Baby names inspired by the 90s (2024)

The 90’s; characterised by the curtained haircut, Tamagotchi’s, rollerblades and jelly shoes.

…And we all remember the likes of The Spice Girls, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and of course Backstreet Boys!

It can often be tricky choosing a baby name – especially as there are so many! Whether you prefer a more traditional name, a weird and wonderful celeb inspired one or even a name from your favourite Disney film; we’re all spoilt for choice!

To give you even more to choose from, here are some of most popular 90’s inspired baby names. Take a peek below…

Sabrina

The name Sabrina originates from the Latin name “River Severn” and from the daughter of King Locrine who was a figure from Welsh legend. In more recent history, this name had a popularity peak in 1996 likely due to the beloved American Sitcom “Sabrina the teenage witch, which aired in the same year.

Howie

“Backstreet’s back alright!”, Howie is short for Howard which means “high guardian” or “watchman”. This name peaked in popularity during the 1990’s when the Backstreet Boys ruled the charts and its predicted to remain a steady favourite for the next 15 years at least.

Britney

The name “Britney” hit the top of the baby charts in the 90’s with many parents taking inspiration from the American pop princess of the same name. The name has been less popular of late but is set for a “baby one more time” comeback in the next 5 years.

Gwen

Originally a Welsh name, Gwen means luck and bliss and has also been translated to mean “white holy”. While this name was super popular in the 90’s, as was pop singer and fashion icon extraordinaire, Gwen Stefani, it has declined in popularity recently. But this is definitely one to watch as its due to make a reappearance in the top baby names chart in the next couple of years.

Justin

Justin has origins as a Latin name meaning “Just”. The name hit a peak in the 1990’s when boy band lovelies NSYNC were top of the pops, including youngest member Justin Timberlake. Justin is set to become REALLY popular as we enter into the 2020’s- watch this space!

Robbie

Robert, or Robbie was originally introduced as a name by the Normans. Ironically meaning “famous” it was popular during 1992 and again in 2002 probably due to the popularity of British Singer Robbie Williams; we are eagerly waiting for this name to make its comeback. Perhaps one for your little “angel”.

Drew

Drew, meaning “wise”, has been a popular Scottish name for boys for a long time, given that St Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland. Andrew was incredibly popular in the 1970’s for boys but Drew has recently increased in popularity, so what about picking it for your little girl after actress and 90’s style icon Drew Barrymore?

Angela

This name is from the Greek for “messenger of the gods” or, more simply, “angel. Incredibly popular in the 1960’s, we now see variants of the name such as Angelica and Angelica, but Angela is set for a reprisal – perhaps because of Angela Chase, the leading character of 90’s teenage hit “My So-Called Life”.

Elizabeth / Jessica

These sweet feminine names have always floated around in the top 100 baby names, unsurprising given their universal appeal and meanings of “God is an oath” and “foresight”. Your 90’s inspired baby names could come from the infamous Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley High twins of the books and TV series of the mid 90’s.

Dougie

Short for Douglas, which was very popular around the 1920’s and is derived from ancient Gaelic for “dark stream”. Its use has peaked again recently perhaps as people are indulging in some 90’s nostalgia and remembering teen doctor Doogie Howser?

Jennifer

An old Cornish name meaning “the fair one”. When haring back to the 90’s you might think of Love-Hewitt, Anniston or Lopez, and it may be due to these celebrities that it reached a peak in 2004. Surely this gem of a name is due a resurgence?

Blossom

Unsurprisingly this floral name means “to bloom”, and its popularity certainly did bloom as recently as 2016. Perhaps those girls’ parents were busy watching the Mayim Bialik 90’s sitcom where she starred as teen Blossom Russo. A stunning 90's baby name for your little girl.

Zack

Zack, Zachary or Zachariah only become popular in recent times and is set for a huge boost in popularity over the next couple of years. Meaning “the lord never forgets”, Zack was also the name of 90’s dreamboat and saved by the bell lead Zack Morris, played by Mark-Paul-Gosselaar. All together now “it’s aaalright cos I’m, saved by the beeeeeeeeeeeeeellll”......

Buffy

You won’t be surprised to know that this name has never made it into the popular baby name charts, but you might be surprised to know that it is a pet name given to girls called Elizabeth. If you’re looking for a truly 90’s inspired baby name, you could do worse than to name your child after this vampire slaying rebel girl.

