‘Tis the season for sweaters, gifts (take a peek at our ample gift guides for good ideas), and sweet treats, like this holiday rainbow cookie cake, and for some who are expecting, it’s also the time to decide on a unique baby name. Whether you’re preparing for a holiday birth or just adding to your baby name wish list, you’re going to love how merry and bright these names will make you feel. While these monikers all have a seasonal spirit, they’re still perfectly suited for a brand new bundle of joy born any day of the year.
1. Holly: From Holly Hobby to Holly Golightly, this name conjures up images of sweet, whimsical, headstrong women steeped in classic American pop culture history. It’s also, of course, a flowering plant with a very pretty berry associated with the holiday season.
2. Noel or Noelle: French for “Christmas,” Noel is a beautiful word associated with the peace and joy of the holiday. And depending on how it’s pronounced, it’s commonly known as both a boy and girl’s name.
3. Joy: It doesn’t get much simpler than this when it comes to naming a baby after the very emotion it’s bringing into the world. Bonus points for brevity!
4. Carol: Naming your kid after a joyous piece of music? Sweet indeed. Oh, just think of all the puns you can make with those birth announcements (“Here we come a-Carol-ing…”)
5. Leila, Laila or Layla: Hebrew for the word “night,” this lovely trio of names bring to mind both a classic rock anthem and the calmness of each evening of Hanukkah. Versatile, no?
6. December: As all-encompassing as a holiday name can get, this quirky name stands out in a crowd with its distinctive sound and a hint of twinkle in there too.
7. January: Sure, we’ve all heard of January Jones, but the name is lovely because it’s the first month of the year and a promise of new beginnings.
8. Natalia: Meaning “Christmas Day” in Latin, this word conjures up festive images from around the world — namely Italy, Romania, Spain, Portugal, Greek, Russia, Ukraine and Poland: all places where it still means exactly the same thing.
9. Cinnamon: It’s the signature spice of the holiday season, and even the word itself sounds cozy and wonderful. (Granted, we’re a little biased since one of our very own Brit + Co contributors has the very same name!)
10. Joseph: Whether he grows up to be Joe, Joey or just J, any little one born with this name is going to have lots of ways to abbreviate it.
11. Angel: Pure and sweet, this name couldn’t be more perfect to bestow on a newborn. After all, that’s exactly what each one is… before diaper duty kicks in, anyway.
12. Mary: For new parents who are holiday traditionalists, it doesn’t get any more Christmas-inspired than Mary herself.
13. Merry: For parents who are less traditional but every bit as in love with the holidays, this is a very cool alternative. Plus, it just brings to mind a very happy, jolly time of year.
14. Gabrielor Gabrielle: All babies are angelic, so what’s better than the Hebrew name of one very important celestial messenger in a seriously famous story?
15. Bell: Particularly perfect for new parents in search of a name with a certain ring to it (pun intended), this name has subtle holiday ties, but is also generally pretty any time of year. Also, it’s a departure from the more conventional spelling of “Belle,” which means beautiful in French.
16. Rosemary: Who doesn’t love the chic beauty of a tiny rosemary bush doubling as a holiday tree? This fragrant herb is found throughout all sorts of natural holiday decor, and it’s an old-school name with lots of vintage charm.
17. Eve: Classic and beautiful, this name carries both the verve of a 1950s screen goddess and the natural wonder of a sunset. It’s also an amazing name for someone born on December 24 or 31. Just saying.
18. Shamash: A Hebrew word meaning “attendant,” this word describes the highest candle in a menorah, used to light the other candles. The beautifully symbolic name is a touching tribute to a family’s spiritual heritage.
19. Claus: Greek for “people’s victory,” this name can be pronounced more like “Klauss” than “Clause,” giving a subtle nod to the jolly man with the sleigh while maintaining some shred of schoolyard dignity.
20. Rudolph: Sure, it’s a little on the nose (see what we did there?) but hey, it worked just fine for Valentino and Giuliani, both of whom grew up to be leaders in their fields… just like a certain red-nosed reindeer we’ve all heard stories about.
What’s your favorite holiday-inspired name? Tweet us @britandco!
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.