Before you even meet someone, their name can give you a sense of their personality. No one would expect a mild-mannered accountant to be named Axel or Blaze. You probably don’t envision someone named Willow, Petal, or Lily to be a tough-talking, hardened criminal. And parents-to-be looking for cute baby names are going to steer clear of dark and dramatic choices like Balthazar or Raven. It’s no wonder we think so long and hard about what to name our kids — we could be affecting people’s first impressions of them for the rest of their lives!
Looking for a baby name that's elegant yet edgy? Dive into the world of dark academia. https://t.co/ACOXJ3Op5o
— SheKnows (@SheKnows) October 28, 2023
So if you’re seeking a name that will convey a friendly, upbeat, and cheery disposition, these cute baby names are just the ticket. Though each one is perfect on its own, many of them are diminutives of longer names, so your child can have a more formal option if they decide later on down the road that a “cute” name is just not the vibe.
Short and sweet, these names are easy to spell, easy to pronounce, and fit right into the modern baby naming landscape. But don’t worry — they’re not overly cute, like Bunny or Minnie; you wouldn’t want to saddle your child with a name that no one would ever take seriously (at least not upon first impression!). Cute baby names should be convivial and happy-sounding, but not like they might belong on your favorite cartoon character.
Ahead, we’ve compiled some of the cutest baby names we could find — boys, girls, and gender-neutral options too!
-
Mia
Image Credit: SheKnows Mia is the Italian word for “mine”, which is a sweet sentiment for a baby name. But its versatility is unmatched, since Mia could also be a nickname for Maria or Malia (meaning “bitter”), for names like Amelia and Amalia (meaning “industrious”) and Emilia (meaning “rival”), Romina (meaning “Roman”), or Milana (meaning “gracious”). Mila is also a cute option!
-
Archie
Image Credit: SheKnows A short form of the stodgy-sounding Archibald, meaning “pure and brave”, Archie is probably best known these days as the name of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s firstborn son. But prior to his birth in 2019, the name was associated with a famous comic strip — and the TV series inspired by it, Riverdale.
-
Theo
Image Credit: SheKnows While its long form Theodore (meaning “gift of God”) is popular itself, Theo gives a more casual vibe (another cute baby name that comes from Theodore? Teddy!). And while it’s traditionally been used for boys, Theo is actually a great gender-neutral name, and can be short for Theodosia or Theodora.
-
Lottie
Lottie is, of course, a nickname for the more formal Charlotte — which is itself the feminine form of Charles, meaning “manly”. In fact, Lottie is said to be the nickname of one very famous Charlotte: Princess Charlotte of Wales! Liselotte is another longer name that could use Lottie as a diminutive. There’s also the similar Lettie, which is most often a nickname for Leticia, and means “joy”.
-
Ollie
Ollie is short for Oliver, which (fairly obviously!) means “olive tree”. But it can also be a unisex name, and a cute nickname alternative for Olivia, whose diminutive is usually Liv.
-
Pepper
You can’t get much peppier than Pepper — and there are a couple of ways to get to this name if you want a more formal option. It’s often used as a nickname for Penelope (which comes from either the Greek word for “thread” or “duck”; its origins are debatable) or, less commonly, Priscilla (meaning “ancient”). But all by itself, it’s a word name that’s derived from the actual spice, which comes from the Latin piper. Coincidentally, Piper is a similarly cute baby name! Want a slightly more British feel? Try Pippa!
-
Finn
Short and sweet, Finn is a diminutive of the Irish Fionn, meaning “fair/white” or “blessed”. Between mythical Irish hero Finn MacCool and Mark Twain’s adventurous character Huckleberry Finn, this name has a certain spunky and spirited quality.
-
Maisie
While Margaret — from a Greek word meaning “pearl” — sounds buttoned up, it has a lot of less stuffy-sounding nicknames. Meg, Maggie, Greta, or our personal “cute baby name” favorite, Maisie. It’s a vintage charmer that’s caught the world’s attention again in the last decade or so, most likely due to the fame of Game of Thrones and the actress who played Arya Stark, Maisie Williams.
-
Chip
The most common nicknames for Charles (meaning “manly”) are Charlie or Chuck. The most common nickname for Christopher (meaning “Christ-bearer”) is Chris. But there’s one name that can be a nickname for either one, and it’s not a name you hear every day: Chip. This friendly and upbeat sounding alternative can be short for Charles or Christopher, or used as a standalone name in an adorable reference to the phrase “chip off the old block.”
