100+ Cute & Creative Baby Names Beginning With 'C'
Care to call your kid Caecilius or Cairistiona? Maybe Callimaehlls or Cantilena is more your style? Or, okay, fine, you can branch out from Latin “C” names if you must, since cut-and-dry classics like Charles and Catherine are quite cool, too. Or if chic and cutting-edge is more your cup of tea, christen kiddo Colt or Cairo and they’ll never lack creativity.
If our baby names beginning with “A” left you unappeased, or you found our “B” name options boring, congratulations: Our “C” name picks have careened onto the scene, convincingly cute and clever enough to charm even the most cultivated critics. We’ve culled classic callouts like Charlotte and Christopher, of course, as well as clear contemporary champions, including Ciara and Cairo, plus a few unisex choices we’re certain will convert even your conservative cousin to the gender-neutral cause. Because who couldn’t care for a congenial kid called Cyprian, for crying out loud? Color us convinced.
Below, see the best baby names for boys and girls beginning with the letter “C.”
Classic “C” Names for Girls
- Camille/Camilla (sounds like royalty, and for good reason; the name means “free-born, noble”)
- Cara (from the Celtic, meaning “friend,” and good enough for Delevingne)
- Carmen (Latin, meaning “garden or song”)
- Caroline/Carolina (choose wisely, ie only if hearing Sweet Caroline” riffs for the rest of your life sounds amusing to you)
- Carrie (not just for horror-movie fans — although if that’s your reasoning, RESPECT)
- Cassandra (she’ll be a jazz singer like Wilson or a prophetess like Shakespeare’s — or both)
- Cate (from Catherine, meaning “innocent”)
- Catherine (name of queens past and…future?)
- Charlotte (spider, Sex & the City, or little English princess — choose your inspiration)
- Chelsea (for fans of Handler, or you know, the neighborhood in NYC)
- Cheryl (means “dear one” or “darling” — so does Cher, if you prefer that badass variation)
- Chloe (means “fresh-blooming”)
- Christina (Milian, Ricci, Queen of Sweden, this one’s legit no matter what)
- Clarissa (Dalloway or Explains It All, you pick)
- Claudia (everyone’s favorite Babysitter’s Club sitter, c’mon you know I’m right)
- Coleen (Irish, meaning “girl!” Short, sweet, and to the point!)
- Colette (not only is it the French version of the beloved name Nicole, but it means “people of victory.”)
- Constance (it’s gothic, it’s classic, and it’s growing in popularity)
- Cora (Cora means “maiden” in Old English, but don’t worry, she’s not doomed to be a damsel)
- Cordelia (Latin; Celtic, meaning “heart; daughter of the sea”…plus, yknow, the iconic Buffy character)Crystal (yes, this is under the “classics” category because the 1980s are now a classic, don’t @ me)
Trendy “C” Names for Girls
- Cadence (meaning a “rhythmic flow of sounds,” this one is basically now a 21st century classic)
- Caitriona (calling all Outlander fans!)
- Calla/Callie (after Calla lilies or meaning “lark,” either way a nature-name win)
- Calliope (Supernatural’s Felicia Day chose this for her daughter, Calliope Maeve)
- Callista (because it’s fancier than naming her Ally McBeal)
- Capri (this trendy Italian name is perfect for naming your fun-loving gal!)
- Carys (Welsh for “love” — Catherine Zeta-Jones chose this one for her daughter Carys Douglas)
- Ceres (one of Prospero’s spirits in Shakespeare’s The Tempest)
- Chandra (Hindu goddess of the moon, aka this girl will glow)
- Charla (apparently this “feminine” name means “manly,” and who doesn’t love an enigma?)
- Cherry (we love a cute, fruity name!)
- Chrysalis (for folks who want you to know they read tarot)
- Ciara (one of our fave candid celeb moms)
- Cinnamon (this spice name is both fun and unique!)
- Clementine (chances are you think of the color, the fruit, ofr the character from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It’s a win-win-win!)
- Cleo (not just for TV psychics anymore!)
