Looking for a Christmas baby name? The most direct choice is Noel, which comes from the French word for Christmas. Holly and Ivy name the evergreen plants from the old carol, Nicholas is the saint behind Santa Claus, and star names like Stella and Seren nod to the Star of Bethlehem. Below you’ll find more than 90 festive names grouped by theme, each with its gender, origin and meaning from the Littlenamer name list, plus a summery set for babies born during an Australian Christmas.
Tap any name to open its meaning page, or use the baby name generator to filter by gender, origin, first letter and length.
Quick picks: the most Christmassy names
If you want a name that says “Christmas” straight away, start with these.
- Noel (unisex, French, “Christmas”): the most literal Christmas name there is, and it works for any gender.
- Holly (girl, English, “holly tree”): bright red berries and glossy leaves, and an easy, friendly sound.
- Ivy (girl, English, “ivy plant”): short, classic and paired with Holly in the carol “The Holly and the Ivy”.
- Nicholas (boy, Greek, “victory of the people”): Saint Nicholas, a fourth-century bishop, is the figure the Santa Claus story grew from.
- Gabriel (boy, Hebrew, “God is my strength”): the angel who announces the coming birth in the Nativity story.
- Stella (girl, Latin, “star”): a soft, popular-sounding way to honour the Christmas star.
- Joseph (boy, Hebrew, “he will add”): a timeless Nativity name with easy nicknames like Joe and Joey.
- Eve (girl, Hebrew, “life, living”): a short name that doubles as a nod to Christmas Eve.
Names with a direct Christmas link
These names are tied to Christmas through their meaning, a saint’s day or a well-known Christmas story.
- Christopher (boy, Greek, “bearer of Christ”): one of the few names with “Christ” built into it.
- Kirsten (girl, Scandinavian, “follower of Christ”): a Scandinavian form of Christine.
- Kirsty (girl, Scottish, “follower of Christ”): the Scottish short form, friendly and casual.
- Stephen (boy, Greek, “crown, garland”): Saint Stephen’s Day falls on 26 December, the “Feast of Stephen” in the carol “Good King Wenceslas”.
- Etienne (boy, French, “crown, garland”): the French form of Stephen, for a softer sound.
- Rudolph (boy, German, “famous wolf”): the obvious reindeer reference, with Rudy or Dolph as nicknames.
- Jasper (boy, Persian, “treasurer”): often linked to Caspar (or Gaspar), the name tradition gives one of the three wise men.
- Robin (unisex, English, “bright fame”): the robin is a fixture on British Christmas cards.
- Wren (unisex, English, “small songbird”): in Ireland, 26 December is also known as Wren Day.
Nativity and angel names
The Nativity story gives you some of the oldest names on the list. Many of them are everyday names now, so they won’t feel like a costume in July.
- Joseph (boy, Hebrew, “he will add”): Mary’s husband in the Nativity story.
- David (boy, Hebrew, “beloved”): Bethlehem is called the city of David in the Christmas story in Luke’s Gospel.
- Jesse (boy, Hebrew, “gift”): the Jesse Tree is an Advent tradition that traces the family line of Jesus.
- Matthew (boy, Hebrew, “gift of God”): Matthew’s Gospel tells the story of the wise men and the star.
- Angela (girl, Greek, “messenger, angel”): a gentle, classic angel name.
- Anahera (girl, Māori, “angel”): the Māori word for angel, a lovely choice for families with a New Zealand connection.
- Malak (girl, Arabic, “angel”): the Arabic word for angel.
- Malachi (boy, Hebrew, “my messenger”): angels in the Christmas story are messengers, which ties this name in neatly.
- Seraphina (girl, Hebrew, “fiery ones”): from the seraphim, a rank of angels.
- Celeste (girl, Latin, “heavenly”): think of the heavenly host in the carols.
Star names for the Star of Bethlehem
The star that guided the wise men is one of the best-known Christmas symbols, and star names come from right around the world.
