“His name lived in our hearts long before we ever met him.”
It’s beginning to look a lot like… Christmas names?
While that means Christmas shopping, gift wrapping, festive parties and holiday photos for most Americans, some people are receiving an entirely different gift this year — a special little miracle.
And it’s the type of miracle that takes nine months to bake.
If you’re due at some point during the month of December, then you’re one of the lucky parents who have an excuse to name their child after the holiday season.
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And Christmas-themed names are the best way to do so!
So, let’s deck these names with boughs of holly and see what type of sleigh-tastic Chritsmas baby names are out there for your little bundle of joy!
Festive and joyous Christmas girl names
The Social Security Administration’s annual list of the most popular baby names is more festive than you’d think.
Natalie, meaning “Christmas Day” in Latin, and Caroline, a derivative of Carol (like Christmas carol), were both listed inside the top 100, with Natalie coming in at No. 73 and Caroline ranked at No. 92 in 2024.
But those aren't the only holly-jolly options out there!
From winter classics like Holly to other names that translate to “Christmas,” here are some of the most festive and joyous Christmas girl names for your December darling.
15. Natalie — means “Christmas” in Latin, via natale domini (Christmas Day)
14. Natalia — the original Late Latin form of Natalie
13. Natasha — Russian diminutive of Natalya, via Natalia
12. Noelle — feminine form of Noel, which means “Christmas” in French
11. Noella — feminine variant of Noel and diminutive of Noelle
10. Eve — means “to breathe” or “to live,” but also coincides with Christmas Eve
9. Carol — a Christmas carol is a Christmas-themed song or moral story
8. Holly — evergreen plant with red berries used in Christmas decorations and wreaths
7. Belle — means "beautiful" in French, but also inspired by jingle bells
6. Joy — represents the happiness and merriment of Christmas
5. Angela — feminine form of Angel, inspired by the angels at the top of Christmas trees
4. Caroline — derivative of Carol, as in Christmas carols sung during the holiday season
3. Ivy — climbing evergreen plant featured in the classic Christmas carol "The Holly and the Ivy"
2. North — as in the North Pole, where Santa Claus and his elves live and make toys
1. Coco — short for "hot cocoa," the cozy winter drink perfect for sipping by the fireplace
Expecting a baby boy? Continue reading on the next slide for some adorable Christmas boy names!
Merry and jolly Christmas boy names
If you’re looking for popular Christmas boy names, then look no further than Angel.
Angel, which is what many Americans put on the top of their Christmas tree (if not opting for a star), was the 63rd most popular boy’s name in the United States in 2024, according to the SSA.
You can also go with Asher, which means “happy” but can also resemble the ashes of a fireplace.
But if you want something that doesn’t land in the SSA’s top 100, there are plenty of other merry and jolly Christmas boy names to consider for your little angel!
15. Noel — means "Christmas" in French, the masculine form of Noelle
14. Felix — means "happy" or "lucky" in Latin, inspired by the phrase "Feliz Navidad"
13. Douglas — means "dark stream," inspired by the Douglas fir Christmas tree
12. Cole — means "coal," as in the coal left in stockings for those on Santa's naughty list
11. Angelo — masculine form of Angela, inspired by the angels at the top of a Christmas tree
10. Kane — means "warrior," but also sounds like candy cane
9. Hollis — means "holly tree," the festive evergreen plant with red berries
8. Garland — decorative wreaths or strands hung around the house during Christmas
7. Forrest — inspired by winter forests and evergreen trees, such as Christmas trees
6. Merritt — means "boundary gate," but also evokes the word "merry" as in "Merry Christmas"
5. Merrill — variant of Merritt, also similar to "merry" from "Merry Christmas"
4. Elvin — means “elf friend,” as in Santa's little helpers at the North Pole
3. Leon — means "lion," but is also the name Noel spelled backward
2. Alfred — means "elf counsel" or "wise counselor," connecting to Santa's elves
1. Aubrey — means "elf ruler," another nod to Santa's workshop helpers
Ready to take these names to the North Pole? Check out the next slide for Christmas names inspired by the man in red himself — Santa Claus!
Christmas names inspired by Santa Claus
Santa Claus goes by a lot of different names, including St. Nicholas, Sinterklaas and Kris Kringle.
In fact, the story of Santa Claus was inspired by a real person — Saint Nicholas — who was a fourth century Christian bishop from Myra (modern-day Turkey) known for his legendary habit of gift-giving.
Both Nicholas (118th) and Saint (282nd) rank high on the SSA’s list of most popular boy names.
You can also use Santa’s reindeer as inspiration, as well as his own wife — whose first name is unclear, but some stories have it listed as Gertrude, Jessica, Anya, Margaret and even Ruth.
Either way, here are a few Christmas-themed names inspired by the big man himself.
