Babies born around the holidays are the most special gifts new parents will ever receive. As we celebrate family and friends amidst a backdrop of light, love, and joy, welcoming newborns may inspire new parents to think about some unique names associated with the winter holidays.
Whether you celebrate Christmas, the Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Bodhi Day, we have some holiday-inspired baby names that might be perfect for a brand-new bundle of holiday joy!
Holiday-Inspired Baby Names
Christmas-Inspired Baby Names
Christmas offers some of the most classic holiday-inspired names that continue to be popular generation after generation. Here are some of our favorites:
Christmas Girl Names
1. Angelica/Angela/Angelina – Angels
2. Avery – Christmas elf
3. Carol/Carole – Christmas songs
4. Faith – Faith in God
5. Gloria – Glory of God
6. Grace – Grace of the Holy Spirit
7. Joy – Spirit of the season
8. Mary/Marie/Maria – Mother of God
9. Natalie/Natalia – Born on Christmas
10. Natividad – Nativity
11. Noelle – Feminized French word for Christmas
12. Paloma – Dove of Peace / Symbol of the Holy Spirit
13. Star/Stella – Christmas star
Christmas Boys Names
1. Casper/Jasper – One of the three wise men
2. Christian – Follower of Christ
3. Christopher – Bearer of Christ
4. Gabriel – Archangel
5. Jack – God is merciful/Jack Frost
6. Joshua – God is salvation
7. Joseph – St. Joseph
8. Michael – Archangel
9. Nicholas – St. Nicholas/Santa Claus
10. Noel – the French word for Christmas
Winter Solstice (Yule) Inspired Baby Names
There’s a bit of a blurry line between classic Christmas baby names and names inspired by the Winter Solstice, also known as Yule. Yuletide and Christmas traditions and phrases often overlap. For those who love the spirit of Yule, names that celebrate nature and the stars are particularly beautiful.
Winter Solstice Girl Names
1. Astra – Star
2. Aurora – Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights
3. Celeste – Celestial bodies
4. Crystal – Ice/Earth mineral
5. Holly – Winter garland
6. Ivy – Winter garland
7. Laurel – Laurel tree
8. Luna – Moon
9. Neve – Bright/Snowy
10. Sage – Herb
11. Skye – Sky
Winter Solstice Boy Names
1. Aiden – Little fire
2. Ash – Ash tree/ash of the yule log
3. Birch – Winter plant
4. Blaze – Fire
5. Forest/Forrest – Natural world
6. Garnet – Earth mineral
7. Hollis – Holly plant
8. Orion – Constellation
9. Robin – Winter bird/bright, flame
10. Whittaker – White field
11. Yule – Yuletide season
Hanukkah-Inspired Baby Names
Hanukkah commemorates the Second Temple’s rededication in Jerusalem after the Maccabees’ victory over the Syrian army during the Seleucid Empire. It’s also referred to as the Festival of Lights. Jewish families light a menorah for eight nights. It’s also a time to rejoice and give traditional gelt (Yiddish for money) gifts or other small tokens.
Hanukkah Girl Names
1. Golda/Goldie – Gold
2. Keren – Ray of light
3. Leila – Night (menorahs are lit at night)
4. Matana – Gift
5. Ziva – Light
Hanukkah Boy Names
1. Judah – To thank or praise
2. Jesse – Gift
3. Neri – Oil lamp
4. Nissim – Miracles
5. Paz – Golden
The Season of Light
Millions of African-American families observe Kwanzaa, which takes place from December 26 to January 1. Starting in 1966, Kwanzaa celebrates the African-American community’s shared cultural heritage and values. Numerous baby names with Swahili origins are beautiful and rich with meaning, including girls’ names like Asha, Maj, Nia, and Taraji. My favorite boy names include Amri, Kibwe, Miti, and Zuberi.
There are approximately four million Buddhists in the United States. Buddhists celebrate Bodhi Day on December 8 to commemorate the day Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree. Similar to other December holidays, Buddhists celebrate with a tree, lights, and cookies.1 Bodhi has become a popular unisex name during the last few years. It means “awakening” or “enlightenment.”
The holidays are a joyful time to start or expand a family. And naming your little one is one of the first and most exciting new parent experiences. What are some of your favorite holiday-inspired baby names?
Check out our other baby name lists if you want even more ideas. Try fall-inspired baby names, nature baby names, and summer baby names for more ideas on what to name your precious rainbow baby. Good luck picking out the right one for your baby!
