13 'Nightmare Before Christmas' Baby Names Based On Your Favorite Characters

There’s no way you can call yourself a fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas and not consider Jack as a baby name. Jack Skellington, after all, is the protagonist of the film, and the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town. As a name, Jack is often a nickname for John or James, and is of English origin. The name Jack can also come from jack-o-lanterns, which you’ll find everywhere on Halloween.

Although William isn’t technically a character in The Nightmare Before Christmas, there is a William whose presence permeates the film: William Shakespeare. Yes, Jack Skellington is a fan of The Bard, and can be found reciting some Shakespearian lines. In fact, Jack has a great line of his own in the movie: “Since I am dead, I can take off my head to recite Shakespearean quotations,” which, of course, is a tribute to Hamlet and the infamous skull soliloquy.

A human ragdoll created by Dr. Finkelstein, Sally is so much more than a potential love interest for Jack Skellington. No, this lady will leave you in stitches — literally. She manages to drug the doc so that she can go outside and see Jack, who she finds out loves her, too. Sally isn’t too popular a name anymore (it hit its peak back in the 60s), but as a name, Sally means “princess” — even one that is always in pieces.

If the name Deuce doesn’t sound familiar as a creature in The Nightmare Before Christmas, there’s a reason why: it’s not a character. But Zero, Jack Skellington’s ghost dog, is. So why not bestow upon your baby a numerical name? Deuce is a baby boy’s name that means “two,” which certainly sounds a lot better than calling your kid Zero. It’s an English name and is pronounced “duws.”

The Mayor of Halloween Town is a cool, candy corn-shaped character. He has two faces (literally), with one happy, smiley face on one side, and a frowning face with sharp teeth on the other, which swivels around depending on the Mayor’s mood. And while you could name your child after a political position, the similar-sounding Major might make for a good baby name. The name Major, which is of Latin origin, means “greater” or signifies a military rank.

It goes without saying that Jack Skellington is the official Pumpkin King of Halloween Town. In an ode to the male monarch title he holds, you can name your baby Rey. It means “king” in Spanish, which is perfect for your own little king.

Those moments when Jack Skellington climbs to the top of Spiral Hill and sings are completely magical. Part of what makes those scenes so spectacular is the big, beautiful moon behind him. That’s what makes Luna such a lovely name for your baby. It means “moon” in Spanish, and can be a great baby name.

While it might seem like a misspelling of Jack’s last name, as it turns out, Ellington is actually a baby’s first name. The name is of English origin and it means “Ellis’s town.” It also has a cute nickname, like Ely, or Duke, in honor of the famous jazz legend.

In order to escape Dr. Finkelstein’s grasp, Sally comes up with a concoction to poison him. She makes a soup of Frog’s Breath, Worm’s Wort, and also the Deadly Nightshade. But keen viewers of the movie might notice that there’s also some Witch Hazel growing alongside the Nightshade. And how cute (and non-toxic) would Hazel be for a baby’s name? It means “the hazelnut tree” and is of English origin. It would be especially perfect if your baby’s peepers were hazel, too.

You would think that Santa Claus would have been pretty P-Oed that Jack tried to take over Christmas — and, well, he was. He even tells Sally that she’s “the only person who makes any sense in this insane asylum.” Ouch. But Santa Claus is still a jolly ol’ fellow, which is why you should consider an offshoot of this name (like Santa, which means “saint” in Spanish) for your baby. It definitely beats calling your kid “Sandy Claws,” which is how Jack refers to him.

Although he’s pretty ferocious-looking, the Wolfman is not a bad guy in The Nightmare Before Christmas. Sure, he is kind of gruff (as most wolves are wont to be), but he is soulful, too, since he mourns deeply when he thinks that Jack dies. And as a name, Wolff can be wonderful. It’s of German origin and means “traveling wolf.” It’s typically a boy’s name, and can be a nickname for the more formal Wolfgang (as in, you know, Mozart).

Once Jack Skellington wanders through the woods and finds the other holiday-themed doors, he becomes entranced by the one for Christmas Town and falls in love with everything about the holiday. So in the spirit of the holiday, why not name your baby Noelle? It’s one of those names that always sounds pretty, and it comes from the old French word “noel,” which means “Christmas.” We’re pretty sure that Jack Skellington would approve.

You might not think that a creature who’s known for eating bone biscuits would become an inspiration for your baby’s name — but it could be. In the movie, Igor is Dr. Finkelstein’s assistant and has a sealed-shut eye, crooked teeth, and a big hunchback. But as a name, though, Igor is kind of awesome, since it means “warrior,” and is of Russian origin.