If your due date is in December, you may be considering Christmas baby names for your bundle of joy! Expecting your baby during the most wonderful time of the year means you have lots of seasonal sources of baby names.
The holiday season with its many traditions, stories, and movies brings tons of baby name inspiration perfect for Christmas babies.
Or perhaps you, like me, are a total Christmas fanatic and want to cherish the joy of the season all year with your baby. No shame in a Christmas baby name even if they aren’t born in December.
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What Are Good Christmas Names?
Christmas themed baby names can come from a variety of sources of inspiration. From religious names and references to characters from popular holiday movies and stories, there are many different options.
Some names are alternatively inspired by the spirit of the Christmas season. Parents might also draw inspiration from the winter weather, solstice, and astrological signs for baby names
Now what makes the names good depends solely on personal preference, so we’ve included a variety of names from classic and traditional names to trendy and popular names to obscure and very unique names.
Christmas Baby Names For Boys
Archer
For the Sagittarius sign, this cute baby name has been rising in popularity over the last 10 years. If the astrological sign is important to you, be sure to note that while many December babies would be Sagittarius, babies born on or after December 22 would be Capricorn.
Balthazar
Balthazar was one of the 3 Wise Men in the Nativity story. Despite its old origins, this name is super rare.
Casper
Another of the 3 Wise Men, this name also appears sometimes as Caspar, Gaspar, and Jasper. Of these, Jasper is by far the most popular and has been rising since the 1990s. Casper fell out of the top 1000 baby names in 1934 and has not yet staged a comeback.
Christian
Meaning “a Christian” or “follower of Christ” this name seems appropriate for the Christmas season. While still quite popular, this name appears to have peaked in 2000 and may be on the downswing.
Christopher
Similar to Christian, this name means “to bear Christ” though it certainly appears to have secular appeal as well. Extremely popular, Christopher spent 40 years in the top 10 names, though it has slipped a bit recently. Both names offer the popular nickname Chris or Kris for our seasonal friend, Kris Kringle.
**Pssst… Wondering where the name Kris Kringle came from? I was too and it seems it likely came from an English mispronunciation of the German word Christkindl for Christ child.**
Clarence
This classic name of the angel in It’s A Wonderful Life, Clarence was very popular in the early 1900s, but has fallen out of favor and the top 1000 names.
Cornelius
For Yukon Cornelius, the friendly prospector in the Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer tv special. This fun and classic name enjoyed much greater popularity a hundred years ago, but seems to have fallen out of favor, dropping out of the top 1000 names in 2008.
Klaus
Pronounced so it rhymes with house (not like claws), this name has Greek and German origins as a shortened form of Nikolaus. Perhaps this is common knowledge, but it pretty much blew my mind to learn that Santa Claus came from the Dutch nickname, Sinterklaas, for Saint Nicholas.
Ebenezer
For Ebenezer Scrooge, the main character of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. It is also the name of a place in the Bible. Since it is very rare, your child isn’t likely to have another Ebenezer in their class. It also can be shortened to the cute nickname, Eben.
Emmanual
Also spelled Immanuel and means “God is with us.” This biblical name refers to the Messiah and is commonly heard at the holidays in the hymn “O come, O come, Emmanuel.” It had a big rise in popularity over the 70 years and has maintained a spot in the top 200 names since 2000.
Frost
For the icy weather or the character, Jack Frost, this is a fairly common last name. Since surnames as first names seems to be a popular trend, perhaps we’ll see the name Frost get a boost though it is currently extremely uncommon.
Gabriel
For the archangel who tells Mary about the birth of Jesus. This popular name has held a spot in the top 100 names for almost 30 years.
Jesus
For its obvious connection to Christmas, the name Jesus is most common among Spanish speakers. It has maintained a spot in the top 1000 US baby names, and even spent 20 years in the top 100!
Joseph
For St. Joseph, Mary’s husband in the Nativity. This traditional name has maintained its popularity for a long time and only just dropped out of the top 25 boys’ names in 2020 (at number 26).
Melchior
One of the 3 Wise Men bearing gifts, this very unusual name is rarely used which could make it a great choice for parents who want a unique name.
Nicholas
For Saint Nicholas, this is a popular Christmas baby name. Though its overall popularity has waned some from peaking in the top 10 in the 1990s, it’s still within the top 100 names. At the same time, the shortened version Nico has been rising quickly up the ranks!
