Christmas baby names

If your baby is due on or around Christmas you may wish to mark their arrival with a suitably festive name. Here’s a selection that Babyworld have put together, including Christmas and Jesus! But no puddings or crackers, thank goodness. Or Rennie …

Angela (or Angelica, Angelina)

The feminine form of ‘Angel’, which used to be a male name but is now used
for females except for in Spain. The origins of these names lie in the Greek
language, meaning ‘messenger’. Celebrity stars: Angelina Jolie, Angelica
Houston, Angela Lansbury

Carol (or Carole, Carolina, Carolyn, Caroline, Carrie)

We couldn’t resist this one. Carol is either the shortened version of Caroline
(the feminine form of Charles) or comes from a Welsh name meaning ‘courageous
in war’: take your pick. We liked this because of its usage during the festivities.
Celebrity star: Carol Vorderman,

Christmas

Believe it or not, Christmas is a proper girl’s name, meaning ‘Christ’s
Mass’ in Greek. A possible if you’re a Christmas fanatic but it could get
a little wearing in the middle of summer… Celebrity star: situation vacant!

Clementine (Clementina)

Admittedly, this girl’s name’s origins don’t lie in the festive season (it
was first used in the 19th century and became popular with the nursery rhyme
‘Oh my darling Clementine). However, that’s when those delicious oranges
are at their most abundant and it’s a pretty name (a lot nicer, at any rate,
than ‘satsuma’). Celebrity star: My darling Clementine…

Ebenezer

Made famous by Dickens’ tale A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer is actually from
Hebrew origin, and it means ‘rock of help’ after a memorial stone erected
by the prophet Samuel to mark a critical defeat and a victory in Jewish
history. It’s not a very common first name for boys here or abroad, perhaps
due to its association with the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge. Celebrity star:
Ebenezer Scrooge

Epifanio

This name has Hispanic and Greek roots and means ‘bringing light’. You’re
probably more familiar with the English equivalent of ‘Epiphany’ though
we’re not sure we’ve ever heard of anyone called by this name in the UK.
In the Catholic calendar, epiphany is the season that follows Christmas,
hence the relevance of it as a potential Christmas name. Celebrity star:
situation vacant!

Gabriel/Gabrielle (Gabriella/Gaby)

Anyone familiar with the Christmas story will know that Gabriel was the
archangel responsible for letting Mary know she was going to give birth
to the son of God. The feminine forms are variations on Gabriel. Celebrity
stars: Gabriel Byrne, Gabrielle, her from Desperate Housewives

Holly (Hollie)

The evergreen plant Holly has now become synonymous with Christmas so is
a popular choice with girls born around Christmas. Celebrity stars: Holly
Hunter, Holly Valance

Jesus

The man himself. Although this name, meaning ‘God saves’ isn’t used very
much in English-speaking countries, in Hispanic-speaking Catholic countries,
it is a very popular choice for male babies. Celebrity star: Jesus of course!

Joseph (Joe)

Made famous by the carpenter who was chosen by God to be the father-figure
of his only son, this remains a popular choice for boys throughout the
world. Celebrity star: Earth father of son of God

Mary (Marie, Maria, Mariah, Mari, Maire)

Although Mary isn’t always a very popular name in English-speaking countries
these days, in more religious countries such as Spain and Italy Maria is
a very common. Mary did, after all, give birth to Jesus so it has particular
relevance at this time of year. It has been suggested that the name’s origins
are Egyptian and mean ‘strong’ and ‘fertile’. Celebrity stars: mother of
God, Mary Magadalen, Mary Mary Quite Contrary, Mariah Carey, There’s Something
About Mary, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?

Natal

Again stemming from Spanish origins, Natal literally means ‘birthday’ and
specifically refers to Jesus’s birthday or, you guessed it, Christmas. Any
of you keen geographers will also know that it’s the name of a province
in South Africa, thus called because explorer Vasco de Gama first spotted
the shore on Christmas Day in 1497. Celebrity star: situation vacant!

Nicholas (Nick)

This boy’s name certainly has prestige, meaning ‘victory’ and ‘people’ in
Greek, so most probably ‘conqueror’. This was the name of the fourth-century
saint, who was also known as Santa Claus, and the bishop of Myra- the patron
saint of Greece and Russia, and of sailors and children too. Celebrity stars:
Nick Hornby, Nicholas Cage, Nick Faldo

Noel/Noelle

Noel is related to Natal and means ‘Christmas’, as we all know from those
carols we like to sing. It can be given to both boys and girls and has been
in use since the middle ages. Celebrity stars: Noel Coward, Noel Edmond,
Noel Gallager (oh dear…), Noel Streatfield

Stella

We’re using some lateral thinking here, but the Christmas tale speaks of
the star of Bethlehem so why not mark your baby’s arrival at this time of
year with this pretty girl’s name? Celebrity stars: Stella McCartney, Stella
Artois

Tannon

No, not something you find in tea and red wine but an invented boy’s name
that is possibly based on ‘Tanner’ or ‘Shannon’ or on ‘tanne’ which means
‘fir tree’ in German. The relevance to Christmas? Think of the carol ‘O
Tannenbaum’ and you’re there. Celebrity star: situation vacant!

Tiffany

This girl’s name means ‘appearing from God’ in Greek and is the medieval
English form for Theophania, meaning ‘Epiphany’. It has subsequently been
given to girls born on 6 January. The novel Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman
Capote (and made into a successful 1960s film with Audrey Hepburn) has made
it increasingly popular. Celebrity stars: Tiffany (singer), jewellers, Breakfast
at…

Timothy

Timothy, of Greek origin, means ‘God’s honour’ and perhaps is best known,
in Biblical terms, for the young and loyal disciple of St Paul who was martyred
for denouncing Greek worshippers of the goddess Diana. More recently, the
name was immortalised in Dickens’ seasonal tale A Christmas Carol, which
features the fate of the crippled but cheerful child Tiny Tim. Celebrity
stars: Timothy West, Timothy Spall, Tim Henman, Tim Burton, Timbuktu…

Waite

Of Middle-English origin, the boy’s name Waite means ‘guard’ or ‘watchman’.
Its association with Christmas comes from the practice of calling Christmas
carolers ‘Waits’ because the tradition of singing carols started with groups
of watchmen who sang tunes as the night passed. Celebrity star: situation
vacant!

Wenceslaus

A nightmare of a name to spell, so perhaps not the best to give a boy. However,
if this Slavic name tickles your fancy, you’ll be pleased to know that its
meaning is ‘greater glory’. Everyone knows of the name from the famous 19th-century
Christmas carol ‘Good King Wenceslaus’, who was the patron saint of the
Czech Republic and a monarch of Bohemia in the 10th century. Celebrity star:
the Good King Wenceslaus

Yule