These days, we’re all about vintage baby names– they’re beautiful, they’re classic, and even poetic! But, what’s interesting about baby names is that they can fall out of favor quite quickly, which means that even ones that were iconic 20 years ago may not be anywhere near the top of the popularity lists today.
Take these gorgeous names from the 1990s, for instance. The era may have just occurred a generation back, but the most commonly-heard names from that decade are just seasoned enough to be used for some seriously inspired namesakes.
Here are 15 clever and oh-so-sentimental baby names based off of the most celebrated figures of the ’90s…
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Rachel
If you are a true Friends devotee, why not honor your fandom by naming your little gal Rachel? Of course, Phoebe and Monica work well, too!
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Joseph
Because Ross and Chandler don’t make the greatest baby names in our opinion! Of course, if you’re not a Friends fan, you can still use Joseph as inspiration for Joey Fatone or Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Not bad!
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Carrie
Sex and the City may have just barely made it into the tail end of the ’90s, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t make its mark on the decade! So, if you consider yourself to be a “Carrie”– and you want your daughter to be one too!–it’s a darling option, indeed.
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Zachary
Who else had a crush on Zack Morris from Saved by the Bell? We thought so!
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Gwen
In the ’90s, girls didn’t get more kick-butt than Gwen Stefani! The perfect choice for your future rocker chick.
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Justin
Sure, Justin Timberlake is still a very important pop star, but his hey-day was definitely in the late ’90s. Hey, even if you’re more of a BSB fan, Justin’s still a classic name.
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A.J.
And, speaking of BSB (or Backstreet Boys for you non-boybanders), we think A.J. McLean has quite a nice moniker. And, what’s cooler is that it can stand for whatever you’d like! In his case, it’s “Alexander James.”
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Drew
All-American Drew Barrymore was the indisputable screen queen of the ’90s! And, her sweet name makes for a memorable moniker for your little one.
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Dawson
Is there anything more ’90s than Dawson Leery? To answer your question– NO!
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Mel
Were you more of a Mel B. fan or a Mel C. fan?
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Buzz
It’s an unconventional name, but it’s also one that die-hard Toy Story fans should not ignore. Of course, it also works well for Home Alone fans, too– though THAT Buzz wasn’t the greatest, was he?
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Belle
There’s perhaps no Disney princess that’s more aspirational than Belle!
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Forrest
A fitting moniker for a family that loves to run!
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Cher
No, not THAT Cher — as if! The Cher we’re talking about is Alicia Silverstone’s character from Clueless.
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Steven
Or, more commonly known by his nickname–URKEL!
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this ’90s-inspired baby names list! What’s your favorite name on it? Can you think of any other fitting ’90s names? Did you name your kiddo after any celebrities or pop icons?