During the '90s, the biggest hurdles many of us faced were feeding our Tamagotchi pets regularly and deciding which of our 12 pairs of LA Gears to wear to class. The decade inspired us to rock colorful scrunchies, watch (amazing) teen dramas, and think about exactly what our future lives would be after a game of M.A.S.H. And now that we're older, the '90s are influencing some of us in a whole new way: baby names.
You might remember classic names from your childhood, like Ashley or Amanda. But the decade of our youth had so many more amazing name choices to offer. Whether you had a beloved teen idol on Beverly Hills, 90210 or just a favorite Power Ranger, you can be certain thre's a classic baby name out there that's perfect for your little bundle of joy.
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Take a stroll down memory lane with us as we revisit some of our favorite throwback '90s-inspired baby girl names that give us all the feels. You never know, you just might stumble upon a nostalgic favorite that could make for the perfect title for your little girl on the way.
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And should you start reading through this list and feel a bit of longing for the glorious, *Saved by the Bell–*filled days of your youth, don't say we didn't warn you.
Kelly
It's hard to look at the name Kelly without envisioning a beautiful blonde walking the halls of West Beverly High — or a brunette cheerleader at Bayside. Jennie Garth brought Kelly Taylor to life on Beverly Hills, 90210, which will forever be a staple '90s show. What's interesting is that Kelly, a gender-neutral Irish surname, is thought to mean "war" or "strife," which could explain the battles Taylor had with frenemy Valerie Malone (Tiffani Thiessen) on the show.
Ironically, Thiessen also played the incomparable Kelly Kapowski on Saved by the Bell.
Brenda
Since we're talking about Beverly Hills, 90210, you'll find it damn hard not to bring up the name Brenda — as in Brenda Walsh, played by Shannen Doherty. Though only 24,921 girls born in the '90s rocked the name Brenda, it's hard not to associate this classic title with the era of our youth.
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Kristy
If it wasn't for Kristy's "big idea," the fictional character would've never rounded up her friends to create the baby-sitters club. These Ann M. Martin books were true page-turners, with tons of '90s kids spending their school breaks catching up on the series — including all those fun super and mystery specials.
Though The Baby-Sitters Club gave us so many characters in the books and TV series (and movie) to love, Kristy will forever be a fan favorite that might inspire parents to bestow the name on their daughters.
Ashley
Ashley was the second most popular '90s girl baby name. That makes total sense considering how many Ashleys we knew in K-12! Not only was Ashley the name of second youngest Banks kid, Ashley Banks, on the The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but Ashley also represents half of the Olsen twin duo (you know, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen?) from Full House.
Needless to say, the name Ashley is an enticing favorite.
Lisa
Practically everyone had a friend in school named Lisa — or a friend of a friend you knew in passing who maybe gave you fashion goals by channeling Lisa Turtle (Lark Voorhies) from Saved by the Bell. Plus, Lisa is a well-known '90s cartoon character on The Simpsons that's STILL on TV today. (Feel old yet?)
A pet name for Elizabeth, which means "God is my oath," Lisa is a classic baby name that's still pretty darn cute.
Kimberly/Kimmy
Depending on which Kim came to the door, you would either open it and welcome her with open arms, or tell her to go home. Thanks to Kimberly, the kick-ass pink ranger from the epic TV series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and Kimmy, the annoying neighbor everyone loved from Full House, expectant moms and dads have two baby name options that are full of '90s feels.
Lydia
If you can't guess the movie that inspired the name Lydia, you missed out growing up. Beetlejuice is a cult classic that gave us feels and possibly made us want to boo up with a ghost. Lydia Deetz (played by Winona Ryder) made it cool to not give a damn, wear tons of black, and seek friendships with people who are different from you — even if said differences include the afterlife.
Nearly 17,000 girls born in the '90s had the name Lydia, which makes this title spec spooktacular.
Clarissa
If you were a '90s kid, chances are you said no to a Claire's mall run with the girls on Friday nights so you could stay home and watch SNICK and Clarissa Explains It All. Melissa Joan Hart's character, Clarissa Darling, was the quintessential teen who was so relatable.
Noted by BabyNameWizard.com as a popular '90s baby name, Clarissa definitely has star power, as the title hails from the Latin clārus that means "bright" or "famous."
Phoebe
Admit it: When you saw this photo of Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), the song "Smelly Cat" instantly came to mind. There's no way we could ever talk about the '90s without discussing this fave from the hit series Friends.
Though Phoebe was known for being silly and goofy, the baby name Phoebe actually comes from the Greek phoibos that means "bright" or "bright one" — so take that, naysayers!
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Lenni
Don't sit up here and act like you never watched the show Ghostwriter! This crime-solving PBS show was life in the '90s, giving us inspiration to solve mysteries and harness our reading and writing skills that would make any English teacher proud.
Ghostwriter also gave us some happening baby name ideas — like Lenni, in honor of Lenni Frazier, the aspiring songstress who blessed us with the song "You Gotta Believe."
Jessica
"Look right down any crowded hall, you'll see there's a beauty standing. Is she really everywhere, or a reflection?"
There were certain books you read from cover to cover growing up in the '90s, and Francine Pascal's Sweet Valley High was definitely a series you had in your Jansport backpack. This book series-turned-show gave us Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield, identical twin siblings withvery different styles.
While we're fans of Elizabeth, the name Jessica is actually the most popular '90s girl name, and we can't help but love it.
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Cindy
Before the Gigi Hadids and Kendall Jenners of the world graced the runway, we had some pretty fierce models in the '90s — like Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss, and Cindy Crawford, to name a few. Cindy was a bombshell who made it cool to rock a mole without care or concern. We love the name Cindy for a baby and think it would sashay and strut for a long time to come.
Delia
Sooo, how old does it make you feel knowing dELia's is still a f*cking thing?! dELia's catalogs were life growing up in the '90s (the brand first came on the scene in 1993), often making us fall in love with the ugliest of button-down floral prints, platform shoes, and enough colorful bobby pins and hair accessories to give Gwen Stefani a run for her money.
dELia's is still around today and has proven to have true staying power in captivating the hearts of tweens and teens across the country — while inspiring us former adolescents to consider the name Delia for our daughters.
Julia/Jules
Though only 59,933 girls born in the '90s were named Julia, there's simply no denying the mark Julia Roberts, "America's Sweetheart," left on the decade. This kween starred in a movie (sometimes two or three) every year of the '90s, which makes both Roberts and the name Julia give us major '90s vibes.
And, if you don't like Julia, you can always go with her nickname, Jules — just like Julia rocked in the hit film My Best Friend's Wedding.
Claire
If you shopped at Claire's, you were one of the coolest kids in school. That place has everything (it still does!) — from earrings to bracelets, headbands, and special occasion clutches. It was the place to be and earns a hat tip, as Claire also happens to be a precious baby name.
Blossom
Who needs any other floral name when you have Blossom? This adorable title was not only the name of the teen protagonist Blossom in — you guessed it — Blossom, but it was also the name of one of the Powerpuff Girls, which makes the title extra cool.
