Baby Names Inspired by Popular 90s Television Shows

By Lauren Jimeson

If you grew up in the 90s, you know how rad the decade was. It was driven by the love of boy bands, neon clothes, and virtual toys we had to take care of. Yes, the 1990s was a decade many of us will love and cherish forever.

One of the most memorable parts of the decade was the television shows. Parents and children would huddle around the TV on Friday nights for TGIF. Thursday nights were all about laughing at comedies on Must See TV. Many television stars during the 90s were major celebrities that influenced the way we dressed, what we said, and even how we cut our hair.

If you’re a fan of the 90s, let the decade inspire you when naming your baby. We’ve gathered a list of some great baby names that you’ve seen from your favorite 90s television shows.

Girl Names

• Kelly - The bubbly brunette that won over Zack Morris' heart on Saved by the Bell. Kelly is a classic and happy name for your little girl.

• Rachel - In the 1990s, we all wanted her haircut. On Friends, Rachel is a lovable character that many women looked up to. Her relationship with Ross will go down in television history. The name Rachel dates back to many centuries and symbolizes beauty.

• Stephanie - We all knew Stephanie Tanner as the blonde middle sister on Full House who had the famous saying, “How rude!" A lovely name that means “rewarding and adorning," this girl's name is a beautiful classic.

• Alicia - While she went by the nickname “Al" on the show Step by Step, Alicia was her actual name. The tomboyish character was the only daughter of Frank Lambert and soon one of three girls when the family came together when Frank and Carol married. Whether you like the feminine name of Alicia or more of the nickname, Al, it's a beautiful name for a baby girl.

• Tia - We know Tia as the identical twin on Tamera on the hit show, Sister, Sister. The show was known for the girls talking into the camera at the audience to clue them in with what was going on, which was unlike anything on television at the time. Tia is a short and sweet feminine name perfect for your little girl.

• Grace - A show that captured our attention every Thursday night, Will and Grace, showed us the loving and comical relationship between the beloved Grace and her best friend Will. Grace is a popular baby name that has a long history in the Ancient Greek Culture. It's is a beautifully simplistic and elegant name for your precious girl.

• Elaine - You'd always laugh at her on Thursday nights on Seinfeld. Elaine was the best friend of the show's main character, Jerry Seinfeld. Elaine was a name that was popular back in the 1920s but might soon see a revival as more classic names are on the rise.

• Dana - Dana Scully was an FBI Secret Agent and doctor on the popular show, The X-Files. Dana is a strong name that we don't often hear as much as we used to. The name is the feminine version of Daniel.

• Willow - Best known as the best friend to Buffy, Willow is the witch that used her magic on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. For those of you who have a love of the outdoors, Willow is a beautiful and unique name that means tree.

• Daphne - She's the English housekeeper on the show Frasier that we all loved for her down-to-earth personality. Another name for the nature lovers, Daphne is a Greek name with the meaning "laurel tree."

If you’re looking for more inspiration, check out our list of the top 1000 baby girl names.

Boy Names

• Zack - His character on Saved by the Bell is one of the most iconic characters of all time. He was the heartthrob that all the girls loved to swoon over on television. Usually a nickname for Zachary, Zack is a strong name for a little boy.

• Cody - If you watched Step by Step, you couldn't help but laugh at Cody as the somewhat clueless cousin of the Lambert family. Cody is an Irish name meaning "helpful person."

• Pacey - He was Dawson's best friend on Dawson’s Creek who used his humor and charm to win us over. Pacey is a unique name that we don’t hear quite often. If you're looking for a name that won't be on the top baby names list, this is a great one to choose.

• Brandon - We all knew Brandon Walsh on the hit series, 90210. The television show made the name surge in the 1990s and is still quite popular now.

• Will - A fresh name made popular by Will Smith in the sitcom, Fresh Prince of Belair. It was hard not to like Will on the show as he made us laugh with his jokes and witty lines. While many of us will think of Will as a nickname for William, it's made a case as a name to stand on its own.

• Cory - Cory was the one that we looked up to on Boy Meets World. While he's faced with many challenges throughout the many seasons on the show, he always ended up making the right decisions. Cory is a strong Irish name that will never go out of style.

• Brad - We watched Brad as the oldest brother in the Taylor family on Home Improvement. Brad was most like his father and found a love for cars and tools on the show. A shorter name for Bradley, Brad is a strong and masculine name for your baby boy.

• Steve - Best known for his iconic phrase, "Did I do that?" Steve Urkel plays the nerdy next-door neighbor of the Winslow family on Family Matters. While we don't see Steve as a stand-alone name very often, we love the charm of the name.

• Danny - Everyone's favorite dad to watch on Friday nights, Danny Tanner was the host of Wake up San Francisco and dad of three girls on Full House. Another name that is a nickname of Daniel, Danny is a strong enough name to be used by itself.

• Ross - Ross is the charming and very likeable character on the hit television show Friends. We watched for many seasons as he pursued his relationship with Rachel. Ross is a name that we don't hear very often, but it a great short one-syllable name for your baby boy.

If you’re a child of the 90s, these names brought you back to all the rad stuff that happened in the decade. Find more names of your favorite 90s characters on the Pampers Baby Name Generator.

Still searching for the best name for your little one? check out our list of the top 1000 boy names.

About Lauren Jimeson

Mom of three Harlan (8), Avery (5) and Macks (3), experienced Freelance Writer, Publicist, and Social Media Consultant. Her work has been featured nationally in online, print, and television media. Lauren is passionate about sharing her experiences as a mom and everything in between.

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