A baby born in any season is special, but parents of winter newborns may want to take advantage of all of the inspiration the holidays bring when naming their little one. There are so many winter holiday-related monikers that are absolutely gorgeous and hold special meaning to people who look forward to this time of year. It may be chilly outside but this time of year is filled with warm family memories. And, hey, it isn't necessary to have a kid born in November or December to take advantage of names like Noel or Joy. Anyone who lives for all things holiday should feel free to embrace these merry monikers any time of the year.
If Christmas is a personal favorite, names like Holly, Noble, and Angel can make for sweet nods to December 25, even if baby's due date falls in the middle of summer. For Hanukkah, that holiday might inspire names like Judah, Arin, or Clay (as in the beloved holiday pastime of spinning the dreidel … made of clay). If it's Kwanzaa parents would love to pay homage to, there's always Imani (meaning Faith), Sira (the joining of friends), or Umoja (meaning unity).
But if the entirety of winter is a parent's jam, there are also some great options that could cover all of the bases. Take, for example, December (which can always be shortened to Ember), January (it sure does work for actually January Jones), and Winter.
Keep reading for little baby name inspiration, no matter which holiday touches the heart most.
DECEMBER
If it's too hard to choose just one holiday for baby name inspo, go for it all with the name December. It may not have experienced the same popularity as April, May, or June, but it has a lovely ring to it. Ember would also make for a cute nickname.
CLAUS
If it's good enough for the big guy in red, we think Claus could totally make a comeback over the holidays for a baby boy. Spell it with a C, spell it with a K, it's mom and dad's choice.
NICHOLAS
Piggybacking off of the name Claus, we'd be remiss if we didn't offer up Nicholas as a more traditional tribute to the Christmas season. Here's hoping that Santa baby is as jolly as the man of the hour himself.
JUDAH
Show Hanukkah a little love with the name Judah, a nod to Judah Maccabee. Judah is, of course, the central person in the story of Hanukkah.
ANGEL
Just as some people might top a Christmas tree with a gorgeous angel, the name Angel would be beautifully symbolic of the holiday. And the cutie already is one, so it would be apropos as well.
SNOW
Love the cold stuff that falls from the sky? Name baby Snow, which makes us think of winter and the fairytale princess Snow White.
JANUARY
If there's a New Year's baby in the works, consider the name January. And there's an easy shortened nickname with Jan.
CLAY
It's the stuff dreidels were made from and it's a strong name for a baby boy. Clay is well-time for Hanukkah, or any time of year, really.
IMANI
Imani means faith, perfect for those who enjoy observing Kwanzaa each year. Not to mention it's a beautiful name in general.
FAITH
And that brings us to the classic name of Faith, which offers some inspiration during the most thoughtful time of year. We could all use a little faith in our lives.
CHARITY
'Tis the season of giving, so a name like Charity is a pretty reminder that it is better to give than to receive. Mom and dad already have the greatest gift of all in this little bundle.
NOBLE
When we think Christmas we think trees, different types of trees. One of the most popular? The Noble, which would also make for a great baby boy name.
MIRACLE
The winter holidays are all about miracles, no matter which occasion the family celebrates. And the new little one is a Miracle in her own right.
MACK
Give the Maccabees a nod this Hanukkah season with the trending name of Mack. This guy is going to offer love and light for a long time to come.
DHATI
Dhati means determination, and self-determination is one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Perfect for a baby who is definitely going places.
NOEL
A great gender-neutral name for baby, Noel means the Christmas season. This name gets right down to business for Christmas lovers.
JESUS
Celebrate the birthday honoree himself with the name Jesus. In 2018 it ranks as the 312th most popular baby boy name.
CANE
For the love of candy canes, Cane makes a great baby boy name. Or spell it with a K to mix things up a bit.
WINTER
Sum up the season with the name Winter. Winne is a super cute nickname to shorten the moniker.
HOLLY
There are a few types of greenery that remind us of Christmas and out of all of 'em, Holly makes for the sweetest girl name. And there likely won't be much competition for the name once she hits elementary school. Holly ranked at 532 among baby girl names in 2018.
SIRA
One of Kwanzaa's seven purposes is unity. The name Sira, which means the joining of friends, is a lovely reflection of the holiday.
UMOJA
Another beautiful name that means unity, this time for a boy, is Umoja. Another moniker that lends a special meaning towards Kwanzaa.
CAROL
If caroling is a beloved family tradition around the holidays, consider the name Carol for a sweet girl. Variations of course could include Carolina, Caroline, or Carolyn.
JOY
Joy to the world … both in spirit and in name. Can anyone think of a happier name?
KRIS
Santa has many monikers, with Kris Kringle among them. Give the little guy the name of Kris with a K for a little homage to the guy who is keeping track of who has been naughty or nice this year.
SAINT
A name that has picked up in popularity in recent years is Saint. In this instance we're giving a nod to old Saint Nick. Hmmm … how about Nicholas for a middle name?
MERRY
Spread a little cheer each time baby is mentioned with the name Merry. It's almost impossible not to smile when saying that name.
STAR
Baby girl shines as bright as that tree topper, making Star a gorgeous and glowing name. Bonus points if she grows up to be a celebrity one day.
JOSEPH
Forget the Christmas accessories, tap into the story with the name Joseph. Shorten it up with Joe or Joey. Modify to Josephine for a baby girl.
ERON
Celebrating Hanukkah? The baby boy name Eron means peace or enlightened.
KEREN
Honor the Festival of Lights with a baby girl name like Keren. Fittingly, Keren means ray of light.
ZIV
Ziv means brightness, and it's also a really cool name for parents looking for something that starts with Z. Brightness feels like it would suit the Festival of Lights just right.
MARY
Pay homage to Mary this Christmas by giving baby girl the same moniker. It's classic, sweet, and never goes out of style.
CROSBY
This one might feel a little out of the box, but hear us out. It's hard not to think of iconic entertainer Bing Crosby around the holidays, and Crosby is a great gender-neutral name, so regardless of whether the bun in the oven is a boy or girl, it totally works.
HOPE
The winter holidays tend to bring out a little hope and tenderness. Add a Hope to the family during this festive time of year.
DOUGLAS
It's possible we have Christmas trees on the brain, but they really inspire a lot of great names. Take, for example, the Douglas fir. Douglas is an old-school name that boasts handsome class.
PAX
Meaning "peaceful," Pax is a strong name for any holiday. If ever there was a time for peace, it's now.
ASTRA
Another name meaning Star, Astra is beautiful and unusual. Chances are the baby is going to light up the holidays big time.
BALTHAZAR
Balthazar is said to be one of the three wise men. The name means Lord protect the king.
LUX
Lux is another name meaning light, which fits in so well during the winter holidays. When the dark days of winter set in, Lux will certainly brighten things up.