Pax
Meaning “peace” this name fits the spirit of the Christmas season of peace on earth. Pax is pretty rare and less popular than the similar Paxton which has been climbing the rankings.
Rudolph
For the red nosed reindeer, of course. While this name has fallen out of the top 1000 names, the shortened, Rudy, is actually more popular and still hanging in there.
Shepherd
For the shepherds at the Nativity, this name means “sheep herder.” While it is more common as a last name this baby name is rising in popularity fast!
Theodore
Meaning “gift from God” this name seems very appropriate for the season without being obviously Christmas. While it has been fairly popular for years, it took a dip around 2000, but has since rebounded and keeps climbing!
Yul
This name is a Russian form of Julius and also a Chinese name as well. It made our list because it is pronounced the same as Yule (with the e) which has come to refer to Christmas despite its pagan origins. Neither variation is a commonly used name or ever been in the top 1000.
Christmas Baby Names For Girls
Amaryllis
This name for the popular Christmas flower is beautiful and fits nicely with the current trend of nature names. It has never cracked the top 1000 names in the US, so it could be a great choice for parents who want something seasonal and very unique.
Bell
Bringing to mind Christmas bells, this name means beautiful. This spelling seems to have fallen out of favor with Belle being more common. The variation, Bella, is fairly popular and has stayed within the top 100 names since 2009 (probably thanks to Twilight).
Candy
For the obvious associations with the Christmas holiday, this is often used as a nickname for Candace, however, previously enjoyed greater popularity as a given name. It fell out of the top 1000 names after 1990 and has yet to make a comeback.
Carol
For the popular holiday music, this name certainly sounds festive! It was extremely popular in the 1940s, but has since dropped off the charts.
Christina
This name means “a Christian” or “follower of Christ” making it a fitting choice for a Christmas baby. After wide use in the 1970s and 80s, Christine has fallen from the top 20 names to #621 in 2020.
Clara
Meaning “clear” and “bright” this is the name of the main character in The Nutcracker ballet. Clara was once very popular, fell out of favor, but has been trending upward again. There is also the more popular variation, Claire, to consider, as well as the less popular variation, Clarice, which has it’s own Christmas connection as the name of Rudolph’s reindeer friend.
Eve
For Christmas Eve, this classic name may be a great choice for religious parents due to its biblical namesake as well. After falling out of the top 1000 names in the 1990s, Eve is on the rise.
Gloria
Showcased in the Christmas song “Angels We Have Heard On High” and referencing the angels’ message to the shepherds, Gloria is a beautiful name for a Christmas baby. After its height in popularity in the reaching #20 in the 1920s, it’s been slowly dropping and has ranked in the 500s for about the last 10 years. Perhaps the trend in traditional “grandma” names will help revive it?
Holly
For the holly tree frequently used to decorate for Christmas. Holly seems to have peaked in popularity around the 1980s and has been falling ever since. This festive name could be a great choice for parents who want something everyone will recognize, but isn’t super common right now.
Ivy
Another greenery used in to decorate at Christmas and referenced in the classic carol “The Holly And The Ivy” in which it is said to represent Mary. Ivy has really taken off in popularity breaking into the top 100 names in 2018 and still rising.
Josephine
The feminine form of Joseph for St. Joseph, Mary’s husband in the Nativity. This adorable name was popular for years then took a bit of a drip in the 1970s and 1980s, but has been back on the rise since breaking back into the top 100 in 2018.
Joy
For the joy of the season and “Joy To The World” this makes an adorable Christmas name. Having reached its peak in popularity in 1974, Joy had been on a downswing that appears to have leveled off somewhat as it ranked in the 300s for the last 5 years, perhaps making it a compromise of not too common, but not too unusual.
Juniper
For the evergreen plant, this name is overtly Christmasy which some parents may prefer. Perhaps thanks to the nature name trend though, Juniper is moving fast up the baby name charts. It only broke into the top 1000 in 2011 and is rising fast!
Lucy
This name means “light” making it a nice sentiment for the holiday season and dark winter days. Saint Lucy’s day is also celebrated on December 13th. After dipping popularity, Lucy is back on the rise and has been in the top 100 baby names for the past 10 years. Less popular variations Lucille and Lucia are also adorable options. These names are derived from a very unique and gender-neutral name, Lux.
