The 10 Best Christmas-Movie Elf Names for Your December Baby
Christmas tree? Trimmed. Gifts? Wrapped. Halls? Decked. Ugly sweaters? Check! The only thing left to do to really make the holidays merry and bright, apart from making delicious cookies, getting your DIY spirit on with kid-friendly Christmas crafts and putting together the cutest holiday outfits? Picking the perfect name for the season’s sweetest gift: your new baby. And what better place to get inspiration than your favorite holiday film—and, more importantly, your favorite fictional elf!
We get it—when you’re counting down the days to baby’s birth and December 25th, it can be tough trying to decide between all the wonderful Christmas baby names out there. But if watching fun-filled Christmas movies with the littles is your favorite holiday tradition—and if you find yourself as obsessed with the hilarious elf characters as we are—then a cute elf name plucked straight from a feel-good Santa film is a no-brainer. To help you find the girl elf name or boy elf name that fits just right, we’ve rounded up the finest there are for when baby makes their festive debut.
Ready for your newest BFF to sleigh this season? Here are some heartwarming, movie-inspired elf names we ho-ho-hope you’ll love!
Many Santa Claus movies come with an elf that steals the spotlight (and our hearts!) with their charm, wit and merry mischief. From the naughty to the nice, you might recognize a few of these famous and (mostly) fun-sized characters—plus, their cute elf names—from your all-time favorites.
‘Tis the season, so of course we had to kick off this list with one of the most truly iconic elf names! And this one is most famously known for the lovable elf from Elf (that movie just never gets old!). With a candy cane-coated heart, Buddy makes his way from the North Pole to Manhattan to find his father. But despite the fake Santas and lack of Christmas cheer, he never loses spirit. And that’s what makes this name (or nickname!) prime for the picking this season!
This is a classic German name best known during the holidays for the no-nonsense head elf from The Santa Clause. He isn’t exactly as cheerful or rosy as his movie elf counterparts (ahem, Buddy), but he’s certainly got that Christmas passion. And, as the meaning behind his name suggests (“strong as a bear”), his determination is what helps him get the elf job done.
With just how many toys elves need to make in time for the 24th (and just how many need to be delivered), you sometimes can’t help but wonder if a gift is ever missed. Well, in Arthur Christmas, it just so happens that a toy mishap does cause Santa to skip a child on Christmas Eve. But Bryony Shelfley becomes the ultimate holiday hero when she’s the only elf at the North Pole to realize it. A bold elf name for a natural-born leader indeed!
Not every elf is born to be a toymaker, but some are good with teeth! In Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Hermey the Misfit Elf struggles to fit in at Santa’s workshop and decides to run away. But an encounter with the Abominable Snowmonster (and a nifty tooth extraction that saves the day!) allows him to prove his worth, and he returns to Christmas Town with the keys to his very own dentist’s office—and his festive elf name on our list!
When it comes to Christmas films, Santa Claus: The Movie is a great example of an oldie but a goodie. And its elf protagonist, Patch—a master innovator with dreams of making Santa’s workshop bigger and better—remains an iconic Christmas character. If a hard worker is what you aspire baby to be, picking an elf name like Patch might be a good place to start!
Santa works hard, but the elves work harder—and after 200 years of preparing homes for the arrival of Saint Nick, elf Wayne from the film Prep & Landing decides he’s finally ready for a promotion. Things go slightly awry when he’s passed over, but with the help of a rookie elf, he learns there’s a lot more to Christmas—and life—than a title. (He’s still got an honorable mention on this list, though!).
Just like Santa and his elves, you can’t have Wayne without Lanny. And their special friendship in Prep & Landing is what reminds Wayne there’s a bigger reason for the season than an elf promotion. A lovely elf character with an even lovelier elf name, it looks like we could all do with a Lanny in our lives!
No one does Christmas comedy quite like elf Polly from Noelle. Not only that, but she’s quick-witted, wise and, as Noelle Kringle’s childhood nanny, fiercely loyal, making her elf name both a charming and inspiring choice for your new arrival this holiday season.
While more of a minor character from Elf, Ming Ming and his unwavering elf positivity are key to keeping Santa’s workshop moving and thriving. So whenever your sweet little Ming feels like a “cotton-headed ninny muggins” (as we all do, sometimes!), you can remind them who their elf name, or nickname, was inspired by.
Love a feel-good Christmas film? Looking for potential elf names to capture all the giggles, babbles and merry moments with baby to come? Willie’s the way to go! In the iconic festive comedy Fred Claus, Willie starts out as a hard-working head elf in need of a little more confidence when it comes to life and love. But, eventually, he musters the courage to help Fred save Christmas—and get his dream girl. Nothing like an adorable elf name with a heartfelt story (and a healthy dose of humor!) behind it.
To find more Christmas-inspired baby name ideas, check out the lists on TheBump.com.
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