02 December 2023 , 15:49
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If you're a fan of traditional baby names and the festive season, this is the perfect choice for you.
Baby names have always gone in and out of fashion over the decades. In recent years, many traditional ones have seen a resurgence in popularity, standing in stark contrast to the quirky, modern names some people opt for when naming their newborn child. Choosing a name for your child is never easy, because there are literally thousands of options - from family names passed down through the generations to stand-out modern choices you can be relatively sure they won't share with any other children on the playground.
There's one name that is both traditionally British and makes a sweet nod to the festive season for anyone who is a die-hard Christmas fan and looking to name their child - plus it will also provide a rock-solid excuse to dress your little one up as one of Father Christmas's elves: Alfred.
The name originates from old English - per Emma's Diary - "aelf" which means elf and "raed" which translates to counsel - implying wisdom - so the name altogether means "counselor" and could set the path for your child being perceptive and someone who people approach for sage advice - all while making a cheeky nod to the festive season.
Alfred has regained some popularity in recent years. It re-entered the top 100 names in the UK back in 2019 - according to ukbabynames.com - after reaching a recent peak of popularity back in 2012 when it was the 11th most popular name.
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Before that, the last time it had been in the top 100 names was all the way back in 1944, so perhaps in recent years, people have started using it again as a nod to beloved older family members. It also is regularly shortened to Alfie, which has also gained a lot of popularity in the UK as a standalone name in the last few years - in 2021 Alfie was the 16th most popular name.
If you're intrigued by the idea of a festive-inspired baby name but Alfred or Alfie don't appeall to you that much, then Emma's Diary has some other options for you including Felix, Gabriel, and Joseph.
Joseph was, of course, the husband of the Virgin Mary and escorted her to Bethlehem where Jesus was eventually born - per the biblical story and Gabriel is a nod to the Angel who announced the birth of Jesus to Mary - so these are names rooted in the scripture itself behind the nativity story.
Felix the website notes comes "from the Latin, meaning ‘happy’ or ‘fortunate’, which is how we hope your Christmas will be!"
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