Character name origins

The Muppets

 * Betsy Bird - named after Betsy Baytos
 * Cynthia Birdley - named after Cynthia Adler
 * Fletcher Bird - named after Graham Fletcher
 * Frank - a Frank Oz lookalike
 * Jerry - a Jerry Nelson lookalike
 * Jim- a Jim Henson lookalike
 * Lou - named after Louise Gold

Sesame Street

 * Big Jeffy - named after Jeff Moss
 * Jeffy - named after Jeff Moss
 * Calypso Calloway - named after Northern Calloway
 * Chrissy - named after Christopher Cerf
 * Little Chrissy - named after Christopher Cerf
 * Davey Monkey - named after David Rudman
 * Fran - named after Fran Brill
 * Miss Fran - named after Fran Brill
 * Farmer Frankie - named after Frank Oz
 * Frances Oznowicz - named after Frank Oz
 * Little Jerry - named after Jerry Nelson
 * Mr. Jerry - named after Jerry Nelson
 * Joe Marley - named after Joey Mazzarino
 * Joey Dickens - named after Joey Mazzarino
 * Joey Monkey - named after Joey Mazzarino
 * Louisey - named after Louise Gold
 * Richard - named after Richard Hunt
 * Rockin' Richard - named after Richard Hunt
 * Pammy - named after Pam Arciero
 * Diva D'Abruzzo - named after Stephanie D'Abruzzo
 * Frank and Jerry - In this sketch, two Muppets are named Frank and Jerry, in reference to their performers, Frank Oz and Jerry Nelson, respectively.
 * Kevin and Kathryn - In a Professor Grover sketch about school, two classmates are named Kevin and Kathryn, in reference to their performers, Kevin Clash and Kathryn Mullen, respectively.

Fraggle Rock

 * Phil Fraggle - named after Philip Balsam

The Animal Show

 * Dave the Human - Dave Goelz (puppet performed by Bill Barretta)

Other

 * It was originally suggested that Zoe on Sesame Street be named after her performed, Fran Brill. Fran didn't want a puppet named after her, so she suggested naming the puppet Zoe after the J. D. Salinger novel Franny and Zooey.

Characters named after other people

 * Bert and Ernie - See Are Bert and Ernie named after characters from It's a Wonderful Life?
 * Bunsen Honeydew - Named after chemist Robert Bunsen (of bunsen burner fame), and the honeydew melon.
 * Donnie and Marie Dodo - Named after Donny and Marie Osmond.
 * Fozzie Bear - see Fozzie's name
 * Humphrey and Ingrid - Named after Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.
 * Kermit the Frog - See Was Kermit named after a childhood friend of Jim Henson?
 * Miss Piggy - Named after Peggy Lee
 * Mokey - named after a childhood friend of Jim Henson.
 * Prairie Dawn - named after an actress named Prairie Dorn.
 * Rizzo - named after Ratso Rizzo from Midnight Cowboy.
 * Svengali - named after a character in George du Maurier's novel Trilby.

Characters named after places

 * Astoria - named after the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.
 * Belmont - named after the horse racing track Belmont Park.
 * The Bouncing Borcellino Brothers - named after the Italian hat company Borcellino.
 * Waldorf - named after the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.
 * Wembley - named after Wembley Stadium.
 * Signor Baffi - named after Signor Baffi's Italian restaurant.
 * Statler - named after the Statler Hotel in New York City.
 * Oscar the Grouch - named after Oscar's Tavern in Manhattan.

Characters named after filmmaking techniques

 * Gobo - Short for "go between"; a lighting term used in film, television and theatre.
 * Traveling Matt - From "traveling matte," a technique used in television and film to insert a foreground object into a prerecorded background image.
 * Waldo - After the Waldo, the electronic device used to perform him.

Characters whose names are puns

 * Abby Cadabby - a play on "abracadabra"
 * Anne Phibian - a play on "amphibian"
 * A. Ligator - a play on "aligator"
 * Bestov Breed - a play on "best of breed"
 * Gonnigan - a play on "gone again"
 * Herry Monster - a play on "hairy monster"
 * Hugh Mungous - a play on "humongous"
 * Hypocritic Oaf - a play on "hippocratic oath"
 * Lotta Chatter - a play on "lot of chatter"
 * Mr. Mason Dixon - a play on "the Mason Dixon line"
 * Dr. Nobel Price - a play on "Nobel Prize"
 * Phil Harmonic - a play on "Philharmonic
 * Sal Minella - a play on "salmonella"
 * Sopwith the Camel - a play on "Sopwith Camel"
 * Tatooey Rat - a play on "ratatouille"
 * Lew Zealand - a play on "New Zealand"

Other name origins

 * Beaker - named after the piece of lab equipment.
 * Boober - named after an angry cow encountered by one of Jim Henson's daughters in Devon.