-
Poppy
Image Credit: SheKnows Like Pepper, Poppy could be a potential nickname for Penelope — but it’s primarily a standalone word name, paying homage to the vibrant red poppy flower (which comes from the Old English popæg). Plus, your little Poppy would get to see her name used on the big screen, since Poppy is one of the main characters in the Trolls movies! If that’s not a draw, try the similar names Pixie or Posie.
-
Milo
Milo is derived from the Slavic element milu, which means “dear”, so even its meaning is sweet. Its English form is a familiar name as well — Miles — but Milo is decidedly more friendly-sounding.
-
Roxy
This cute name is typically short for Roxanne, which means “bright, shining” — which is fitting, because Roxy is a bright and bubbly-sounding alternative.
-
Augie
The distinguished Augustus, meaning “exalted” or “increased”, is a dignified choice. Or there’s it’s slightly-shorter form, August, which would be perfect for a summertime baby. But then there’s the approachable and easygoing Augie, which is great on its own or as a nickname.
-
Dolly
Dolly’s origins are actually in the name Dorothea (meaning “gift of God”), which transformed to Dorothy, and eventually to the nickname Dolly. Dorothy has other nicknames too — like Dottie — but when it comes to cute baby names, we think Dolly has more modern appeal. Sure, it’s very much associated with country music legend Dolly Parton, but … is that even a bad thing?!
-
Benji
In a world where most Benjamins are shortened to Ben, there’s a refreshing alternative in Benji! Of Hebrew origin, it means “son of the right hand”. Ben is just fine, and Benny is great too, but Benji-with-a-j just sounds a little punchier.
-
Evie
Though it could be used as a nickname for the more glamorous-sounding Eve or the vintage charmer Evelyn, Evie — meaning “life” — is a cute baby name all on its own. Given the popularity of similar names like Avery and Emma, Evie feels totally wearable but still rare enough that she won’t meet herself coming and going.
-
Arlo
Like the similar Milo, Arlo is a name all on its own — it isn’t a nickname for anything (although if you wanted to name your baby, say, Arlington it could be a nickname for that). Its meaning is unknown; the first known occurrence of the name was in a poem written in 1590 by Edmund Spenser called The Faerie Queene. It’s speculated that Spenser may have gotten inspiration for the name Arlo from a place in Ireland called Aherlow, meaning “between two highlands”.
-
Sadie
It might be hard to guess where the nickname Sadie comes from. Nope, it’s not Mercedes — at least not originally, though some people use it as such these days. Sadie actually comes from … Sarah! (And so does Sally, oddly enough.) It means “princess”. If you’re looking for something a little zingier, you can try using a Z instead of an S to get Zadie!
-
Louie
This name originates as a nickname for Louis, which comes from Ludwig, meaning “famous in battle”. But despite its fierce-sounding meaning, Louie has a very different, much friendlier vibe. And it’s also a great gender-neutral choice — if you want to use it for a girl, it could be a nickname for Louise or Louetta, though it’s just fine on its own too.
-
Gus
Like Augie, Gus comes from the longer name Augustus, meaning “exalted”. But it’s even easier to spell and write, which will come in handy when your little guy is learning his letters!
-
Wren
Unlike most of the top contenders for cute baby names, Wren doesn’t end in a -y or an -ie sound. An homage to the sweet songbird of the same name, Wren is truly gender neutral; Chrissy Teigen and John Legend’s second son was given the name Wren Alexander, but it would be equally adorable on any gender.
-
Bea
Bea could be a nickname for either Beatrice or Beatrix; both come from the Latin name Viatrix, meaning “voyager”. Is it a cute baby name because of its three little letters and one syllable? Is it cute because it sounds like our fuzzy, honey-making, pollinating friends? Whatever the reason, we love it. Bebe is also an adorable alternative!
-
Scout
Image Credit: SheKnows Scout is an absolutely adorable unisex baby name, though it was originally popularized by a female character in Harper Lee’s 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Its roots are in the French word escouter, meaning “to listen”.
-
Stella
Image Credit: SheKnows We love Stella because it’s both cute and quirky, a perfect alternative to the uber-popular Ella, but not dissimilar. Plus, it means “star” in Latin, which is a pretty awesome meaning. It can be a nickname for Estelle or Estella, but is perfect all by itself as well.
-
Ari
Another cute baby name that’s also an incredible gender-neutral name choice, Ari means “lion” in Hebrew and was originally a male name. But it can also be a shorter version of a ton of names: Aristotle, Ariana, Arielle, Arietta, Armand, and Arlen, just to name a few.
More Stories from Parenting
Leave a Comment