Choosing the name for the new little bundle of joy can be a challenging task for soon-to-be parents.
But for those born around the festive period, some parents might want to take inspiration from the season. According to research conducted by card company Funky Pigeon, names such as Holly and Noelle are proving to be popular for girls and Joseph and Gabriel are being picked for boys.
Funky Pigeon conducted analysis on ONS’s recently released baby name data to reveal the most popular baby names that scream festive spirit.
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Topping the list is the name Ivy with 2245 babies being given the name in 2021, ranking 5th out of all girl names in the UK, up from 6th in 2020. Although Ivy isn’t just a Christmas plant it’s featured in the Christmas Carol “The Holly and the Ivy” by Andrew Peterson giving it a real Christmassy feel.
In second place, and quite a way behind number one, is Bella with 730 baby girls being given this name in 2021, ranking 72nd overall, down from 63rd in 2020. The name is traditionally the short form of Isabella, which is the Italian form of Isabel. Also from the Italian word for Bella, meaning “beautiful”. Bella (and Belle which is number eight in the list) inspire the image of Christmas bells.
In third place is Holly, as 568 baby girls were given this name in 2021, ranking 95th out of all girl names in the UK, down from its 2020 position of 81st. Holly has been a key Christmas addition for centuries, in fact prior to Victorian times the term ‘Christmas tree’ actually referred to holly. Holly is also one of the birth flowers of December, making it a fitting name for a December baby.
Meanwhile for boys, first on the list is Jack with 2,847 baby boys being called Jack in 2021, it was also the 13th most popular boys name in the UK in 2021, down from 10th in 2020. Although the name doesn’t appear particularly Christmassy, it is the name of key Christmas characters such as Jack Frost and Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas.
In second place a key figure in the nativity, Joseph with 1,307 baby boys carrying the name in 2021. Joseph was of course Mary’s husband.
In third another nativity staple, Gabriel, 749 little ‘angel’ boys were given the name last year. Gabriel is the name of the angel sent to tell Mary that she was pregnant with the son of God.
The top 15 Christmassy girls names in 2021
| Rank | Name | Count | What makes it Christmassy |
| 1 | Ivy | 2,245 | One of the two plants mentioned in the Christmas carol, the Holly and the Ivy. |
| 2 | Bella | 730 | Bella is a nod to Christmas bells. |
| 3 | Holly | 568 | Holly was the original Christmas tree before the pine was introduced. It is also dubbed ‘The Crown’ in the Christmas carol, the Holly and the Ivy. |
| 4 | Anna | 545 | The name of one of the main characters in the winter Disney hit, Frozen and Frozen II. |
| 5 | Gabriella | 354 | The feminine form of the name Gabriel, the name of the angel sent to tell Mary she was pregnant with the son of Christ. |
| 6 | Eve | 281 | Such as Christmas eve, it also has a wintery feel due to evenings being longer throughout winter. |
| 7 | Mary | 148 | The name of the mother of Christ. |
| 8 | Belle | 147 | Another nod to Christmas bells. |
| 9 | Gloria | 70 | From “Gloria in excelsis Deo” (Latin for “Glory to God in the highest”) which a Christian hymn often sung at Christmas. |
| 10 | Elsa | 69 | The name of one of the main characters in the winter Disney hit, Frozen and Frozen II. |
| 11 | Angelina | 44 | A diminutive of the name Angela, meaning ‘Messenger of God’. |
| 12 | Noelle | 37 | Feminine form of Noel or Noël meaning “of or born on Christmas.” |
| 13 | Star | 23 | The wise men followed the North Star to reach the birthplace of Jesus. |
| 14 | Jovie | 20 | The name of Buddy’s love interest in the 2003 film Elf, played by Zooey Dechanel. This name has increased in popularity by 122% compared to 2020. |
| 15 | Snow | 11 | Without snow there would be no White Christmas, this unique name is perfect for someone that wants something a little different for their winter baby. |
Christmas themed boys names in 2021
| Rank | Name | Count | What makes it Christmassy |
| 1 | Jack | 2,847 | Jack Skellington and Jack Frost share the name. |
| 2 | Joseph | 1,307 | The husband of the virgin Mary, mother of Christ |
| 3 | Gabriel | 749 | The name of the angel sent to tell Mary she is pregnant with Christ. |
| 4 | Luke | 496 | The Gospel of Luke contains the birth of Christ and therefore Christmas. |
| 5 | Nicholas | 321 | As a tribute to St Nicholas (Santa Claus). |
| 6 | Kevin | 285 | Lead character in the popular Christmas movie Home Alone. |
| 7 | Frank | 285 | Frank is a tribute to Frankincense, one of the gifts given by the Wise Men. |
| 8 | Christian | 190 | Christian as Christmas is a Christian holiday. |
| 9 | Emmanuel | 125 | Emmanuel is one of the names of Jesus Christ in the Bible. |
| 10 | Timothy | 113 | The Character Tiny Tim plays a key part of Scrooge’s redemption in A Christmas Carol. |
| 11 | Buddy | 107 | The name of the protagonist in the 2003 Christmas film Elf. |
| 12 | Noel | 75 | Noel or Noël is derived from the Old French word, “nael,” meaning “of or born on Christmas.” |
| 13 | Clark | 45 | From the National Lampoon’s Christmas protagonist Clark Griswold. |
| 14 | Olaf | 27 | The name of the snowman sidekick in the wintery Disney hit, Frozen and Frozen II. Olaf even got his own Christmas Disney short in 2017. |
| 15 | Clement | 17 | Author of 1823 poem A Visit from St. Nicholas (commonly called The Night Before Christmas), Clement Clarke. |
| 16 | Ebenezer | 14 | First name of the Christmas grump turned hero Ebenezer Scrooge from A Christmas Carol. |
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