If we close our eyes and click our heels hard enough, we might transport ourselves back to the days of side ponytails, day glow T-shirts, and baggy jeans. The '90s were a special time for many millennials. Nickelodeon gave us tons of memorable shows, movies like Jurassic Park were blowing up the big screen, and celebrities like the band Hanson were making the jams we were painting our toe nails to. All of which is to say that the '90s could become inspiration for the perfect baby name.
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Whether folks refuse to stop watching Ahh, Real Monsters episodes on the Internet, can't help but say "I'm outtie" at their coworkers as they leave for the day, or are still rocking their baby dolls dresses and butterfly clips, this walk down memory lane will hit harder than the Macarena.
Speaking of '90s tunes, turn up the OutKast, Britney Spears, *NSYNC, and the Backstreet Boys! We can't get enough of our throwback station on Pandora — and guess what? They totally make great inspiration for baby names!
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Here's a look at some rad stars, shows, and '90s memorabilia that give us the most nostalgic of baby names. We promise it will be all that and a bag of chips, super fly, and totally phat. Outtie 5000!
Michael
In case you didn't know, the name Michael was the most popular boy name of the '90s, with 462,302 little ballers- and pop stars-in-training sporting the title. Given its hotness, it's hard not to assume a little-known basketball superstar by the name of Michael Jordan had anything to do with it — or a lesser-known icon who went by the name of Michael Jackson. Both men possessed otherworldly talent and helped make the name Michael extremely powerful. So, when in doubt, go with Michael.
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Zack
Just hearing the name Zack Morris should make every hair on the back of your neck stand up. He was THE GUY on Saved by the Bell (sorry, A.C.) who made us swoon and laugh and swoon again. Maybe it was the way he placed his hands in his jean pockets, or how he wore his high-top sneakers, or that Jurassic phone he rocked.
Regardless, the name Zack gives us all sorts of '90s nostalgia.
Brandon/Brendan
Swoon!
Tons of hotties — from Brandon Walsh (aka Jason Priestley) on Beverly Hills, 90210 to actor Brendan Fraser — donned these classic names that have us reminiscing about the '90s. We can't get enough of Brandon and Brendan, as both titles make us want to write an anonymous love note and stuff it in their lockers after homeroom.
Jonathan
If you didn't hang up the Jonathan Taylor Thomas and/or Jonathan Brandis posters that came in those YM-type magazines, you truly have no soul. These two were the epitome of heartthrobs during the '90s, making teens (and adults) giggle with their beautiful eyes and smiles — which likely made the name Jonathan ultra popular.
The Social Security Administration estimates 197,432 Jonathans sported this name during the '90s, which makes this title totally all that.
Kevin
One of the many perks of growing up in the '90s was getting to watch some of the very best classic TV shows. The Wonder Years was such a beloved coming-of-age show that always kept us guessing whether or not Kevin and Winnie would go the distance.
The name Kevin also earned popularity thanks to those hilarious *Home Alone* movies (starring Macaulay Culkin) that had kids wishing their parents would accidentally leave them at home during family vacations.
Hanson/Hansen
"Mmmbop, ba duba dop, ba du bop, ba duba dop, ba du bop, ba duba dop, ba du, yeah-hhh."
Before rappers starting belting out random sound effects on their tracks, we had Hanson, who blessed us with the most random of songs, like "MMMBop." Thanks to the '90s hit that's likely still stuck in your head to this very day, we can all look back to this once-popular bro band and thank them for the baby name Hanson.
Joey
Whoa!
Joey is one of those names that's familiar and comforting. Joey could be your bestie's goofy but hot brother, or a neighbor across the hall who keeps the laughs coming. Obviously, Joey Lawrence (Blossom) and Matt LeBlanc (Friends) leave us jonesing for a Joey — so we'll add it to our short list of '90s-inspired baby names.
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Cody
"Step by step, day by day. A fresh start over, a different hand to play."
Sorry.
Cody Lambert (Sasha Mitchell) was #cousingoals who made us laugh and wonder if living in a van in your uncle's driveway could actually become a thing. We love the name Cody and still believe it's a happening baby name.
Jamal
Aside from likely knowing *at least* three Jamals growing up, who else watched the animated series *C Bear and Jamal*? Making teddy bears hip well before the days of *Ted*, C Bear was a curious little thing who often gave advice and embarked on some wild adventures with Jamal.
We're not saying this show influenced a series of little Jamal gents in the '90s — though the Arabic title was actually quite common during the era — but boy is it fun to travel back in time with this show!
Rocky
"Rocky loves Emily! Rocky loves Emily!"
3 Ninjas was a quintessential '90s karate movie that likely inspired so many kids to practice their kiai screams and high kicks on the playground. One character who dazzled us with his martial arts talent and charming face was Rocky, played by Michael Treanor. He practically put the name Rocky back on the map (well, after Sylvester Stallone) and gives expectant moms and dads another unique option for their favorite name list.
Ken/Kenneth
Matthew
Please catch us as we fall back in love with these '90s babes! Matthew Fox kept tweens and teens across the country glued to their televisions to watch the Salinger siblings tackle life in Party of Five. And, as for Matthew Lawrence, this stud made us stop and take notice on shows like Brotherly Love and Boy Meets Girl.
Both Matthews have the ability melt hearts, which is why we're circling the name Matthew as a contender for our baby name short list.
Spencer
"Who, who, who has got a crush on you?"
If you ever went to a sleepover in the '90s, chances are you played the game Dream Phone, where true love is just a guess and phone number away. Though it's crazy to think about how giddy we once felt searching for our secret admirers, there were some memorable suitors — like Spencer — whose name and Reel Movies card we'll never forget.
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Kurt
We have Kurt Russell and the late Kurt Cobain to thank for our love of the name Kurt. Both men left their mark on the '90s, with Cobain lending his vocals and guitar powers to the hit band Nirvana, and Russell practically starring in a film every year of the decade (Captain Ron, Tombstone).
Tyler
"First rule of Fight Club is: You do not talk about Fight Club."
*Fight Club*was THE movie that will forever be considered a '90s classic thanks to Brad Pitt's rock hard abs character, Tyler Durden. Tyler was such a popular name during the decade, it held the title of ninth most popular boy name of the '90s.
Impressive.
