This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sophie Kihm, the editor in chief at Nameberry. It has been edited for length and clarity.
The season that you're expecting a baby can serve as a well of inspiration for naming. Sweater weather season isn't a great time to cozy up with your newborn — fall is also ripe with naming opportunities for baby boys and girls.
I'm seeing more parents name their child based on the season that they're born. It's an especially popular option for middle names.
Some fall baby names are obvious. Take Autumn for example, which has been in the top 100 names for American baby girls since the late 1990s. Others are much more subtle. These names are timeless and fashionable, but also nod to the season of your child's birth.
There are 22 fall baby names that will last a lifetime.
Rich colors are ubiquitous in the fall, from the changing leaves to the harvest-ready crops. So, it's natural that colors are a great source of inspiration when it comes to naming.
Goldie is a personal favorite. It has timeless elegance (think, Goldie Hawn), and is familiar but not common. The name has only appeared in the top 1,000 since 2021.
For boys, I love Bruno. The classic name means "brown." Despite the hit song, parents are, in fact, talking about Bruno, and this name has been ranked consistently since the late 1990s, but has never topped the charts.
Other color-inspired favorites are:
Beyond colors, you can draw naming inspiration from common fall symbols. Here, I like to think about Zodiac signs, flowers, festivals, and birthstones.
Baby girl names in this category include:
Baby boy names include:
While April and June have always been popular, I'm seeing more parents give their kids fall month names:
As the seasons change we're naturally more in touch with nature, which inspires a host of names, including:
People have been fascinated by the timing of birth for centuries. Giving your fall baby an autumn-inspired name is a great way to pay homage to when they arrived.