18 Great Christmas Carol Names
by Linda Rosenkrantz
We’ve moved beyond it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas time as the holiday is fast approaching. The air is filled with carols and other holiday music, from O Tannenbaum and Silent Night to Jingle Bells and I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.
But is there any inspiration for baby namers to be found in their lyrics—beyond Rudolph, that is?
Of course, as might be expected, the names found most often are Mary, Maria, Joseph, John, Paul, Emmanuel and Nicholas. But after researching the words of a staggering number of Christmas songs, I did find some usable name options that would work very well as December baby names for a Yuletide babe. Confession: Some of them are used as words rather than names.
The saintly Agnes was one of the most popular namesakes for four hundred years, and now seems to be ready for a comeback, along with cute namesake Aggie. It’s now #227 on Nameberry, was used by Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany for their Agnes Lark, and was a likeable little girl name in Despicable Me. A current bearer is artist Agnes Martin.
BARNEY—It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
As his image pulls away from the friendly purple and green dinosaur, Barney becomes much more viable as a baby choice. It’s been a Top 500 name in England for several years now.
DANCER—Jingle Bells
One of the most plausible of the Santa reindeer names, though there’s also Vixen, Comet and Cupid.
DIXIE—Home for the Holidays
A saucy showgirl name with a distinct Southern drawl, Dixie has been on and off the US pop list since 2007 after peaking at #167 back in 1938.
EVE—I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Pure and simple yet strong, Eve is part of the trend towards 3-letter single-syllable girls’ names. Currently at #436 nationally, it’s 161 on Nameberry and was chosen by Clive Owen.
FANNY—Jingle Bells
No longer widely used to mean derriere, Fanny became an acceptable vintage nickname name once more. Jane Austen, George Eliot and Somerset Maugham and many others all created characters named Fanny.
This new entry into the winter name category has some adventurous parents warming to the cool simplicity of Frost. Jack Frost is only one of many noted bearers of it as a surname.
Another comeback kid, Gloria was chosen by Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard for one of their daughters, inspired by the Patti Smith version of the Van Morrison song. It’s currently at #561; Glory is also sometimes used.
HOLLY—Deck the Halls
A perfect Christmassy name, evoking the symbolic red-berried shrub. Holly is also the flower of the month for December, making it doubly apropos.
ISABELLA—Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella
A Top 5 name in the US for the past 14 years. Enough said. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for songmate Jeanette.
Ivy has been climbing up the charts all over the English-speaking world–#108 in the US (highest ever), 25 in England and Wales, 18 in Australia, 46 in Canada, 59 in Scotland, 64 in Northern Ireland, and 28 in NZ. And Ivy’s name has been heard on everything from Gossip Girl to Downton Abbey to American Horror Story. One influence: Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s use as the middle name for daughter Blue Ivy.
A Christmas baby name Joy. Perfect!
MERRY—We wish you a Merry Christmas
Even more perfect!
NELLIE—Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
One of the sweetest of the old Gay Nineties nickname names. It’s #836 on Nameberry, 311 in England and 33 in Sweden.
What could be more Christmassy than a name that mean Christmas in French? Sleek and sophisticated with the remains of a British accent, Noel ranks at #386 in the US.
Gender-neutral Robin began as a diminutive of Robert, then took off for girls in midcentury America. It’s now getting renewed attention as a bird name.
RUDOLPH—Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
What’s the first name that comes to mind when you think of Christmas song names? Rudolph, of course. In the Top 200 till 1939, when German-origin names lost favor. It was long attached to silent screen Lothario Rudolph Valentino, and then ballet great Nureyev. Could it come back? Nickname Rudy would help.
SILAS—Children, Go Where I send Thee
Silas has shed its one-time rural, folksy image to become a hot Nameberry fave (#7) and is also #120 across the country. It gained some starpower when Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake chose it for their boy in 2015.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS, BERRIES!!