A parenting expert has shared some of her favourite festive-themed names for babies that are born around Christmas this year.
While many will be looking forward to the festivities with Christmas under a week away, others might be busy preparing for a new family member. The expert says that parents might regret an overly Christmassy name, and instead recommends some more low-key alternatives.
Allison Banfield of ProudHappyMama says that these names can be separated from Christmas and are able to stand on their own as nice names.
She explained: "If your child is born around the holidays, giving them a festive name can be a lovely way of honouring their birth at such a special time.
"However, many parents may find it off-putting to have wholly Christmas-inspired names for their kids because it can limit the creativity and tradition that comes with naming a baby.
"There are now trends where babies are given the most Christmassy names possible - and this does include Chestnut, Tinsel, and Santa.
"However, this may not be suited to every family who wants to find a name that can be separated from famous festivities."
Here are some of the more low-key names that Allison recommends, as well as their festive links - with some more obvious than others.
Avery
Allison explains that Avery means 'Ruler of the Elves', as well as being an already popular name according to recent data.
She said: "Avery is the perfect name for any child born during the holidays. This is because it harks back to Christmas themes with elves and magic, but it could also pass as a non-festive name too. "
The expert adds that the name comes from French and English origins, and it was ranked the 18th most popular name in 2019.
Natasha
Another name which Allison says has festive links without being too in-your-face is Natasha
The name directly translates to 'birthday', however Allison explains: "it was thought that the birthday in question was actually a religious one, so the meaning now follows 'born on Christmas'.
"However, many people are unaware of the origin of Natasha so it can be considered a subtle yet lovely nod to a holiday birth."
Michael
Everyone knows a Michael, and Allison points out that the common name also has some Christmas connotations.
"As the Chief Christmas Angel, and the 14th most popular baby name, Michael is definitely one of the favourite names of all time," said Allison.
She added that this is not necessarily because of its Christmas connection, but because of the diversity that it allows when it comes to nicknames.
Jack
Jack is an already hugely popular name which has remained in the top 50 list of baby names since 2000.
Allison shares its festive tie-in, saying: "Jack Frost! Perfect for any child born in the winter because of its icy association."
If you were to have a child during the festive season, what would you name it? Let us know in the comments below.
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