Written by Anne Donahue for BabyPost.com
The holiday season is upon us, and if you're expecting someone (a little "bundle of joy," perhaps), you may want to make his or her arrival extra festive. That's why we've rounded up our favourite holiday-inspired baby names, so that come Christmas every year, they'll be reminded of what a great gift they were to you.
Girls
Holly - On top of being one of the most famous holiday flowers, Holly is a traditional English name. One that promises not to be too dated or Christmas-centric, it's a name that will grow with your daughter, rather than one she will grow out of.
Natalie - Here's something you may not have known: Natalie actually means Christmas. Stemming from the Latin word for "birthday," it's meant to refer to the one we commemorate every December 25, or if you're non-denominational, the reason families come together and hang out.
Gloria - Another name from Latin descent, Gloria translates to "glory," which is one of the most prominent words in most Christmas hymns. On the flipside, it's also prominent in pop culture: in addition to having been coined in a play by George Bernard Shaw titled "You Never Can Tell," All In The Family's Gloria was one of TV's most beloved daughters.
Christina/Christine - It's true: a lot of Christmas-centric names have religious meanings. Christine and Christina are no different, since their Latin origins mean "follower of Christ." Maybe that's why the name sounds so much like "Christmas" (which is as close as you can get to naming your baby just that).
Ivy - Forget Ivy Lynn from Smash (as if any of us could) or Jay-Z and Beyonce's daughter, Ivy is another traditional Christmas plant, that's become synonymous with the holiday, as well as very fancy American schools.
Boys
Gabriel - Those familiar with the Christmas story will remember Gabriel as the angel who appears to Mary. Regardless, shortened to "Gabe," it's a name that can grow with your child -- especially since older names are making a huge comeback.
Noel - If your son is literally born on Christmas Day, you may have found the perfect name, since this one means exactly that. From the French word for "Christmas," there are various spellings and pronunciations of "Noel" (including Noelle), but this might be the best if you don't want an overly festive baby name.
Nicholas - Since Santa Claus comes from St. Nicholas, this could be the greatest tribute to the holiday yet. That, or to greatness and power, since Nicholas also means "victory of the people." (Which is what Christmas is REALLY about.)
Joseph - For a traditional Christmas name, look no further than Joseph, co-star of the Christmas story. From Hebrew origin, it's one of the oldest names in history, which probably explains why it's still so prevalent and sounds so great.
Kris - If you're willing to break outside of "Christopher," lean towards Kris, the next best tribute to Kris Kringle there is. However, in less festive terms, it's actually the Scandinavian way of spelling "Chris," so if you want your child to stand out, you may have found the first way to do it.
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