Will

Of Germanic origin, Will, or William means “strong willed warrior” and has been a steady favourite in the baby name polls for years. This popularity is set to continue in the next couple of years, but for a truly 90’s inspired name, think back to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air where Will Smith entertained us through the late early 90’s.

Kevin

Meaning “handsome” the name Kevin has stagnated somewhat since its boon in the 1960’s. It’s steady rise in recent years could be due to 90’s nostalgia and people feeling nostalgic about coming of age comedy-drama the Wonder Years starring Fred Savage as Kevin Arnold.

Phoebe

Could there BE a more 90’s baby name than Phoebe? Meaning “shining” or “brilliant”, this brilliantly kooky girls’ name first made a splash in the baby name popularity charts in the mid 90’s after Phoebe Buffey’s appearance in Friends.

Bradley

The name Bradley meaning “from the broad meadow”, peaked in 1997 perhaps due to the ubiquitous appeal of Brad Pitt, or even Bradley McIntosh of S Club 7 fame. Could Bradley be one of the most popular 90’s names to make a comeback?

Liam

Anglicised version of William meaning “strong protector”. The name Liam was at its most used in 1996, understandable given that Liam and his brother Noel were having their most successful year to date with Oasis. The name has had another renaissance alongside Liam’s success as a solo artist.

Baby names inspired by the 90s (2024)

FAQs

What is the name of people born in 90s? ›

Millennials. While many may flippantly describe all young people as millennials, the term is actually understood to refer to people who were born between 1981 and 1996. The more technical term for millennials is generation Y, as they succeed generation X and precede generation Z.

Is Eloise an old-fashioned name? ›

After a 40-year absence from the baby-name charts, Eloise made a comeback, due to the Netflix show Bridgerton, gaining popularity with parents who love an old-fashioned name.

What was the 1990's girls name? ›

Jessica was the top name for girls. Baby name trends are an evolving part of our culture. If you were born in the 90s, odds are that your class was full of Jessicas, Ashleys and Amandas.

How do you mix two names for a baby? ›

One of the simplest ways of combining baby names is to link them with a hyphen. This allows both names to retain their individual meaning while creating a new moniker that will be unique to your child. How to use this: This technique is great if both parents have separate ideas of what the child's name should be.

What are late 90s babies called? ›

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines Generation Z as "the generation of people born in the late 1990s and early 2000s."

Who are 90s babies? ›

If you were born between 1984–1993, you're a 90s kid.

Who is 90s baby? ›

As we navigate through the 2020s, there's a generation that looks back at the last decade of the 20th century with fond nostalgia: the '90s kids. Born between 1985 and 1994, these individuals grew up during a time of significant cultural and technological shifts.

What is a vintage name? ›

Vintage baby names are found on the popularity lists of a hundred years ago and then often faded from sight, only to be revived for the new generation of babies. The best antique names are inspired by literary, biblical, and royal sources.

Is Ella short for Eloise? ›

Another source indicates that Ella is a Norman version of the Germanic short name Alia, which was short for a variety of German names with the element ali-, meaning "other". It is also a common short name for names starting with El-, such as Eleanor, Elizabeth, Elle, Ellen, Elaine, Ellie, or Eloise.

What were popular last names in 1990? ›

1 SMITH 2562 2 BROWN 1876 3 WILSON 1654 4 STEWART 1535 5 THOMSON 1518 6 CAMPBELL 1456 7 ROBERTSON 1443 8 ANDERSON 1414 9 SCOTT 1097 10 MACDONALD 1051 11 MURRAY 1019 12 REID 995 13 TAYLOR 963 14 CLARK 903 15 YOUNG 834 16 ROSS 829 17 WATSON 815 18 MORRISON 812 19 MITCHELL 808 20 WALKER 799 21 PATERSON 777 22 FRASER 726 ...

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Tish Haag

Last Updated:

Views: 6353

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (67 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Tish Haag

Birthday: 1999-11-18

Address: 30256 Tara Expressway, Kutchburgh, VT 92892-0078

Phone: +4215847628708

Job: Internal Consulting Engineer

Hobby: Roller skating, Roller skating, Kayaking, Flying, Graffiti, Ghost hunting, scrapbook

Introduction: My name is Tish Haag, I am a excited, delightful, curious, beautiful, agreeable, enchanting, fancy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.