Christmas baby names? Why not! After all, we celebrate so much around the Christmas season that everything becomes festive: our homes, our cars, our music, our outfits, even our Stanley tumblers get the merry-and-bright treatment. So if you’re expecting an extra-special gift during this holly-jolly season (or Christmas is just your favorite day of the year), it’s the perfect time to give a nod to the beloved holiday with a Christmas baby name befitting your wee little elf.
Of course, we realize that Christmas comes but once a year — we still have to get through the other eleven months — which is why these baby names run the gamut in terms of how obviously holiday-themed they are. Some are more obvious than others (“I bet you’re a December baby, aren’t you, Noelle?”) while some are Christmas-inspired only by their meanings, which aren’t obvious at all. So no matter how all-out you want to go, we’ve got a Christmas baby name for you on this (nice) list.
Santa’s checking names this time of year, so put on your Christmas PJs, grab a cup of cocoa with a candy cane garnish, and do the same!
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Jovie
Image Credit: SheKnows We couldn’t start out this list with a more fitting Christmas baby name! Jovie comes from the word “jovial” which means merry and cheerful — and the word jovial comes from the Roman god of thunder and the sky, Jove (the Roman counterpart of the Greek god Zeus). Plus, anybody who’s seen the quintessential Christmas classic Elf will remember Jovie as Buddy the Elf’s kind and independent love interest, played by Zooey Deschanel.
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Clara
Clara is the feminine form of the Latin name Clarus, meaning “bright” — so, perfectly fitting for a holiday celebrated with lights! It also gives off major main character energy, as Clara Stahlbaum is the name of the main character of the ubiquitous Christmas classic The Nutcracker.
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Felix
Felix, meaning “lucky”, is also the male version of Felicity — which, of course, means “happy” — and joy abounds during the holidays, which makes this a perfect Christmas baby name! But its vintage charm and that popular X ending makes it a perfect pick year-round.
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Noelle
Image Credit: SheKnows Of course, no respectable list of Christmas baby names would be complete without including Noelle — it’s the feminine form of the French Noël, which literally means “Christmas”!
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Winter
Image Credit: SheKnows Nature names are the vibe right now, and you can’t find a more natural fit for this time of year than the beautiful, gender-neutral Winter! The word “winter” is said to come from the Germanic wintru, meaning “time of water”.
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Gabriel
The perfect Christmas baby name for your little angel? Gabriel, of course! With Hebrew roots, it means “God is my strong man” — and in the New Testament, Gabriel was the name of the angel who revealed to the virgin Mary that she would be giving birth to a son, Jesus.
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Eve
Image Credit: SheKnows There’s no need for an explainer on why Eve is a fitting addition to this list — it’s an homage to the night that brings excitement, anticipation, and of course, Santa Claus! But its beautiful meaning, “living”, is profound every day of the year.
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Stella
Stella means “star” in Latin, and was first used as a name by the 16th-century poet Sir Philip Sidney. And stars abound during the Christmas season, as a nod to the bright star that famously guided the Three Wise Men to baby Jesus in the Bible.
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Revel
The Christmas season is party season, so Revel is a cute word name that gives a nod to the joyous festivities we love. The word “revel” means to “enjoy oneself in a lively and noisy way, especially with drinking and dancing.”
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Natalie
The name Natalie comes from the Latin natale domini — which means Christmas Day! There are also cute (but decidedly less-festive) nickname options like Nat and Tali.
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Nicholas
This classic baby name meaning “victory of the people” doesn’t scream “Christmas”, so it’s a subtle nod — but Nicholas is a very holiday-appropriate name. Why? Because Santa Claus is also known as St. Nick. The legend started with the Dutch form of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children: Sint Nikolaas. This was shortened into the nickname Sinter Klaas, which eventually morphed into the Santa Claus we know and love today!
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Lucia
Image Credit: SheKnows Derived from the Latin word lux, meaning “light”, Lucia has several possible pronunciations: loo-CHEE-uh, loo-SEE-uh, or LOO-shah. All are correct, and all are beautiful! So what makes this a Christmas baby name? The Festival of St. Lucia, of course — a Swedish tradition that marks the first day of the Christmas season.
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Dove
Image Credit: SheKnows The dove’s connection to peace, purity, goodwill, and the divine makes it a powerful symbol of Christmas, representing the hope, love, and joy associated with the holiday. Plus, it’s just a really cool nature name!
