April, Autumn, And 40 Other Beautiful Baby Names Inspired By Time

By Sam Schroeder
Sand pouring through an hourglass that sits on an open-air countertop with a blurred sun and cityscape in the background sommart sombutwanitkul/Shutterstock

Regarded throughout history as one of the most precious commodities in life, time seems like a fitting concept from which to draw inspiration for the names of our cherished littles. As J.R.R. Tolkien eloquently penned in "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." The quote — a piece of advice passed from Gandalf to Frodo — places the utmost significance on time and how we spend it, and as parents, we often believe our best moments are spent with our kids.

Names that allude to time are poetic and enduring, whether they refer to months (April, June), seasons (Autumn, Summer), hours (Hora, Horatia), or moments throughout the day (Dawn, Vesper, Eve). For parents hoping to draw upon legacy, there are plenty of time-themed names shared with influential figures, like Selene (the Titan goddess of the moon who was said to personify seasons and cycles), and January (actress January Jones). And of course, it wouldn't be a proper name round-up if it didn't include a few monikers inspired by Billboard's No. 1 musical artist of the 21st century, Taylor Swift (like Era and Evermore).

Time-themed names are unique and long-lasting

Little boy examining an Advent calendar Tatyana Soares/Shutterstock

While ancient goddesses and famous female pop stars might appear to have a strong hold on the time-themed name phenomenon, we'd be remiss if we didn't also acknowledge the adorable possibilities for baby boys. Many boy names inspired by time are vintage and draw upon words associated with stars and planets — inviting us back to a simpler time before modern clocks, schedules, and calendars. Some of our favorites include:

  • August
  • Julius
  • Aries
  • Leo
  • Horatio
  • Horace
  • Kepler
  • Aeon (meaning "eternity")
  • Saturn
  • Chronos (means "time" in Greek)

Then there are the versatile, gender-neutral names we love. As time knows no limits nor boundaries, these names seem to fit the bill for today's lot of modern, free-spirited babies:

  • Century
  • Echo
  • Sunny/Sonny
  • Venus
  • Jupiter
  • Tempest (means "stormy")
  • Winter
  • Meridian (means "midday")

And finally, if you want a name with a meaningful calendar connection, consider one inspired by a saint or other figure whose special feast day falls around your baby's birthday — or even a name tied to a day of the week that holds special meaning for your family:

  • Patrick
  • Nicholas
  • Valentine
  • Joseph
  • Francis
  • Anthony
  • Brigid
  • Carmen (inspired by Our Lady of Mount Carmel's feast day)
  • Magdalene
  • Tuesday
  • Wednesday

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