Birthday Names
Christmas Names
Across 14 pages
of 14
Amadeus
Latin
"lover of God"
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's middle name could make an interesting pick for music-loving parents--if only in middle place. Amadeus is the title of a Peter Shaffer play which became an award-winning film…
Hollyn
Elaboration of Holly or spelling variation of Holland
"holly + lake, beautiful; forest land; point of the land"
Hollyn combines the Christmas- and nature-inspired feel of Holly, with the preppy, unisex style of Collins, all stung together with the globetrotter flair of Holland and the trendy -lyn ending of…
Amaryllis
Greek
"to sparkle"
If you love both unique baby names and flower names for girls, Amaryllis might be a perfect choice for you. A showier flower name than Lily, but in the same botanical family, Amaryllis is not as…
Angelique
French diminutive of Angela
"angelic"
Angelique was the fastest-rising girl name of 2021, influenced by French-Mexican actress Angelique Boyer, who starred in the telenovela Imperio de mentiras ( Empire of Lies ). After a long run of…
Anise
Nature name
Name of the licorice plant, this spice comes in the shape of a star, giving this name an extra level of sweetness.
Anjali
Sanskrit
"gift"
This Indian name meaning gift or offering feels familiar via sound-alikes Angela or Angelina, and made a brief appearance on the U.S. Top 1000. Anjali is a pretty route to a name that's at once easy…
Ariadne
Greek
"most holy"
This name of the Cretan goddess of fertility is most popular now as the more melodic Ariana, but Ariadne has possibilities of its own. It first entered the US Top 1000 in 2014. The renewed interest…
Aroha
Māori
"love"
This beautiful Māori name meaning love (cognate with Hawaiian aloha ) is more wearable than the English word and softer Venus or Aphrodite. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern named her…
Astra
Latin
"stars"
A starry-eyed, intergalactic name, far rarer than Stella or Esther. It's attached both to a comic book character and to Princess Astra on "Doctor Who".
Azenor
Breton form of Elinor or Helen
"light"
One way to spin grandma Helen or Ellen's name off the beaten track. The legendary Azenor was a tragic 6th century Breton princess who was mother to a saint. This personage also may be known as Senara.
Balthasar
Greek
"God protects the king"
Balthasar was one of the biblical Three Kings who visited the infant Jesus, also used by Shakespeare and in the oil-rich Getty family; offbeat and intriguing. Balthazar is another, equally…
Balthazar
Phoenician
"Baal protects the King"
This evocative name of one of the Three Wise Men of the Orient, also spelled Balthasar, may finally be ready for prime time. Balthazar, Melchior and Caspar were the Magi who brought gifts of gold,…
Barack
Hebrew; also Swahili from Arabic
"thunderbolt, lightning; or blessing"
The name of the 44th president, which he inherited from his Kenyan father, is related to the Swahili word "baraka," meaning "blessing," derived from the Arabic "baracka." It is linked, through the…
Bashir
Arabic
"the one who brings good news"
Used both as a given name and as a surname, Bashir is a familiar but still unusual choice in the USA and UK, even among Muslim families. In 2014, only 25 boys were named Bashir in the US. One reason…
Bay
English word, Old English
"an inlet of the sea where the land curves inward; berry"
One of the most usable of the pleasant, newly adopted nature/water names (like Lake and Ocean), especially in middle position. It's gentle, slightly whimsical, but grounded by its similarity to May…
Bay
English word, Old English
"an inlet of the sea where the land curves inward; berry"
Like River and Lake, a cool, refreshing modern water-related choice. This name is also associated with bay leaves, the bay laurel, the contemporary term of endearment, "bae", and the Old English word…
Beacon
English word name
"signal light"
A word name with an appealing and illuminating meaning.
Beatrix
Latin
"she who brings happiness; blessed"
Beatrix has a solid history of its own apart from Beatrice, with that final x adding a playful, animated note to the name's imposing history and stately vibe. In the earliest sources it is recorded…
Belle
Short form of Isabelle or French
"beautiful"
Belle has nothing but positive associations, from "belle of the ball" to "Southern belle" to the heroine of Disney's Beauty and the Beast . As if this weren't enough good things, Belle is also one of…
Berry
Nature name
With the recent arrival of fruit names like Apple and Plum, this more traditional example, symbolic of fertility, might rise in popularity. Photographer Berry Berenson was born Berinthia.…