13 'Beetlejuice' Names For Babies, From Strange & Unusual To Just Plain Cool

Winona Ryder’s beloved character, Lydia, made goth girls everywhere feel seen. Of Greek origin and derived from the word ludía, which means beautiful one, it’s fitting for a child who is sure to stand out.

The delightfully quirky, tortured artist Delia Deetz (played by the incomparable Catherine O’Hara) is an honorable namesake for a child. The name is believed to mean “exalted one” and translates to “of Delos” in Greek. Delos was the island where Apollo and Artemis were born, and the name is often associated with Artemis and her domains of the wild hunt and the moon.

In Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Jenna Ortega plays Astrid, the cynical teenage daughter of Lydia Deetz, who embodies shades of Lydia past. Astrid is a Scandinavian name that roughly translates to “beautiful god,” “beauty of heavens,” or “divine beauty.

The first name of actress Winona Ryder, this beautiful name is of Lakota origins and means “first born.” Ryder (born Winona Horowitz) is named for the city she was born in: Winona, Minnesota. This medium-sized city is located along the Mississippi and boasts a thriving artist community.

The chosen last name of the actress who brought Lydia Deetz to life, Ryder makes a great gender-neutral name that also happens to mean “knight,” “mounted warrior,” or “messenger.”

Although Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice 2 (aka Beetlejuice Beetlejuice), and The Nightmare Before Christmas director Tim Burton’s first name may make a fine namesake, Burton makes a truly dashing, unique option when made a first name. Of English origin, it means “fortress” or “bright settlement.” It can also be spelled Berton (French) and comes with the built-in nickname of Burt or Bert.

Michael Keaton reprised his role as bio-exorcist Beetlejuice for the second film with just as much gruesome gusto as ever. And though Michael is a more common first name, Keaton makes a charming name, too. Translated from old English, it’s a gender-neutral name that means “hawk town” or “place of hawks.”

Looking for a name that is more goth than Lydia? Beetlejuice’s soul-sucking ex-wife, Delores, is a new character for the second film, but she fits right in among the dark cast of characters. Played by the stunning Italian actress Monica Bellucci, Delores, or Dolores, is a name of Latin origin that means “of the sorrows.”

In the first Beetlejuice film, Juno acted as the caseworker for the Maitlands, the newly dead couple played by Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin. Juno is the Roman counterpart to the Greek Hera and was the Queen of the Goddesses. She is the patron goddess of Rome and the force behind the month of June. Her domains include love, beauty, marriage, childbirth, and youth.

A new character in the sequel, Jeremy is the name of the teen that befriends Astrid upon her arrival in the Winter River. The name itself has Hebrew roots and means “exalted one.” We don’t want to spill the plot, but let’s just say Jeremy helps Astrid see things differently.

William Dafoe plays afterlife investigator (and actor) Wolf Jackson in the second film, and, let’s be real, both of those could make enticing names. Wolf, often short for Wolfgang, means “of the wolves” or “traveling wolves.”

Investigator Wolf’s last name, Jackson, was once a more common surname meaning “son of Jack.” Today, parents frequently choose it as a first name, with a modern popular spelling being Jaxson. The name Jack is believed to be a medieval derivation of the name John, with Celtic origins pointing to the name translating as  “vital, healthy, and strong.”

We said no spoilers, so we won’t say too much about Lydia Deetz’s boyfriend and show producer, Rory, who appears in the second film. However, we will tell you that Rory is an adorable, gender-neutral name that comes from the Irish for “red king.”