43 Baby Names Inspired By Joni Mitchell Songs

In many ways, singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell's musical talent is the gift that keeps on giving. Not only has she delivered plenty of iconic ditties for her fans, but other musicians have co-opted her work, including the Counting Crows, Green Day, Prince, Hole, and Janet Jackson, and put their own spin on her soulful lyrics. And that's what makes her a stellar source for baby names inspired by iconic song titles: There's depth and meaning behind the names, and with many of them, there's a timelessness, and universal appeal that extends beyond genres.

One of the names in one of her songs is even a nod to her own child. On her 1971 album "Blue," Mitchell alluded to her baby daughter's name. In 1965, the Canadian singer gave birth to a baby girl. With little money, and an absentee baby-daddy, she chose to put her 8-month-old daughter, Kelly Dale, up for adoption. The track "Little Green" from "Blue" is a reference to the color Kelly green. Mitchell reunited with her adult daughter in the '90s and they now have a relationship together. Kelly was renamed Kilauren by her adoptive parents and went on to have two children of her own, son Marlin and daughter Daisy, which seem like names worthy of Joni Mitchell's grandchildren.

While these are cute names, hardcore fans of Mitchell need look no further than her large collection of songs for inspiration. From her early classics to later hits, her song titles and lyrics provide endless ideas for naming your bundle of joy.

Long before kiss-and-tell songstress Taylor Swift was inspiring baby names with her songs, Joni Mitchell was the queen of confessional songwriting, where she took real people and places from her life and turned them into lyrics, making her songs a treasure trove of name inspiration. Some of the classic girl names that appear in her song titles include Mary, Sharon, Edith, Marcie, and Louise. There's the ever-popular Amelia, which means "hard-working" or "industrious," from the 1976 song of the same name, or Valerie, meaning "strong" or "healthy," from "Ballerina Valerie," which is also a name that Amy Winehouse used in her music.

Mitchell's early song "Cara's Castle" uses the beautiful name that means "beloved" or "friend." Though "Chelsea Morning" refers to the Manhattan neighborhood, it's also a girls' name with a few famous owners (Clinton and Handler). Biblical name Magdalene can be shortened to Maggie (also a nod to Rod Stewart's song title), while another M, Melody, can be shortened to Mel.

Mitchell's "Sunny Sunday" provides two cute baby girl names. If you don't like Sunny, remember that Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban used Sunday Rose for their oldest daughter. Scarlett alludes to the color and continues to be a popular choice among new parents. Yvette, from the 1994 album "Turbulent Indigo," is French for yew, a kind of slow-growing, durable tree. Sounds like a strong nature name if ever we've heard one. 

Joni Mitchell wrote songs about many famous musicians that were in her orbit, including Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, James Taylor, Neil Young, and David Crosby. Though not all of them are specifically named, there are plenty of baby boy names she did use in her lyrics. While most of them are pretty classic, there's wiggle room to give them more modern twists. For example, Jeremy, from the song of the same title and also used by Pearl Jam, means "God will uplift." But a less traditional version to consider, which is also gender neutral, is Remy.

Other classic boy names in Mitchell's lyrics and song titles include David, Nathan, Harry, and Michael. She sings about Bill and Willy in separate songs, which are both diminutives of William, a name associated with being strong and a protector. Mitchell also included the names John Hardy, Johnny, and Juan in her songs, which are solid options for baby boys. John and its Spanish counterpart Juan, and nickname Johnny, all come from the Bible and mean "God is gracious." Hardy's a slightly more unusual name to consider. The name has Old German, French, Irish and Scottish origins, and means "bold" and "brave."

Picking a baby's name can be tricky enough. Two at the same time? Not only do you have to like the names on their own, but also consider how they work together. For instance, do they roll off the tongue? Joni Mitchell fans may want to consider some of these combos that come directly from her song titles, which means they already flow together well, by Mitchell's standards anyway.

Mitchell's 1977 song "Otis and Marlena" offers a cute option for a boy and girl set. Otis has British roots and means "wealth," while Marlena, of Hebrew and Egyptian origin, can be shortened to Marly or Lena. "Court and Spark" are quirkier gender-neutral options. Court means "brave," and Spark has Latin roots and means "to scatter." Another name duo to consider comes from Mitchell's "The Wolf That Lives in Lindsey," with Wolf, which comes from the animal, and Lindsey, a gender-neutral nature-inspired name. And if you're having triplet girls? Look no further than Mitchell's unreleased "Daisy Summer Piper," a tune about optimism and the return of spring.

Among the gender-neutral baby names you may not have considered, there are both classic and modern options. Regardless of whether you're leaning toward the former or the latter, Joni Mitchell song titles and lyrics also have some solid names to consider. "Carey," from Mitchell's 1971 "Blue" album, can be spelled a multitude of ways and works for a baby boy or girl. Ray is another name from Mitchell's "Ray's Dad's Cadillac" that can be spelled different ways depending on your preferences.

If you like the idea of something nature-inspired, Mitchell's lyrics provide ample inspiration. There's River, Bird (which can be spelled Byrd or changed to Birdie), Indigo, or Blue if you want something colorful yet peaceful. Meanwhile, Crow feels like it would suit a unique and clever child.

And for that child you think will have a free spirit? Go completely unique with "Hejira," the name of Mitchell's wanderlust-themed eighth album. Per her website, Mitchell said it was about, "Running away with honour." Moving forward, rather than staying stagnant, seems like a thoughtful choice for a child to spread his or her wings in the future.