- Clover (it’s a flower anme, and you know we love those)
- Coco (Chanel is a better namesake than the monkey, IMHO)
- Coral (perfect for a little surfer girl)
- Coventina (Celtic name meaning “water goddess”)
- Crimson (this “rich, deep red” is the perfect unique name)
Unisex “C” Names
- Callan (a Gaelic name meaning “flowing water”)
- Camby (a real gender-neutral up-and-comer)
- Cameron (Diaz, Crowe, either celeb gender works)
- Carey (they’ll have a Joni song for life)
- Charlie (a beloved classic that means “free”)
- Carson (McCullers, not Ben Carson, TYVM)
- Carter (hey, why not take Beyoncé’s last name for your first-name pick?)
- Cassidy (from Caiside, meaning “clever”)
- Connie (“strong-willed or wise”)
- Courtney (this one used to be mostly dudes, then mostly girls, and now it’s swinging back again)
- Crew (chic enough to be the name of the final — we hope?! — Gaines kid)
- Cyprian (see! who could resist?!)
- Charles (Remember what we said about Charlie? Same thing for Charles!)
- Chase (French, meaning “to hunt”)
- Cody (English, meaning “helpful, pillow”)
- Cameron (this Scottish name is a 1990s fav!)
- Clarke (meaning “scribe, clerk”)
- Clancy (Irish, meaning “red-haired warrior”)
- Camden (Scottish, meaning “winding valley”)
- Chappell (like the ever-so-iconic Chappell Roan)
Classic “C” Names for Boys
- Caleb (meaning “abundance” or “bearing fruit”)
- Calum (a Celtic name after the dove, a symbol of peace — and the pick of Jenna Dewan)
- Campbell (a Scottish clan, a pop-art soup can, you can tell him his name came from either/or)
- Carl (why not name your favorite child after every child’s favorite dog?)
- Carlo (means “strong,” and he’ll need that in 2020)
- Carlton (teach him that Fresh Prince dance as soon as he’s born, okay?)
- Castiel (Supernatural fans will go ga-ga for this name)
- Cedric (meaning “kind and loved”)
- Chandler (could this name BE anymore perfect?)
- Christian (no, you don’t have to be Christian to be named Christian)
- Christopher (Pratt, Pine, Evans, Hemsworth, oh my!)
- Concord (also means “peace”)
- Connor/Conor (from the Irish ‘Coachuhhar’, meaning high desire, so, setting him up for success)
- Conrad (German, meaning “brave counsel”)
- Corey (Corey Feldman, Corey Haim…talk about ’80s classics)
- Cy (Persian, “sun”)
- Cyrus (not just a particularly great film starring Jonah Hill and Marisa Tomei)
- Carlisle (this English name gives off old money energy, plus, we love the blonde vampire from Twilight)
- Cliff (English, meaning “lives near the ford by the cliff”)
- Colson (this fun name is rising the ranks in popularity)
Trendy “C” Names for Boys
- Cadmus (meaning “one who excels,” as he damn well will)
- Cage (it’s edgy, and it’s ultra-unique. AKA a perfect trendy name!)
- Caio (a short and sweet name meaning “rejoice”)
- Cairo (the capital of Egypt, and Egypt is the name of Alicia Keys’ kid, so maybe they can be buddies?)
- Calix (Latin, meaning “chalice”)
- Cardinal (both a color name and bird name, we love it!)
- Caron (meaning “to love”)
- Carver (English, meaning “wood carver”)
- Cason (meaning “son of the marsh-dwellers,” making us want to read Where the Crawdads Sing all over again)
- Casper (bound to be even cuter than the cutest of ghosts)
- Cassius (Cassius Clay. Period.)
- Cayden (from the Gaelic word “cadáin” which means ‘fighter’ and aren’t we all)
- Cheever (so this is maybe also my friend’s dog’s name but c’mon! John Cheever! So good!)
- Cloud (this is the perfect hippie name)
- Colt (one of our fave rustic baby names)
- Copper (who doesn’t love a good metallic name a la the Mahomes family name trend?)
- Corwin (means “heart’s friend,” or, you know, an animal expert if you’re a Jeff Corwin fan)
- Cosmo (Italian, English meaning “beauty, universe”)
- Court (and Spark? Twins? Too many Joni Mitchell references for one baby names article? Well okay then)
Or maybe Chancellor strikes your fancy? If so, try on these musical Grammy-nominated names for size.