15. Kris — short for Kris Kringle, another name for Santa Claus
14. Christopher — derived from the Greek "Christ-bearer," also the formal name for Kris Kringle
13. Christian — means "follower of Christ," connecting to the religious roots of Christmas
12. Christina — feminine form of Christian, meaning "follower of Christ"
11. Nicholas — taken from Saint Nicholas, the real person who inspired Santa Claus
10. Nicola — Italian form of Nicholas, inspired by Saint Nicholas
9. Nicole — French feminine form of Nicholas, inspired by Saint Nicholas
8. Nicolette — French diminutive of Nicole, another variation of Nicholas
7. Comet — one of Santa's original eight reindeer from "A Visit from St. Nicholas"
6. Donner — German for "thunder," another one of Santa's reindeer
5. Rudolph — the most famous reindeer of all, with his shiny red nose
4. Gertrude — one of the possible names for Mrs. Claus, Santa's beloved wife
3. Saint — as in Saint Nicholas, the generous fourth-century bishop who inspired Santa
2. Clement — from "A Visit from St. Nicholas," which was written by Clement Clarke Moore
1. Myra — the ancient city in Turkey where Saint Nicholas served as bishop
Want to go even further back in Christmas history? The next slide features Christmas baby names straight from the Bible — the original Christmas story!
Christmas baby names straight from the Bible
While there’s no mention of the Christmas holiday in the Bible, the holiday was created to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Since the Gospels of Matthew and Luke both describe key events surrounding the Nativity, these two books are often closely associated with the Christmas holiday.
They’re also two extremely popular boy’s names in the U.S. today. In fact, Matthew was the 33rd most popular boy’s name and Luke came in one spot behind that at No. 34, according to the SSA.
But that’s just the start of what biblical Christmas names have to offer. Here are some more options!
15. Belen — Spanish word for Bethlehem, the city where Jesus was born
14. Myrrh — one of the three gifts brought to baby Jesus by the Wise Men
13. Caspar — one of the Three Wise Men (also spelled Gaspar) who visited baby Jesus
12. Jasper — means “treasurer,” another spelling of Gaspar, one of the Three Wise Men
11. Melchior — one of the Three Wise Men who brought gifts to the Nativity
10. Balthasar — the third of the Three Wise Men who followed the star to Bethlehem
9. Mary — the mother of Jesus and central figure in the Nativity story
8. Jesus — the reason for the season, whose birth Christmas celebrates
7. Joseph — Mary's husband and Jesus's earthly father in the Nativity story
6. Matthew — one of the Gospel writers who documented the birth of Jesus
5. Mateo — Spanish form of Matthew, one of the Gospel writers, also means “gift of God”
4. Dorothy — means "gift of God," just as Jesus was God's gift to the world
3. Theodore — means "gift of God" in Greek, relating to the gifts exchanged on Christmas Day
2. Nathaniel — means "gift of God" in Hebrew, another name honoring the divine gift of Jesus
1. Luke — one of the Gospel writers who provides detailed accounts of the Nativity story
From ancient scripture to modern screen time! Keep scrolling for Christmas names inspired by your favorite holiday movies and TV specials.
Christmas-themed names inspired by pop culture
Pop culture plays an extremely important role in the popularity of names, so it’s only right to include some baby names inspired by Christmas classics.
Some of the most popular include "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946), "Home Alone" (1990), "A Christmas Carol" (1951), "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (1966, animated) and "Elf" (2003).
The characters in these movies are synonymous with the holiday season and the movies they’re in add joy, laughter and Christmas spirit to those who watch them.
With that said, here are 10 of the most popular Christmas names inspired by holiday classics!
15. Jovie — Buddy's love interest in the movie "Elf"
14. Cindy Lou — Cindy Lou Who, the sweet little girl from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
13. Clarice — Rudolph's love interest in "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"
12. Kevin — Kevin McCallister, the resourceful kid left home alone in "Home Alone"
11. Buddy — Buddy the Elf, Will Ferrell's character in "Elf"
10. Ralphie — Ralphie Parker, the boy who wants a Red Ryder BB gun in "A Christmas Story"
9. Jack — Jack Skellington from "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and the snowman from “Jack Frost”
8. Bailey — George Bailey, the main character in "It's a Wonderful Life"
7. Cornelius — Yukon Cornelius, a rugged Arctic explorer in “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
6. Sally — Jack Skellington's love interest in "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and Charlie Brown’s younger sister
5. Hermey — the misfit elf who wants to be a dentist in "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"
4. Linus — Linus van Pelt, who recites the true meaning of Christmas in "A Charlie Brown Christmas"
3. Lucy — Lucy van Pelt, Charlie Brown's friend in "A Charlie Brown Christmas"
2. Charlie — Charlie Brown, the lovable character in "A Charlie Brown Christmas"
1. Clark — Clark Griswold, the main character in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation"
So there you have it — 75 Christmas baby names that are merry, bright and absolutely perfect for your December bundle of joy!
After all, there's nothing quite like celebrating the most wonderful time of the year with the most wonderful gift of all — your baby!
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Happy naming, and have a Merry Christmas!
