20 Baby Names Inspired by Our Favorite ’90s Cartoons

The ’90s brought us a lot of things, from jelly sandals to blow-up chairs to Beanie Babies. But, one of the best gifts that era bestowed upon us was some of the most epic cartoons ever! Between Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, ’90s kids were exposed to talking babies, sailor guardians, different species of Pokemon, and a girl who could talk to animals. The animation was so entertaining that reboots have been made of many of these iconic shows. There is even going to be a streaming service exclusively for Nicktoons, called NickSplat. The ’90s nostalgia is real and it just keeps on growing! 

Before there was Kim Possible, Phineas and Ferb, and The Proud Family in the 2000s, there was Rugrats, Hey Arnold!, Arthur, and The Wild Thornberrys. All of these shows had characters that were funny, smart, adventurous, kind, tough, or all of the above. I mean, who didn't dream of being a Powerpuff Girl or hanging out with the Rocket Power crew. And with all of these fun and awesome characters can actually come some pretty solid name inspiration. There are plenty of names that moms-to-be have probably not even considered. Some are more original, like Otto and Ash. Others are pretty common, like Susie and Charles. No matter what kind of name a mama is looking for, there are bound to be some interesting ones to consider from our favorite throwback cartoons. Here are 20 baby name ideas that are inspired by iconic ’90s animation.

ANGELICA

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Rugrats/IMDb

Angelica may have been mean and spoiled on Rugrats, but she did have a pretty cute name! The name Angelica is derived from the word angelic (like an angel), according to Baby Name Wizard.

ARNOLD

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Hey Arnold!/IMDb

Arnold was a really sweet kid in the Nickelodeon show Hey Arnold! The name Arnold means "powerful as an eagle."

SERENA

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Sailor Moon/IMDb

Although Sailor Moon's real name is Usagi, she became commonly known as Serena in the English-dubbed version of the ’90s cartoon. The name Serena is derived from serene, meaning "calm, peaceful, tranquil."

TOMMY

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Rugrats/IMDb

Tommy, the leader of the Rugrats bunch, was kind and logical (especially for a baby). Tommy is usually a nickname for Thomas, which is a biblical name.

DOUG

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Doug/IMDb

What ’90s kid didn't love watching Doug navigate Bluffington and write about it in his journal on Doug's Treasure Hunt? Doug is short for Douglas, which was a common Celtic river name.

ELIZA

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The Wild Thornberrys/IMDb

Eliza Thornberry could talk to animals, so it doesn't get much cooler than that. The name Eliza used to be short for Elizabeth, but it has become popular as an independent name over the years.

ARTHUR

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Arthur/IMDb

Name a more iconic aardvark than the title character on Arthur! Arthur is a Celtic name with an unknown meaning. It peaked in popularity in the 1880s.

DARIA

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Daria/IMDb

Daria was a smart and cynical girl on her show Daria. The name is the feminine form of Darius and makes a great choice for a little girl.

REGINA

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Rocket Power/IMDb

Regina "Reggie" Rocket may have been the coolest girl of ’90s animation. She surfed, skateboarded, snowboarded, and she was really smart and kind. Regina is a cute name for a baby girl.

DEXTER

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Dexter's Laboratory/IMDb

Dexter from Dexter's Laboratory was a genius and his name would be great for a little boy. The name peaked in popularity in 2012.

SUSIE

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Rugrats/IMDb

Everyone love Susie Carmichael on Rugrats. Susie was a sweet girl who looked out for the babies. Susie was a popular name back in the 1880s. It can also be a nickname for Susan.

ASH

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Pokemon/IMDb

Ash is a more unusual name from the hit show Pokemon. The name is "transferred use of the surname Ashton meaning 'belonging to Ashton."

JOHNNY

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Johnny Bravo/IMDb

Johnny Bravo was extremely confident. And don't forget about those famous karate chops. The name Johnny was most popular in the 1940s.

BLOSSOM

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The Powerpuff Girls/IMDb

Blossom was the leader of the Powerpuff Girls. Her name is adorable for a little girl. Very floral and upbeat.

GERALD

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Hey Arnold!/IMDb

Gerald was Arnold's loyal best friend in Hey Arnold! The name Gerald was most popular back in the 1930s.

MISTY

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Poekemon/IMDb

Misty was an awesome water Pokemon trainer! Misty is a pretty and distinctive name for a baby girl. The name didn't become popular until the 1970s.

ROCKO

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Rocko's Modern Life/IMDb

Rocko was the Australian wallaby from Rocko's Modern Life. The name is pretty uncommon, but can be a cool option for a baby boy.

OTTO

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Rocket Power/IMDb

Otto Rocket from Rocket Power was good at pretty much every sport. Otto is a German name which means "rich" or "wealth."

CHARLES

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Rugrats/IMDb

Chucky from Rugrats may have been afraid of everything, but he was sweet and lovable. The name Charles is a German, meaning "a man."

DEBBIE

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The Wild Thornberrys/IMDb

Debbie was Eliza Thornberry's cool older sister on The Wild Thornberrys. The name Debbie is traditionally a nickname for the Hebrew name Deborah.