- Stella (girl, Latin, “star”)
- Estrella (girl, Spanish, “star”)
- Esther (girl, Persian, “star”)
- Seren (girl, Welsh, “star”)
- Tara (girl, Sanskrit / Indian, “star”)
- Hoku (unisex, Hawaiian, “star”)
- Danica (girl, Slavic, “morning star”)
- Tariq (boy, Arabic, “morning star”)
Seren and Hoku are short and unusual in Australia, while Stella and Esther feel familiar. Danica and Tariq both mean “morning star”, a nice touch for a baby who arrives on Christmas morning.
Gift names for a Christmas baby
A baby born at Christmas can feel like the best present of the year, and plenty of names say exactly that.
- Matthew (boy, Hebrew, “gift of God”)
- Mateo (boy, Spanish, “gift of God”)
- Theodore (boy, Greek, “gift of God”)
- Theodora (girl, Greek, “gift of God”)
- Dorothy (girl, Greek, “gift of God”)
- Nathaniel (boy, Hebrew, “gift of God”)
- Jesse (boy, Hebrew, “gift”)
- Koha (unisex, Māori, “gift”)
- Makana (unisex, Hawaiian, “gift”)
- Hiba (girl, Arabic, “gift”)
- Donatella (girl, Italian, “gift”)
Theodore and Mateo are well-used, so they are an easy fit. Koha (Māori) and Makana (Hawaiian) are rarer and both work for any gender.
Names for peace, joy and hope
“Joy to the World” and “peace on earth” run all through Christmas carols. These names carry the same feeling without shouting “Christmas”.
Joy and happiness
- Joy (girl, English, “joy, delight”)
- Gioia (girl, Italian, “joy”)
- Kalea (girl, Hawaiian, “joy”)
- Farah (girl, Arabic, “joy”)
- Felicity (girl, Latin, “happiness”)
- Beatrice (girl, Latin, “she who brings happiness”)
Peace
- Irene (girl, Greek, “peace”)
- Frida (girl, German, “peace”)
- Paz (unisex, Spanish, “peace”)
- Pax (unisex, Latin, “peace”)
- Mira (girl, Slavic, “peace”)
- Shanti (girl, Sanskrit / Indian, “peace”)
- Solomon (boy, Hebrew, “peace”)
Virtue names
- Hope (girl, English, “hope”)
- Faith (girl, English, “faith, trust”)
- Grace (girl, Latin, “grace, charm”)
Light and candlelight names
Christmas lights, candles and the Advent wreath make light names a natural fit. In Sweden and other Nordic countries, Saint Lucia’s Day on 13 December is celebrated with candles, which gives Lucia and Lucy an extra December link.
- Lucy (girl, Latin, “light”)
- Lucia (girl, Latin, “light”)
- Lucian (boy, Latin, “light”)
- Luz (girl, Spanish, “light”)
- Noor (unisex, Arabic, “light”)
- Hikari (unisex, Japanese, “light”)
- Helen (girl, Greek, “torch, shining light”)
- Kiran (unisex, Sanskrit / Indian, “ray of light”)
- Eliora (girl, Hebrew, “God is my light”)
- Chandler (boy, English, “candle maker”)
- Ember (girl, English, “glowing coal”)
- Aidan (boy, Irish, “little fire”)
Evergreen and winter names
In the northern hemisphere, Christmas means snow, evergreen trees and holly on the door. These names borrow that picture-card feel.
- Holly (girl, English, “holly tree”)
- Ivy (girl, English, “ivy plant”)
- Juniper (girl, Latin, “juniper tree”)
- Winter (unisex, English, “the winter season”)
- Eira (girl, Welsh, “snow”)
- Eirlys (girl, Welsh, “snowdrop”)
- Yuki (unisex, Japanese, “snow, happiness (kanji vary)”)
- Bianca (girl, Italian, “white”)
- Blanche (girl, French, “white”)
Juniper is an evergreen, so it slots in beside Holly and Ivy. Eira and Eirlys are Welsh and very rare in Australia, which suits parents who want something festive but unexpected.