Mary
Obviously for Jesus’s mother Mary, is a great classic name. It held the top spot for over 60 years (maybe longer, but the records start in 1880), but has been sliding in popularity, falling out of the top 100 names for the first time in 2009. There are also many variations to consider like Maria, Marie, Maryam, Maren, and Marilyn. Or parents could instead opt for Merry, which hasn’t been in the top 1000 names since 1969.
Natalie
This name has been used frequently for baby girls born at Christmas along with the Russian forms, Natalia and Natasha. The names mean Christmas and come from Latin, natale domini which means “birth of the Lord.” As if that’s not enough of a Christmas connection, Natalie is also a character in the holiday movie Love Actually. Natalie is fairly popular and has stayed in the top 100 names since 1976.
Nicole
This feminine form of the name is a cute nod to Saint Nicholas. Though it peaked in the 1980s and has been trending downward since, it still ranks in the top 300, possibly making it the perfect choice for something not too popular.
Star
For the star of Bethlehem or the Christmas star that guided the way to the Nativity, this name and longer variation, Starla, are sweet and fun. Neither is very popular, Start has only broken the top 1000 names 5 times, most recently in 1998, though Starla had a longer run, but hasn’t hit the chart since 1984. Parents might also consider other more popular names that mean star like Estelle, Estella, Esther, and most popular, Stella.
Theodora
The feminine form of Theodore, meaning “gift from God” this name doesn’t scream Christmas, but shares the spirit of the holiday. Though less popular than its male counterpart, it could be on the rise. It fell out of the top 1000 baby names in 1955, but just resurfaced in 2019.
Winter
Obviously for the season, this name has seen a very sharp increase and is rising fast!
Virginia
This traditional name could be inspired by the Virgin Mary or the famous “Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus.” Though it has dropped in popularity since it’s peak in 1921, it’s fall seems to have leveled off in recent years.
Zuzu
For the fans of It’s A Wonderful Life, Zuzu is the little girl who delivers the well known “everytime a bell rings…” line. It’s extremely uncommon as a given name and perhaps not surprisingly has never cracked the top 1000, but has been used as a nickname for Susan.
Unisex Christmas Names
Angel
For the angels that announced Jesus’s birth or the one topping the tree, this sweet name this is more popular for boys (ranking in the top 100 for over the last 20 years) than for girls (ranking in the top 500). The name is more commonly used for boys by Spanish speaking families. Variations include Angela, Angelica, and Angelina for girls, and Angelo for boys.
Bailey
For George Bailey, the main character of It’s A Wonderful Life, this name is cute and follows the surname as a first name trend. Though it is more common for girls (ranking in the top 200 names since 1992), it had a surge in popularity as a boy’s name in the 1990s peaking at #151 and then falling back out of the top 1000 by 2011.
Christmas
Perhaps a bit too on the nose for most parents, the name Christmas has been used for both boys and girls, but is extremely rare.
December
The month name is a very uncommon baby name that has been used primarily for girls, though it is often listed as gender neutral.
Noel
Meaning Christmas, Noel can be used for either boys or girls, though the most common spellings and pronunciation differ. For girls, the most common spelling is Noelle. In the US, Noel for a boy is often pronounced like Joel, though not always.
North
Bringing to mind the North Pole and cold weather, this name fits the season. Though notably used for Kim and Kanye’s daughter, it seems gender neutral.
Lux
Meaning “light” in Latin, this name has been used for both boys and girls, though is overall very uncommon.
Marley
For Jacob Marley, Scrooge’s late business partner, in A Christmas Carol, this name also fits the last name as a first name trend. While not super common, it has been rising as a girl’s name since 1994 and hit the top 1000 names for boys in 2008 (probably because of the movie Marley and Me) and has seesawed on and off since.
The data on name popularity came from the Social Security Administration which has a great name search tool.
If you didn’t find the perfect baby name here, check out my list of baby names inspired by literature and our top tips for choosing a baby name when you and your partner can’t agree.
We also have tons of pregnancy resources to make your life a little easier. If you’re due in December, you might find our Tips for Winter Pregnancy particularly helpful. We also suggest these First Trimester, Second Trimester, and Third Trimester Checklists to get your started.
So there you have our favorite Christmas baby names, did we forget any? What did you name your Christmas baby? Share your name ideas with us in the comments!
