Noelle

Everyone knows Noelle as the ultimate Christmas name. But what makes it such a staple for holiday-season babies?

French and festive, Noelle comes fresh out of the stocking as a female variant ofNoel—a moniker that was popular throughout the Middle Ages for children born during Christmastime. Its origins trace back to the Latin phrase nātālis dĭēs—which literally means “Christmas,” or “born on Christmas”—making things merry and bright right off the bat.

As for namesakes, you’ll be jolly to know that Noelle has quite a few you’ll recognize. But amongst the most famous are Noelle Kringle from the Anna Kendrick Christmas film Noelle, and musician Noelle Scaggs from the indie band Fitz and The Tantrums. “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus will also ring a bell! (“Her name is Noelle, I have a dream about her”)

Whether Noelle is strictly Yule-tied or all-year-round is still a hot topic in The Bump community. “My name is Noelle, and I was born in June, so I think it goes for any time of year. I do love it—but I have to admit that I got tired of kids singing ‘The First Noel’ to me when I was young. I still always get the question, ‘Were you born around Christmas?' when someone first meets me,” says forum member bay741. Either way, it sleighs!

Fun Facts About the Name Noelle

• Noelle is known for major firsts in sport: In 2007, athlete Noelle Pikus-Pace made history as the first American woman to win the skeleton World Championships.
• It’s a total ‘60s sweetheart: Social Security Administration (SSA) records show that Noelle first skyrocketed to popularity in the '60s, during the rise of holiday TV specials and pop covers of “The First Noel.”
• Why the dots?: The umlaut (yes, those two dots!) in the traditional spelling of Noelle (Noëlle) is the reason we pronounce the name as two syllables (no-el) instead of one (nole).