Beethoven (Boy): Named after Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the most famous composers in Western classical music.
Bell (Girl): Refers to the resonant part of a musical instrument or a clear, ringing sound.
Bing (Boy): Named after Bing Crosby, an iconic American singer and actor.
Brio (Unisex): A musical term meaning “vigor” or “con brio” meaning “with spirit.”
Brioso (Boy): An Italian musical term meaning “lively” or “full of spirit.”
Cadenza (Unisex): A virtuoso solo passage inserted into a movement in a concerto or other work.

C

Canto (Unisex): A principal form of division in a long poem or song.
Calypso (Girl): A style of Afro-Caribbean music, also the name of a nymph in Greek mythology who was said to sing beautifully.
Calliope (Girl): Named after the Greek Muse of eloquence and epic poetry, also a steam organ.
Carol (Girl): A festive song, generally religious but not necessarily connected with church worship.
Cassa (Unisex): Italian term for “drum,” often referring to a snare or bass drum in an orchestra.
Cadence (Unisex): A sequence of chords that brings an end to a phrase.
Celesta (Girl): A musical instrument with a sound resembling that of a glockenspiel.
Chanson (Girl): The French word for “song,” often used to describe a specific genre of French music.
Chord (Boy): A group of notes sounded together, as a basis of harmony.
Clef (Unisex): A symbol used in musical notation to indicate the pitch of written notes.

D

Demi (Girl): Often associated with Demi Lovato, an American singer, songwriter, and actor.
Diva (Girl): A celebrated female singer, often associated with opera.
Dolce (Girl): A musical term meaning “sweetly,” often used to indicate a soft or smooth quality to the music.
Doloroso (Unisex): A musical term meaning “sorrowful” or “sad.”
Dorian (Boy): A mode in music theory, also refers to a character in Greek mythology.
Drummer (Boy): One who plays the drums, either as a hobby or professionally.

E

Ella (Girl): Named after Ella Fitzgerald, a famous jazz singer known for her scat singing.
Ellington (Boy): Inspired by Duke Ellington, an American composer and jazz musician.
Everly (Unisex): Inspired by The Everly Brothers, an American country-influenced rock and roll duo.
Etude (Unisex): A short musical composition designed as an exercise to improve technique.

F

Fermata (Unisex): A musical symbol indicating that a note should be sustained for longer than its note value.
Forza (Unisex): An Italian term meaning “force,” often used in musical notation to indicate dynamics.
Forte (Boy): A musical term meaning “loud” or “strong.”
Fugue (Unisex): A compositional technique characterized by the repetition of a principal theme.
Fife (Boy): A small, high-pitched flute used primarily in military and marching musical groups.

G

Gig (Unisex): Refers to a live music performance or a job for musicians.
Gibson (Boy): Named after the famous Gibson Guitar Corporation.
Glissando (Unisex): A glide from one pitch to another in music.
Gershwin (Boy): Inspired by George Gershwin, a notable American composer.
Guitar (Unisex): Named after the stringed musical instrument commonly used in various genres of music.

H

Harmony (Girl): The combination of different musical notes played or sung at the same time to produce a pleasing sound.
Haydn (Boy): Named after Joseph Haydn, a prominent Austrian composer.
Hendrix (Boy): Inspired by Jimi Hendrix, an American rock guitarist.

I

Ionian (Unisex): Refers to one of the musical modes, also known as the major scale.
Ivy (Girl): Named after Ivy League schools, which have significant contributions to music.

J

Jazz (Unisex): A music genre that originated in African American communities, characterized by improvisation.
Joplin (Girl): Named after Janis Joplin, an American singer-songwriter known for her powerful vocals.

K

Key (Unisex): Refers to the pitch at which a piece of music is played.
Koto (Girl): A traditional Japanese stringed musical instrument.

