Best of… Candy-Inspired Baby Names

Today is Halloween, and that means we’re all entitled to a good scare… and too much candy!  Since babies are more sweet than frightening (most of the time), our list today just might give you a toothache.

To get you in the spirit for the spookiest and sugariest of days, we’re sharing our favorite candy-inspired baby names.

Aero

This Greek name meaning “of the sky” fits right in with other celestial baby names, like Atlas and Luna, while still managing to stand out. And while it probably won’t be the first association to come to mind, sweet-tooth parents may think of the bubbles of air that fill the British favorite, the Nestle Aero bar.

Anise

Black licorice might be the most polarizing candy out there, but the similarly-flavored anise plant gives us baby name inspiration we can all love. One part botanical name, one part foodie name, Anise blends the familiarity of Janice with the allure of Anais.

Bassett

British candy company Bassett’s, named after founder George Bassett, is known for the vibrantly colorful licorice mix called allsorts. As a first name, Bassett fits easily within the surname trend. And we’re so into nickname “Bass” we’ve already moved beyond the name’s hound dog and furniture brand associations.

Charleston

Mmm… the Charleston Chew. True I have an irrational love of all things nougat, but if you’ve never eaten a Charleston Chew right out of the freezer, well, just try it. The name Charleston is probably most tied to the South Carolina port city, but it works so well as another full-name option for the shortened Charlie.

Clark

The Clark Bar is an American classic, just like its namesake. While the chocolate-coated peanut butter bar is no longer in production, it was announced last year that Clark Bars are coming back in 2020. As for the baby name, our love of handsome Clark has never wavered. 

Coco

A name of French origin, Coco was made famous by the glamorous designer, Coco Chanel (born Gabrielle). Equally stunning as a nickname or standalone first name, Coco makes this list for its similarity to cocoa.

Freia

Freia is the name of a Norwegian chocolate company famous for their milk chocolate bar. The goddess of love in Norse mythology, the name means “lady” and is often spelled Freya. When spelled with a y, it is one of the fastest rising baby names in the US, going from completely unranked to number 266 in popularity from 2012 to 2018.

Ike

Mike and Ikes are those chewy candies that resemble elongated jelly beans. While we don’t know how the company’s name came to be, or what distinguishes the Mikes from the Ikes in the candy box, Mike has clearly dominated the baby name world. And we, for one, think it’s Ike’s turn to shine!

Heath

This iconic toffee and almond chocolate bar carries with it a charming name that’s been well-loved since the 1960s. Heath’s biggest association has got to be late-actor Heath Ledger, whose effortless cool still moves people today more than a decade after his passing.

Henry

According to Nestlé, the Oh Henry! chocolate bar was named after a boy named Henry who frequented a candy store and was often asked favors by the girls who worked there: “Oh, Henry, will you . . ..” The shop’s owner, George Williamson, trademarked the name for his candy bar. In the US, the baby name Henry is very popular, currently ranked at #16 on the SSA chart.

Kit

Unisex Kit is short, sweet, and perfect as a name for a high-spirited kid. In the past, Kit has been a nickname for names like Christopher or Katherine, but we think this name can stand alone as is. With the popularity of actor Kit Harrington and American Girl Kit Kittredge, this name has gone mainstream and has been “given a break” as just a nickname.

Maynard

This “mighty and brave” Germanic name is a vintage darling that was popular amongst American families until the 1960s when it dropped out of the top 1000 SSA names. While we get our inspiration here from the British candy, Maynard’s Wine Gums, to us, this name has a rustic, Southern feel.

Reese

Whether it’s the crunch of Reese’s Pieces you love more, or peeling the oily wrapper off the peanut butter cup, we are all heart-eyes for anything Reese’s. And the name Reese is a stylishly simple, gender-neutral choice.

Ruth

The name Ruth is a vintage favorite, but the Baby Ruth candy bar’s name is not so widely adored. The official story is that the candy bar was named after first-born daughter of President Grover Cleveland, Ruth Cleveland. But its striking similarity to the name of the famed Babe Ruth (and the fact that it came onto the market at the height of the player’s popularity) has led to some legitimate skepticism. 

Veruca

Though Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s Veruca’s last name is Salt, we think her name is pretty sweet (even though it means “wart!”). Because of Veruca’s most iconic association, the name also has a lot of spunk and some old school riot grrrl edge (in large part due to the band Veruca Salt).

York

As a baby name, York has the same degree of cool as the minty center of a York Peppermint Pattie. York is an English name meaning “of the yew estate.” A baby York could be a nod to New York City like celebrity baby-name favorites Brooklyn and Bronx.

Readers, would you name a baby after your favorite sweet treat? Tell us which ones!