Red and gold names
Red and gold are the classic Christmas colours, from Santa’s suit to tinsel and wrapping paper.
- Ruby (girl, Latin, “red gemstone”)
- Scarlett (girl, English, “scarlet red”)
- Rory (unisex, Irish, “red king”)
- Rowan (unisex, Irish, “little red one”)
- Aurelia (girl, Latin, “golden”)
- Zlata (girl, Slavic, “golden”)
- Xanthe (girl, Greek, “golden, fair-haired”)
The Aussie summer twist
Christmas in Australia lands in the middle of summer, so a December baby here is more likely to meet the beach than the snow. If a wintry name feels wrong for a hot Christmas, try one that matches the season you are actually having.
Sun and summer
- Summer (girl, English, “the summer season”)
- Sol (unisex, Spanish, “sun”)
- Marisol (girl, Spanish, “sea and sun”)
- Elio (boy, Italian, “sun”)
- Hinata (unisex, Japanese, “sunny place”)
Sea and sky
- Marina (girl, Latin, “of the sea”)
- Kai (unisex, Hawaiian, “sea”)
- Moana (unisex, Māori, “ocean, sea”)
- Kailani (girl, Hawaiian, “sea and sky”)
- River (unisex, English, “flowing river”)
- Skye (unisex, Scottish, “after the Isle of Skye”)
- Sora (unisex, Japanese, “sky”)
Pair one of these with a Christmas middle name and you get the best of both: Summer Noel, Kai Nicholas or Marina Joy all mark the date without sounding like a novelty.
How to choose a Christmas name you’ll still love in July
A seasonal name has to work all year, not just in December. A few quick tests help.
- Say it out loud in a normal sentence. “Holly’s got soccer at four” sounds natural. If a name only works with tinsel around it, it may suit a middle name better.
- Think about the birthday. A Christmas-time birthday already competes with the holiday. Some families love a name that leans into it, and others prefer a subtler link like Lucy, Stella or Theodore.
- Use the middle name slot. Noel, Holly and Ivy make easy middle names, so you can keep a favourite first name and still mark the season.
- Check the full meaning. Look the name up on the baby name meanings page so you know its origin as well as its meaning.
- Test it with siblings. Say the full set of names together. Ivy and Rose sound like a matched pair, while Rudolph next to Olivia might feel like a stretch.
- Shortlist and share. Save favourites in the baby name generator, then print a list from the printable baby name lists page to compare over the holidays.
Find more festive names with the generator
The names above are a starting point. To dig further, open the baby name generator and try a few filters.
- Girl plus Latin origin brings up names like Stella, Lucia, Celeste and Aurelia.
- Any gender plus Hawaiian origin turns up beachy, festive picks like Hoku, Makana and Kailani.
- Starting letter N finds Noel and Nicholas alongside other options.
- Short names (4 letters or fewer) suit a long surname and give you Noel, Ivy, Joy, Eve and Luz.
Tap Save on anything you like, and your shortlist stays on your device.
Frequently asked questions
What baby name means Christmas?
Noel is the clearest example. It comes from the French word for Christmas and is used for boys and girls. Kirsten and Kirsty mean “follower of Christ”, and Christopher means “bearer of Christ”.
Is Holly a Christmas name?
Holly simply means “holly tree”, but because holly is one of the best-known Christmas plants, most people hear it as a festive name. It is also an everyday name, so it won’t feel out of place outside December.
What are some subtle Christmas names?
Try Lucy or Lucia (Saint Lucia’s Day is 13 December), Stella or Seren (both mean star), Theodore (gift of God) or Stephen (Saint Stephen’s Day is 26 December). They have a Christmas link without spelling it out.
What are good Christmas names for boys?
Nicholas, Gabriel, Joseph, Jasper, Stephen, Theodore and Matthew are strong boy picks. Noel, Robin, Rory and Winter work for any gender.
Do I have to have a December baby to use a Christmas name?
Not at all. Many of these names, like Grace, Lucy, Ruby and Theodore, are everyday names first. Choose the meaning or sound you love, whenever your baby arrives.