Christmas Names

Santa has an appealing sound, or maybe that's sleigh bells we hear?  It's difficult to separate the Italian girls' name Santa from the association to Mr. Claus, king of Christmas.  The German diminutive Senta -- or Snow or even Christmas -- might be an easier name to handle.

Santa

Wonder is a lovely quality for a modern virtue name. With ethereal word names like Dream and Love rising fast in the charts, Wonder feels right at home. Australian singer, Sia, used it as a middle name for her third daughter, Somersault Wonder. 
 
What you may be surprised to learn, however, is that Wonder first appeared in the US stats back in 1951 for girls (and 2019 for boys) and has been used in small numbers ever since. The most recent count saw it given 16 babies.

Wonder

Meryl is a name that's at once rare and famous, thanks to Meryl (born Mary Louise) Streep. Streep's name is an invented short form of Mary Louise, but Meryl might also be a contraction of the unique Irish name Meriel.

Fewer than 25 baby girls were named Meryl in the US last year, perhaps because the name is so closely tied to Streep. And Meriel is even rarer -- used for fewer than five babies -- and arguably more appealing.

Meryl

Nicola, an elegant Latinate feminization of Nicholas, has long been standard issue for English girls but for some reason has never voyaged across the Atlantic, which we consider a pity, especially as Nicole's standing has waned.
 
 In Britain, Nicola first appeared around 1940, started rising in the fifties and by the mid-1970's had reached third place on the popularity list, after which it began to be replaced by Nicole.

 Nicola is a masculine name in Italy: one historic bearer Nicola Pisano was a renowned and influential thirteenth century sculptor. Classic Nicola still ranks well within the Top 100 boy names in Italy, although it is trending steadily downwards like its English equivalent.

 In his novel The Well Beloved, Thomas Hardy spelled it Nichola. Nicoletta or Nicolette, which was the name of an enchanting princess in the medieval French romance Aucassin et Nicolette, is a more feminissima version.

Nicola

A strong, handsome Indian name with cross-cultural appeal.

Tarak

The vintage Fenna, an old lady name making a comeback in the Netherlands, originates in Friesland in the northern part of the country, where the Fries language is spoken. Rhyming with Jenna, it's both rare and familiar and could conceivably enjoy wider usage in the English-speaking world as well. Fenna is a Top 50 girls' name in the Netherlands.
 
Comedian Katherine Ryan used Fenna for her daughter in 2023.

Fenna

Gwendolen, an ancient Welsh favorite, retired decades ago in favor of the short form Gwen, but now, as in the case all across the naming board, the nickname has faded and the more distinguished original is up for reappraisal. Gwendolen means "white circle," probably alluding to an ancient moon goddess, and appears in both Welsh and English legend, once as a fairy with whom King Arthur fell in love and another as the wife of the wizard Merlin.
 Gwendolen is the name of principal characters in George Eliot's novel Daniel Deronda and in the Oscar Wilde play, The Importance of Being Earnest.
 An alternate spelling is Gwendolyn, as in Gwendolyn Brooks, the first African-American woman to win a Pulitzer prize for poetry. Gwendolyn, always the more popular spelling in the U.S. and the full name of the character Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years is now at Number 514, having reached as high as 112 in the 1950's.

Gwendolen

A fun and confident choice, Holiday is a celebratory name, particularly associated with Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, and New Year, and with rest, leisure, and vacations more generally. Fitting for a winter baby, but totally sunny too, it comes from the Old English hāligdæg meaning "holy day" as it was originally used to mark religious festivals and celebrations.
 
A quietly used option since the 50s, jazz singer Billie Holiday lends the name an element of glamor too, while familiar nickname Holly keeps it grounded. In a recent count, just 21 girls were called Holiday in the US, making this a rare choice that doesn't sound too out there.

