Encourage us by following our pinterest
Jazz is a popular music genre that originated in the early 20th century in New Orleans, Louisiana. It highlights individuality as it allows the artist to do improvisations, and diversity as jazz is a combination of European music, American blues, and African rhythm. If you are a music-lover and want to pay tribute to some of the greatest jazz artists, you may want to consider giving your baby a name that is inspired by jazz.
Check out these cool and fabulous jazz baby names.
1. Abbie
“Abbie” is a shorter form of the name “Abigail”, which means “my father’s joy”. It is of Hebrew origin. A spelling variation is “Abby”.
Albert “Abbie” Brunies was a cornet player who came from an influential musical family in New Orleans. He was the leader of the Halfway House Orchestra.
2. Artie
“Artie” means “bear”. It is of Celtic origin and a diminutive of the more popular “Arthur”.
Artie Shaw (Arthur Jacob Arshawsky) was a popular bandleader and clarinet player during the 1930s and 1940s. He was also an actor and a composer.
3. Basie
While “Basie” is actually a surname, it can also be a good first name for a baby boy. A popular Basie in jazz is William James Basie, known as Count Basie, who was a pianist, composer, and bandleader. He was considered as one of jazz music’s all-time greats who won several Grammys and worked with other great jazz artists and musicians.
4. Benny
“Benny” is a shorter form of “Benjamin”, a Hebrew name which means “son of the right hand”. A spelling variation is “Bennie”.
Benny Goodman (Benjamin David Goodman), known as the “King of Swing”, was an American jazz musician and bandleader. Another “Benny” in the world of jazz is Ernest Harold “Benny” Bailey, who played the trumpet and worked with a lot of other jazz artists and musicians.
5. Bessie
“Bessie” came from the name “Elizabeth”, a Hebrew name which means “pledged to God” or “oath to God”. Other related names include “Betsy” and “Bess”.
The “Empress of the Blues”, Bessie Smith, was a very well-known blues singer in the 1920s. Three of her recordings have a Grammy Hall of Fame Award.
6. Billie
The name “Billie” can be a boy’s name or a girl’s name. It came from the name “William”, which means “resolute protector”. “Billie” is also a feminine form of “Billy”.
Billie Holiday, one of the greatest jazz singers of all time, was a concert performer who also won Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame. She was also known as “Lady Day”.
7. Duke
“Duke” is an English rank of nobility, a title given to a prince who rules a duchy or a high-ranking nobleman. It came from “dux”, a Latin word which means “leader”.
Duke Ellington (Edward Kennedy Ellington) was a jazz orchestra leader, composer, and pianist. He was one of the most influential figures in jazz. He was awarded a Pulitzer Prize Special Award for music several years after he died. He won 14 Grammy Awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
8. Ella
“Ella” is a beautiful baby name for girls which means “beautiful woman” in English and “all” in German. It is a shorter form of Eleanor and Ellen. These names mean “light”.
Ella Fitzgerald, also known as the “Queen of Jazz” and “First Lady of Song”, was a jazz singer known for her scat singing and her interpretations of the Great American Songbook. She won 13 Grammy Awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
9. Louis
“Louis” is a popular name among royals. It means “renowned warrior” and is of French and German origins. Some variations are “Luis” and “Lewis”. A feminine form is “Louise”. Some nicknames include “Lou” and “Louie”.
Louis Armstrong was one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time. He played the trumpet and was also a singer with a distinctive voice. He was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1972 and some of his recordings were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. He also appeared in several films and TV shows. So “Louis” can be one of the best baby boy names related to music.
10. Miles
“Miles” is of Latin origin and means “soldier” or “merciful”. It is the English form of “Milo”. A spelling variation is “Myles”. Miles is a boy’s name, but it can also be used as a girl’s name.
Miles Davis was one of the most influential jazz musicians in history who played the trumpet. He was also a composer and a bandleader. He was nominated in the Grammy Awards 32 times. He won 8 Grammys, 3 Grammy Hall of Fame Awards, and a lifetime achievement award.
11. Oliver
“Oliver” means “descendant of the ancestor”. Some believe it came from the “olive tree”. A popular nickname is “Ollie”.
There are several famous “Olivers” in jazz. Joseph Nathan Oliver, or King Oliver, was an influential jazz composer, cornet player, and bandleader. He was the mentor of Louis Armstrong, another great jazz artist. Oliver Nelson was an American jazz musician who played the saxophone and clarinet. He was also a composer and a bandleader. Oliver Jones is a jazz pianist and composer from Canada.
12. Oscar
“Oscar” is of Irish origin and means “deer lover”. Another meaning is “champion warrior”.
Oscar Peterson, called “Maharaja of the keyboard”, was a jazz pianist and composer who won several Grammy Awards and released more than 200 recordings.
13. Parker
“Parker” is an English name which means “park-keeper”.
A popular “Parker” in jazz is Charlie Parker, an influential jazz musician also known as “Yardbird” or “Bird”. He contributed a lot in the development of a form of jazz called “bebop”. He was a saxophonist and a composer who won a Grammy Award and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
14. Sarah
“Sarah” is of Hebrew origin and means “princess”, “noblewoman” or “lady”. A variation is “Sara”. “Sarah” is one of the most popular baby girl’s names in the U.S.
Sarah Vaughan, also known as “The Divine One” and “Sassy”, was a jazz singer and pianist who won four Grammys and a lifetime achievement award.
15. Sonny
Sonny is a boy’s name which means “young boy” or “son”. It is a popular nickname.
There are a lot of well-known people in the world of jazz with the nickname “Sonny”. Sonny Rollins (Walter Theodore Rollins), also known as “Saxophone Colossus”, is considered as one of the greatest and most influential jazz musicians of all time. He plays the saxophone. Another “Sonny” in jazz is Sonny Clark (Conrad Yeatis Clark), who was a jazz pianist and composer. Frank “Sonny” Dallas (Francis Dominic Joseph Dallas) was also a well-known jazz bassist and singer.
16. Jazz
Is “Jazz” a boy’s or girl’s name? You may consider Jazz as a name for your baby boy or baby girl. Jazz may also be a nickname for “Jasmine”, which also happens to be one of women’s names in jazz songs as it is the title of a song of Bud Shank. “Jasmine” came from the plant “Persian yasamin”, a tropical plant with fragrant flowers. Jazz may also be a shorter form of “Jasper”, the English version of the name “Gaspar”.
Read also:
- Music Inspired Baby Names
- Uplifting and Inspiring Music Names for Your Babies
- Keeping Up with Classic Hits: Rock and Roll Baby Names
