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January Baby Names

Pamela Redmond
By Pamela Redmond
Updated Tue Feb 20 2024
January Baby Names

January baby names might mark the beginning of a new year with meanings related to newness or freshness, including Nova, derived from the Latin word for "new," and Dawn.

Names for babies born in January can reference all things winter, including snow. January’s birthstone is the garnet, which works as a name for a boy or a girl. The snowdrop, January’s birth flower, offers some naming inspiration as well.

Along with Nova and King, popular January baby names ranking in the US Top 1000 include Hope, Aurora, Xavier, Reagan, Franklin, Sophie, Kiara, and Zane.

Unique January baby names that we recommend include January, Sylvester, Camellia, and Wolf.

You may also consider the name of a famous figure born in January, such as Martin Luther King Jr. or Henri Matisse. Each would make a great namesake if you are expecting a baby in January.

Here, view our comprehensive collection of January baby names, ordered by current popularity on Nameberry.

RELATED:

New Year Baby Names

Names That Mean New or New Beginnings

Winter Baby Names

Search Names by Birth Date

  1. Alexander

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "defending men"

    • Description:

      Alexander has been in a Top 25 boys' name in the US for 30 years now. But namers are still attracted to its imposing historic pedigree.
  2. Aurora

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "dawn"

    • Description:

      The goddess name Aurora has consistently been on the US popularity list since the nineteenth century, but has really taken off in the past 30 years. Aurora also enjoys remarkable international popularity, ranking in the Top 100 throughout the English-speaking world as well as in Italy, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, and several other European and Latin American countries.
  3. Sophie

    • Origin:

      French variation of Sophia

    • Meaning:

      "wisdom"

    • Description:

      Sophie is the French form of the Greek Sophia, for which it is also commonly used as a nickname. Given Sophia's long standing among the Top 10 girl names in the US, Sophie may feel more popular than it actually is.
  4. Florence

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "flourishing, prosperous"

    • Description:

      Florence is back, returning to the US Top 1000 girl names in 2017 after a nearly 40 year absence. Other English-speaking countries have been quicker to welcome Florence back into fashion.
  5. Edith

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "prosperous in war"

    • Description:

      Edith was a hugely popular name a hundred years ago that's being revived among stylish parents in Stockholm and London. It's currently beginning to gain traction in the US among those with a taste for old-fashioned names with a soft but strong image.
  6. Sylvia

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "from the forest"

    • Description:

      The musical, sylvan Sylvia seems poised to join former friends Frances and Beatrice and Dorothy back in the nursery.
  7. Nova

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "new"

    • Description:

      Nova has the feel of both newness, from its meaning, and great energy as an astronomical term for a star that increases suddenly in brightness before fading.
  8. Zane

    • Origin:

      Possible variation of John

    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"

    • Description:

      Western novelist Zane (born Pearl!) Grey made this name famous. Now, it's in tune with the style of our times, retaining that appealing cowboy image.
  9. Wolf

    • Origin:

      Animal name or diminutive of Wolfgang, German

    • Meaning:

      " traveling wolf"

    • Description:

      Wolf is a name with a split personality. It can be seen as one of the fierce animal names, like Fox and Bear and Puma, with a touch of the werewolf, or it can be viewed as a quieter, Wolf Blitzer kind of name, fairly common in German (where is pronounced Vulf) and Jewish families, sometimes as a short form of Wolfgang, or even Wolfram or Wolfhart.
  10. Xavier

    • Origin:

      Basque

    • Meaning:

      "new house"

    • Description:

      Xavier originated is use as a given name after Saint Francis Xavier, cofounder of the Jesuit order, who got his name from the Spanish-Basque village where he was born. His birthplace was Javier, the name of which was derived from the Basque place name Etxeberria, meaning "castle" or "new house."
  11. Hank

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Henry, German

    • Meaning:

      "estate ruler"

    • Description:

      Hank is a midcentury guy nickname (which actually dates back to the seventeenth century) of the Al/Hal/Dick school, which has been on recess from the playground for decades. Now it's just beginning to be given on its own again, appreciated for its earthy, sportsguy cool. Hanks Aaron and Greenberg (born Henry) and Hank Williams (born Hiram) Sr and Jr. are worthy namesakes.
  12. Eira

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "snow"

    • Description:

      This Welsh nature name that can be pronounced exactly like the male Ira. Or, to avoid confusion, you could just name her Snow.
  13. Paul

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "small"

    • Description:

      Paul is an ancient name for boys -- popular in Roman and medieval times -- that's not very fashionable now, which can work in its favor, scarcity balancing simplicity.
  14. Constance

    • Origin:

      English version of Latin Constantia

    • Meaning:

      "steadfastness"

    • Description:

      Constance is one of the more subtle of the virtue baby names, but still has quite a prim and proper image. One impediment to its revival has been the decidedly dated nickname Connie, though modern parents might well opt for using the strong and dignified name in full.
  15. Jackson

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "son of Jack"

    • Description:

      Jackson is one of those names that's much more popular than you think, coming in near the top of our annual Playground Analysis, which ranks names by grouping all their spellings together. Last year, more than 13,000 baby boys were named Jackson -- along Jaxon, Jaxson, Jaxxon, Jaxen, Jaxyn, Jaxsen, and Jaxsyn -- which counted together makes it the Number 5 boys' name.
  16. Mika

    • Origin:

      Japanese, Slovene, Hebrew, English, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "beautiful fragrance; who is like God?; follower of Demeter"

    • Description:

      Mika is a sparky and stylish Japanese girls' name that translates easily to English. Also used as a Slovene and Hebrew diminutive for Mihaela and Michaela, as an alternative spelling to the Biblical Micah, and as a Greek diminutive of Dimitra (via Mimika), it is a truly multi-cultural choice.
  17. Bronte

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "thunder"

    • Description:

      This lovely surname of the three novel-writing sisters, now used as a baby name, makes a fitting tribute for lovers of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. While the original name took an umlaut over the e, modern English speakers may find that more trouble than it's worth.
  18. Franklin

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "free landholder"

    • Description:

      A doubly Presidential name, via Pierce and Roosevelt, Franklin was given an initial boost via the fame of Benjamin Franklin. It also has a literary tie to the main character of the Wilkie Collins classic The Moonstone.
  19. Zora

    • Origin:

      Serbo-Croatian

    • Meaning:

      "dawn"

    • Description:

      Zora is a meaningful literary heroine name honoring Zora Neale Hurston, an important black writer and leader of the Harlem Renaissance.
  20. Martin

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "warlike"

    • Description:

      Martin is one of those names like Arthur and Vincent and George that is in the process of throwing off its balding middle-aged image to start sounding possible again, used in full without the dated Marty nickname.