Holiday

Joia is a feminine name with Latin and Portuguese origins, meaning 'jewel' or 'joy.' In Portuguese-speaking countries, it directly translates to 'jewel,' while its pronunciation (often as 'JOY-ah') connects it to the English word 'joy.' This dual meaning gives the name a particularly positive and precious connotation. The name features a pleasing, melodic quality with just two syllables that flow together harmoniously. Though relatively uncommon in English-speaking countries, Joia has maintained consistent usage in Brazil and other Portuguese-speaking regions. Its cross-cultural appeal, simple spelling, and uplifting meaning make it attractive to parents seeking a name that feels both distinctive and meaningful. The name's brevity paired with its rich meaning creates an elegant simplicity.

Joia

Nashira is one of those obscure space names that might rise along with such heavenly choices as Orion, Luna, and even Nevaeh.  A giant star in Capricorn, Nashira is an unusual and attractive name with several positive associations.

Nashira

A gentle Hindi name, ultimately from the Sanskrit śāntī, Shanti may equally refer to a state of mental and physical peace, maintained despite any stresses or difficulties and Hindu prayers for peace, also known as a Shanti Mantras . 
 
American actor Nick Nolte used it for his daughter in 2008.

Shanti

Naveed

Amadea is a strong and musical feminine form of Amadeus, as in Mozart. In more conservative times, Amadea might have seemed too strange for use on a contemporary baby, but by today's sensibility, it makes a good update for Amanda or Amy.

Amadea

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, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus, though their names were not mentioned in the Bible.
 Balthazar, in its various spellings, has been attached to a number of distinguished artists, writers and philosophers of the past; the most prominent contemporary bearer is Balthazar Getty, actor and great-grandson of J. Paul Getty. The iconoclastic modern painter Balthus was born Balthasar.
 Balthazar is well represented in literature. The name appears in no fewer than four Shakespeare plays, is the title of a Lawrence Durrell novel, is the main character of a Balzac novel, and has been seen in everything from a James Bond film to Buffy the Vampire Slayer to The Smurfs to Xbox and online games, and there is a J. P. Donleavy novel titled The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B.

Balthazar

A word name with an appealing and illuminating meaning. 

Beacon

A unisex Japanese name with a beautiful and radiant meaning, it is notably borne by chess prodigy Hikaru Nakamura, and is a central character in the manga series The Summer Hikaru Died.

Hikaru

Ilario's merry, jovial sound reflects a shared root with the word hilarious. 

Ilario

This sizzling nickname Zuzu is heard every Christmas as the name of Jimmy Stewart's little girl in "It's a Wonderful Life," but we love it all year round as a lively alternative to double names like Gigi and Bibi.
"Top Chef" 's Tania Peterson named her daughter Zuzu Audrey.

Zuzu

Name of the licorice plant, this spice comes in the shape of a star, giving this name an extra level of sweetness.

Anise

She'd better be. Merry is one of the classic <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/412/christmas-baby-names">names for Christmas babies</a>.

Merry

Christmas names can be drawn from many sources, from names that mean Christmas to figures associated with the magical holiday to symbols of Christmas and winter.

 include Clara for girls and Theodore for boys. Along with Ivy, other 

Christmas names for girls in the US Top 1000 baby names

 include Ivy, Eve, Stella, Natalie, Holly, Josephine, Mary, Lucia, and Angela.

 ranking in the US Top 1000 include Felix, Pax, Nicholas, Joseph, Christian, Christopher, Bennett, and Angel.

 that strike the perfect style note today include Snow, Drummer, Lumi, Lucian, Kerensa, Pace, and Christmas itself.

The Christmas names here represent many origins and styles and include 

 as well as gender-neutral names with Christmas meanings. Names that mean blessed or holy, star or light, joy or peace might be considered Christmas names.

Nature names related to snow or the trees and flowers of Christmas qualify, along with the names of the Holy Family, the angels and the Wise Men.

If you're expecting a baby born during the end-of-year holidays, or simply want a name that connotes the magical season, consider this collection of Christmas baby names.

Christmas names for baby girls and baby boys, including popular Christmas names and unique names celebrating the Christmas holiday, such as Noelle, Winter, Ivy, and Nicholas,  (Page 13)