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Felicity
Meaning “happiness” and “joy”, Felicity makes a great Christmas baby name — a subtle tribute to the joyful seasonal vibe and the celebrations we savor.
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Garland
Image Credit: SheKnows You can’t properly decorate for Christmas without a garland (or ten!). The word “garland” comes from Proto-Germanic roots with the word wīraz, which morphed into the Frankish word wieron (meaning “to adorn”), which morphed into the French guerlande, and finally into the English word that we know.
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Avery
Image Credit: SheKnows The truly unisex choice Avery might not immediately strike you as belonging to a list of Christmas baby names. That’s because it isn’t the name itself that’s associated with Christmas, but the meaning. Avery means “ruler of the elves” — yes, really! — which actually makes it very fitting!
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Eira
What’s the traditional Christmas weather that everyone looks forward to? Snow! After all, it’s the reason why “white Christmas” is an expression. And if you’re not into naming your baby Snow (although that’s actually adorable), you can opt for the Welsh version of the word “snow” — Eira! Its pronunciation is AY-rah, but you can pronounce it EYE-rah as well.
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Faith
Image Credit: SheKnows Though many aspects of Christmas are secular, its roots are in religion — and if your main seasonal focus is on Jesus’s birth, Faith is a beautiful way to pay homage to your beliefs.
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Joseph
Image Credit: SheKnows This classic and traditional name is of Hebrew origin and means “to increase” — and it doesn’t immediately make people think of Christmas. Yet in the Bible, Joseph is one of the central characters in the Christmas story.
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Joy
This is another one that isn’t immediately evident as a Christmas baby name, but Joy so accurately captures the essence of the season that we couldn’t leave it off the list! It makes a cute middle name option with a longer first name, too.
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Clement
Image Credit: SheKnows Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without someone reciting the famous poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” — also colloquially known as “The Night Before Christmas”. The author? Clement Clarke Moore. If Clement feels a little too formal for your taste, try the more casual Clem.
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Silver
Derived from the Old English word seolfor, silver is a precious metal — and a unique unisex name that’s fitting for any time of year, but particularly Christmas. Your little Silver will have their own Christmas carol in “Silver Bells”!
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Ivy
Image Credit: SheKnows Ivy is often associated with Christmas because it’s an evergreen plant, meaning it doesn’t lose its leaves during winter and stays vibrant green and beautiful year-round. Because of this, it has historically been used in winter celebration decorations and festive adornments, and there’s even a famous Christmas carol about it: “The Holly and the Ivy“. Where Holly might be a more obvious Christmas baby name, Ivy is a more subtle choice.
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Balthazar
Image Credit: SheKnows This is a bold choice for a Christmas baby name — but very meaningful to the Christmas story. In the Bible, Balthazar was one of the three kings or wise men who followed the star to the manger to give gifts to the baby Jesus (the others were Caspar and Melchior). Balthazar came bearing the gift of myrrh, a tree resin historically used in both medicine and perfumes. Actor and heir Balthazar Getty made the name more recently recognizable.
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Juniper
Image Credit: SheKnows Like other winter-friendly foliage, the juniper tree is an evergreen that stays beautiful in the cold weather and doesn’t lose its leaves. But its Christmas ties run deeper than that. A Biblical legend recounts how Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus, fleeing King Herod’s pursuit, found refuge under a juniper tree. The tree’s dense foliage concealed them from Herod’s soldiers, allowing them to escape safely. And in some traditions, juniper boughs were hung over doors and windows on Christmas Eve to ward off evil spirits and protect homes from misfortune.
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Rudy
Image Credit: SheKnows Do you recall who guided Santa’s sleigh to complete its most important mission on a cold and snowy night? Rudolph, of course! The name means “famed wolf” from the Germanic elements hruod and wolf. But it’s actually the name of a famous reindeer that lands this one on the Christmas baby names list. We like the nickname Rudy, as it sounds fresher but still has that vintage appeal that’s all the rage these days.
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Hollis
The surname-turned-first-name Hollis is derived from the Middle English holis, meaning “holly trees” — which means its meaning is the same as the classic Christmas girl name Holly. Yet it feels a little more subtle, and more unisex, so it’s perfect for this list.
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