Top 20 Baby names inspired by Christmas
The cosy warmth of the holiday season is finally here! It's that time when we snuggle up, hang twinkling lights, and share giggles over endless batches of cookies. And guess what? If you've got a little one on the way this December, the magic of the holidays might just inspire the perfect name for your bundle of joy!
In our list of holiday baby names, you’ll find references to your favourite movies, traditions, and of course, some religious stories. While you may be more familiar with some than others, each of these names uniquely ties to the most wonderful time of the year. Here's what we are loving right now:
Alva
Meaning: Elf | Origin: Old Norse
Holiday Tie: Whether Will Ferrell stars in your favourite Christmas movie or you’re simply a human who has “an affinity for elf culture,” this baby name is for you.
Anya
Meaning: Grace | Origin: Russian
Holiday Tie: Grace is pretty much synonymous with the holiday season. That’s what makes this name a lovely option for a little one born around the holidays.
Bell/Belle
Meaning: Beautiful | Origin: English
Holiday Tie: You won’t find a name more beautiful out there, included on our list because of its ties to Christmas bells.
Clara
Meaning: Bright | Origin: Latin
Holiday Tie: A name meaning ‘bright’ feels fitting enough, but tie it to the heroine of The Nutcracker and you’ve got quite the gift.
Eve
Meaning: Life | Origin: Hebrew
Holiday Tie: For many, Christmas Eve is as much a celebration as Christmas Day. Not to mention the celebration of new life in the Christian Christmas story of Jesus’s birth.
Faith
Meaning: Trust, devotion | Origin: British
Holiday Tie: The holidays are related heavily to religions, making this name meaning ‘trust’ and ‘devotion’ rather fitting.
Grace
Meaning: Favour, blessing | Origin: Latin
Holiday Tie: Hopefully the holidays are filled with ‘favour’ and ‘blessings,’ and a great way to ensure that is welcoming a little one into the world.
Holly
Meaning: Holly tree | Origin: British
Holiday Tie: Because “Mistletoe” didn’t make the cut, we included the next best thing. Strongly associated with Christmas, the British name represents the thorny crown of Jesus in the Christian tradition.
Hope
Meaning: Expectation or belief | Origin: British
Holiday Tie: The holidays remind us that a new year is coming, and give us a reason to be hopeful for the future. Ensure you always have hope by using this delightful name for a little girl.
Nora
Meaning: Light | Origin: Hebrew
Holiday Tie: Not only does this delightful name mean ‘light,’ but it also happens to be the name of Jamie Lee Curtis’s character in Christmas With the Kranks.
Holiday Baby Names for Boys
Christian
Meaning: Follower of Christ | Origin: Latin
Holiday Tie: One of the most widely-celebrated winter holidays comes from the Christian religion, making this strong name meaning ‘follower of Christ’ a perfect inclusion on our list.
Cole
Meaning: Charcoal | Origin: British
Holiday Tie: To help ensure your little one never receives coal in his stocking, consider this baby name.
Clark
Meaning: Clerk | Origin: Irish
Holiday Tie: This strong, historical name has holiday ties to the hilarious Christmas movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. If the film is a rewatch year after year, be sure to consider this classic name for a newborn.
Emmanuel/Immanuel
Meaning: God with us | Origin: Hebrew
Holiday Tie: People of faith will appreciate this name meaning ‘God with us'.
Jack
Meaning: God is gracious | Origin: British
Holiday Tie: Going into the holiday season means welcoming Jack Frost into town all over again. This personification of winter has taken to character form plenty of times over the years, so choose your favorite when drawing baby name inspiration.
Joseph
Meaning: Jehovah shall add | Origin: Hebrew
Holiday Tie: This masculine name is referenced many times in the Bible, and is notably known as Mary’s husband in the Christian Christmas story.
Wallace
Meaning: Welshman | Origin: French
Holiday Tie: Another case of a surname-turned-first-name, this powerful and sophisticated title meaning ‘welshman’ is brought to our list by Bing Crosby’s character in White Christmas, Bob Wallace.
George
Meaning: Farmer | Origin: Greek
Holiday Tie: If you never turn down a rewatch of It’s a Wonderful Life, gift your little one a name after Jimmy Stewart’s beloved character, George Bailey.
Hans
Meaning: God is gracious | Origin: German
Holiday Tie: Will you be welcoming a little one with an older sibling who can’t get enough of Disney’s Frozen? Choose a name your firstborn will either love or hate inspired by one of the least likable characters in the first film (but one who has a great name!).