Q&A: Can you suggest some musical baby names?

Unless you want to name your baby Lady Gaga, there are plenty of picks that could be instrumental. Saint Cecilia is the patron saint of music, musicians, and composers. Apollo is the Greek god of music—and also the name of a famous music hall in Harlem, New York. In the past decade, musical terms, sometimes creatively spelled, have become popular, too. Melody, Harmony, Piper, Harper, and Reed are on the rise along with Cadence, Kaydence, Kadence, Aria, and Lyric. Cadence has jumped over 700 spots to #212 in the past seven years, Kaydence leaped 700 spots in six years to #286, and Kadence is ranked at #387. Lyric is more popular for girls than boys and is currently in the top 500. Other musical names that strike a chord: Viola, Banjo, Jazz, Sonata, Calypso, Allegro, Canon, Clarion, Song, Octavia, Cantrelle, and Orpheus.

Musicians' names can be sweet music to expectant parents' ears. Try the first or last names of Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Mick Jagger, Jimmy Hendrix, Bob Marley, and Johnny Cash. At #253, Cash is on the rise, from #968 in 2003. Dylan is holding steady at #31 for boys and gaining in popularity for girls. Marley is also rising and ranked at #146 for girls and #764 for boys. Think Dylan is overplayed? Go with Woody or Guthrie. Even Shakira has hit the top 1,000. And then there are Marshall amps, Fender guitars, Magnus organs, and Steinway pianos.

Many celebrity parents have rocked icons from musical history. John Rich of country duo, Big & Rich, named his son Cash. Actress Natascha McElhone named her son Rex Coltrane. Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell are Dolly Parton fans and have a daughter named Dolly to prove it. Here is but a sampling of musical names: Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli named their son Wolfgang (after Amadeus) and call him Wolfie. One of Pamela Anderson's sons with Tommy Lee is named Dylan Jagger. Liam Gallagher named his son Lennon. Anthony Kiedis has a son Everly and Korn's Jonathan Davis has a son named Zeppelin. Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn named their daughters, Bechet and Manzie, after jazz greats Sidney Bechet and Manzie Johnson. Heavy metal guitarist Zakk Wylde and his wife, Barbaranne, win the Battle of the Bands with their youngest child, Hendrix Halen Michael Rhoads, who is named after Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, baseball player Mike Piazza, and heavy metal guitarist Randy Rhoads. And don't forget the composers, from Verdi to Johnny Mercer to Joseph Haydn.

A few notes of caution: Many lyrical opera-themed names feature tragic figures, such as Aida, Carmen, and Violetta. Also, be aware of Italian and Latinate names given to drugs in the pharmaceutical industry, including Lyrica, Allegra, and Cymbalta.