For expectant parents with December due dates, you may well be deliberating the possibility of a seasonal name for your bundle of joy.
There are a few fairly obvious choices, but what are the best Christmas names to give your little one this year?
We’ve rounded up a host of popular names, as well as some slightly more unusual options…
For detailed explanations, click each name to find out more about its meaning and origin.
Did you know: Isaac Newton, Humphrey Bogart Annie Lennox and Helena Christensen were all born on Christmas day.
Christmas girl names
With the fruit in abundance during December and often used as a symbol during the festive season, this pretty name is still fairly unusual.
A Hebrew name meaning ‘life’ or ‘living’. Following the success of the TV show Killing Eve, the name could be about to have a rise in popularity.
Thanks to the infamous hymn, Holly is a name synonymous with Christmas. Its literal meaning comes from its namesake, the evergreen shrub/tree.
A fitting successor to ‘Holly’, Ivy is another plant-derived name with festive connotations. It has been climbing up the rankings for the last couple of years as traditional names become increasingly popular.
A name you can’t help but smile at, Joy is another Christmas classic for your little one that will no doubt bring ‘joy to the world’.
North
Made popular by Kim Kardashian – North offers a more unique name with a festive nod to the North Pole!
While this might not immediately sound like a Christmas-themed name, it’s actually derived from the Russian name Natalia, meaning ‘birthday’ and more specifically the ‘birth of Christ’.
This unusual name has a couple of meanings. It can be defined as an anglicised version of ‘Niamh’ meaning ‘bright’ but it’s also associated with the latin word meaning ‘snow’ – making it a slightly more subtle Christmas name.
Moving away from subtlety, this French name actually means ‘Christmas’. Could a name symbolise the festive season more?
Winter isn’t directly a Christmas name but the season can conjure up magical images of snow and reindeer.
Did you know: Isaac Newton, Humphrey Bogart Annie Lennox and Helena Christensen were all born on Christmas day.
Christmas boy names
This has more recently become associated with Christmas thanks to the popular animated film Arthur Christmas – where the main character Arthur is Santa’s son!
Another film reference, Buddy is the name of the world’s favourite Elf, an absolute festive-film staple. Still a fairly unique name, it actually means ‘brother’ and is used as a term of endearment.
Meaning ‘the bearer of Christ’, this timeless name has remained consistently popular.
Douglas Fir is one of the most popular types of Christmas tree, so this classic name could be a good option if you want tradition with just a sprinkling of festivity.
Thanks to its biblical roots – it means ‘God is with us’ – Emmanuel often features on festive baby name lists as a more traditional option.
While there might not be a hymn in quite the same way as with ‘Joy’, the name Felix means ‘happy’ and if there’s one emotion we associate with Christmas, it’s happiness!
It’s a slightly tentative link but if you’re looking for a really classic name with just a nod to Christmas then Jack could be perfect. Jack Frost and The Nightmare Before Christmas both give
Due to the religious associations of Mary and Joseph, this is a good name for a December boy. It can also be shortened into less formal sounding names such as Joe and Joey – making it a versatile choice.
Probably one of the most obviously festive boys’ names because of St Nicholas (or Father Christmas!), its official meaning is ‘victory of the people’.
Originally a version of Robert, this now unisex name conjures up images of the lovely red-chested songbird of the same name.
Looking for something really unusual?
How about taking inspiration from Santa’s reindeers: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Dunder, Blixem and – of course – Rudolph!
What do you think of our festive name selection? Get in touch on Facebook with more suggestions or browse our extensive list of names here.
