These Joyful Names Are Perfect For Christmas Babies

Sure, you want to pay homage to your baby’s birth date, but you might not want to call your kiddo Christmas. Well, you won’t be able to say no to Noelle. It’s a girl’s name of French origin and it means, literally, “Christmas.” Like the name Noelle but you’re having a boy? No, prob, because you can just get rid of a couple of letters and call your baby boy Noel.

If your baby is born on December 25, they’re obviously sharing their birth date with Jesus Christ. And that’s what makes Natalie a fitting Christmas name for girls. It means “birthday of the Lord,” and, like Noelle, is of French origin. It derives from the Latin phrase “natale domini,” which means, you guessed it, “birthday of the Lord.”

A Hebrew name, Joseph means “God will increase” and originates from the verb yasaf, which also means “to increase.” Of course, Joseph is one of the major Biblical characters, since he was the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthside father of Jesus. Joseph also has a bunch of cute nicknames, like Joe and Joey.

Of Latin origin, Stella is a baby girl’s name. It means “star,” and could be considered a Christmas baby name for girls because it was the star that led the Three Wise men to the manger where Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were.

Location names are kind of cool, but Bethlehem might be a mouthful for a small baby. That said, you can always shorten the name to just Beth, which means “pledged to God.” Beth is often thought to be a nickname for Elizabeth, but it can stand on its own as a beautiful Christmas-centric name for your sweetie.

No, we’re not talking about Lucy from A Charlie Brown Christmas. As a Christmas baby name, Lucy is quite lovely. It means “light” in Latin, and when you think about how dark the winter days are in December, a little extra light (in the form of your little one) can shine some happiness in an otherwise weary world.

You love the idea of the name Bethlehem. You really do, but, welp, it’s kind of long. Well, here comes Belen, a beautiful Christmas name for boys. It’s of Spanish origin and means “Bethlehem.” It’s pronounced “Beh-len,” with the stress on the second syllable.

The Three Wise Men are important players in the story surrounding the birth of Jesus. That’s why you should consider naming your baby boy Balthazar. It is of Greek origin and means, “Baal protects the King.” Balthazar can also be spelled Balthasar, too, and has cool nicknames, like Balto, Balty, Baz, and even Zar.

Another one of The Three Wise Men, Caspar is a quintessential Christmas boy’s name. It means “keeper of the treasure,” and is of Persian origin. A cute nickname for Caspar can be Cas or Cassy.

If Blanche gives you Golden Girls vibes, you’re not alone. But it’s also a sweet name for your Christmas baby. Of French origin, Blanche means “white,” which just might make you think about gently falling snow — and eating cheesecake on your lanai.

Celeste is not a name you hear too often, which is what makes it special… just like Christmas. As a name, Celeste is of Latin origin and means, “heavenly.” It’s not too hard to see why this could be a fab fit for your holiday baby. Oh, and when it comes to nicknames for Celeste, you can opt for Cece, Elle, Ellie, Lettie, or even Celly.

A gender-neutral name, Jesse is of Hebrew origin. It means “God’s gift,” so it ties in easily to your Christmas baby theme. Biblically speaking, Jesse was the grandson of Ruth and Boaz, so he technically wasn’t present when Jesus was born, but since the name means “gift,” it’s a good name for a Christmas baby.

Looking for a Christmas baby name that celebrates Christianity? Why not choose Christian, then? The name means “Follower of Christ” and is of English origin. The name, once for boys, has now become gender-neutral.

You can score some inspo from the land where Jesus and his disciples come from by calling your child Israel. The name means, “He who struggles with God,” which might seem like a contradiction in terms but is actually an ode to the story of Christmas itself.

Emmanuel is a baby boy’s name of both Hebrew and Scandinavian origin. It means, “God is with us” and comes from the Old Testament. The most common choice for a nickname is Manny, but you could call your baby Manuel, too. And if you like Emmanuel but are having a girl, you could always make it feminine by writing it as Emmanuelle.

Too tired (and preggo) to be decking the halls? We hear you. But that shouldn’t put a halt on calling your baby Holly. Holly is of Old English origin and means “the holly tree.” The deep green leaves and red berries that are so synonymous with the holidays.

Ivy was a sacred plan to the Celts, said Travel France Online, and was incorporated into Christmas celebrations with holly to symbolize resurrection and eternity. And it sounds really pretty, too.

Carol is a quaint Christmas name for your baby girl. It can be spelled with or without an “e” at the end, and is of English origin. It means “free person or song,” which is perfect when you consider how many Christmas carols you’ll be singing throughout the month of December.

A nickname of sorts for Jeanne, Jeanette is a girl’s name. It means “God is gracious,” and is of Hebrew origin. Jeanette has a slew of spellings, such as Jeannette or even Janette and Janet.

Many countries lay claim to the name Isabella, including Spain, Italy, and Israel. It means “pledged to God” and is the Latin form of Isabel, and the English version of Elizabeth. Isabella is currently a very common name, and holds the number seven spot for most popular baby names, according to the Social Security Administration.

The name Mary is of Hebrew origin and means “drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved.” It also happens to be the birth mother of Jesus, which makes it as Christmas-esque as you can get. Mary isn’t as popular nowadays as it used to be, but with cute nicknames like Mare, Mae, Mamie, or Mitzi, it might see a resurgence.

When thinking about popular Christmas baby names, let’s not forget the month in which the holiday happens. Month birthdays are pretty cool, and December is certainly no exception. No one will ever wonder the month in which your baby was born.

Rudolph is one of those no-brainer baby names if you want something that sings Christmas. Of course, your kiddo might get some teasing in the days and weeks leading up to their birthday, but if you switch the spelling to something less obvs, (like Rudolf, or Rudy), your child just might become a born leader — or at least the line leader in their kindergarten class.

Another foliage-sounding name, Ivy is an ideal choice for your Christmas babe. It’s of English and Latin origin and it means, “vine.” How does this relate to December 25? Well, just as holly is used to deck the halls, so is ivy, which was once thought to ward off bad spirits.

Nature-inspired names are very popular, and Snow is at the top of that list. Naturally, the name Snow means just what it is (i.e. frozen rain), but it can also signify someone who is light-haired, too. Snow can be a gender-neutral name, and is a cute name to give to your wintry baby.

Christmas Eve is when things start getting really exciting, as kiddos count down to Christmas. That’s what makes Eve so elegant and ideal for your Christmas baby. It means “life,” which is what Christmas is all about. The name is also Biblical, since Eve was the name of the first woman.

A girl’s name, Star is a not-so-obvious Christmas baby name. The Christmas Star was what inspired The Three Wise Men to travel to Jerusalem, and eventually meet baby Jesus. To be fancy, you can add an extra “r” to the name, but really, when you tell people why you named your Christmas baby Star, they’ll totally get it.

If you want a sweet Christmas-themed name, choose George. Sure, it means “farmer,” but this name also has a festive connection to George Bailey, James Stewart’s character in It’s a Wonderful Life. It’s classic, boyish, and just lovely.