L

Legato (Unisex): Indicates that musical notes are played or sung smoothly and connected.
Liszt (Boy): Named after Franz Liszt, a 19th-century Hungarian composer and virtuoso pianist.
Lydian (Unisex): Refers to one of the modes in music theory.
Lyric (Unisex): The words of a song, also refers to expressing the writer’s emotions.
Lyra (Girl): An ancient stringed musical instrument, similar to a small harp.
Lyre (Unisex): A stringed instrument known for its use in Greek classical antiquity and later periods.

M

Madrigal (Unisex): A part-song for several voices, especially one of the Renaissance period, typically arranged in elaborate counterpoint.
Maestro (Boy): An honorific title of respect for a master musician.
Medley (Unisex): A piece of music combining existing songs or tunes.
Melody (Girl): A sequence of musical notes that are perceived as a single entity.
Miles (Boy): Named after Miles Davis, an influential American jazz trumpeter.
Motif (Unisex): A recurring element in a musical composition.
Muse (Girl): Named after the Muses, the goddesses of the arts in Greek mythology.
Musette (Girl): A small bagpipe or a piece of music mimicking its sound.

N

Note (Unisex): A single tone of definite pitch made by a musical instrument or the human voice.
Nocturne (Unisex): A musical composition inspired by, or evocative of, the night.
Nico (Boy): Inspired by Nico, a singer associated with The Velvet Underground.

O

Ocarina (Unisex): A small wind instrument with a shape similar to an egg.
Octavia (Girl): Inspired by the term “octave,” which is a range of eight notes in music.
Opera (Girl): A form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component.
Opus (Unisex): A term used to identify a musical composition.

P

Piatti (Unisex): Italian term for cymbals, often used in orchestral settings.
Piper (Girl): One who plays the pipe instrument, commonly associated with folk music.
Pizzicato (Unisex): A playing technique that involves plucking the strings of a string instrument.
Poet (Unisex): Often associated with lyricists in music, poets write works that are meant to be spoken, sung, or read.
Presley (Boy): Named after Elvis Presley, a significant figure in the history of rock and roll.
Prima (Girl): Italian for “first,” often used to describe a leading female singer in an opera.
Primo (Boy): Italian for “first,” often used to describe a leading male role in an opera or first part in a duet.
Quintal (Unisex): Refers to a harmonic set of five notes.

Q

Quaver (Unisex): A musical note having the time value of an eighth of a whole note.

R

Reed (Boy): A thin strip of material that vibrates to produce a sound on a musical instrument.
Rhapsody (Girl): A musical composition of irregular form having an improvisatory character.

S

Sibelius (Boy): Named after Jean Sibelius, a Finnish composer and violinist.
Sonata (Girl): A composition for an instrumental soloist, often with a piano accompaniment.
Sonatine (Girl): A short or simplified sonata.
Sonnet (Unisex): A poem of 14 lines, often set to music.
Sonore (Unisex): A musical term meaning “sonorous” or “resonant.”
Sonoro (Boy): An Italian musical term meaning “sonorous” or “resounding.”
Soprano (Girl): The highest vocal range for female voices in choral music.
Staccato (Unisex): A form of musical articulation in which notes are played briefly and detached.

T

Tempo (Boy): The speed at which a musical composition is performed.
Tenor (Boy): A male vocal range in choral music that lies between the alto and bass ranges.
Thalia (Girl): Named after the Muse of comedy and idyllic poetry in Greek mythology, often associated with music.
Timbre (Unisex): Refers to the quality or color of a musical sound or voice.
Treble (Unisex): The higher range of pitch in music.
Tchaikovsky (Boy): Named after Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, a Russian composer known for works like “The Nutcracker.”
Tutti (Unisex): An Italian term meaning “all,” often used to indicate a passage to be played by the whole ensemble.

U

Una Corda (Girl): A musical direction meaning “with one string,” often found in piano music to suggest a softer sound.

V

Viola (Girl): A stringed instrument that is larger than a violin but smaller than a cello.
Vivaldi (Boy): Named after Antonio Vivaldi, an Italian Baroque musical composer.
Vivace (Unisex): A musical term meaning “lively” and “quick.”
Vivezza (Girl): An Italian term meaning “liveliness,” often used in musical notations.