200+ Baby Nicknames That Are as Cute as Your New Baby

Looking for the perfect nickname for your bundle of joy? Give one of these cute baby nicknames a try!

Updated on July 9, 2023

Fact checked by Karen Cilli

When you picked your baby's name, did you already have the perfect baby nicknames lined up? For many parents, part of the allure of a particular name is all the ways you can shorten it—like Maggie in lieu of Margaret, or Joe-Joe for a second-generation Joseph.

But when your baby is really little—or still hasn't arrived yet—you probably pick a nickname that has very little to do with their actual formal name. It may be a pet name you gave your unborn baby (i.e. "The Peanut") or simply something cute that stuck—like when Duchess Meghan Markle revealed her adorable nickname for baby Archie: Bubba.

If you're looking for a cute baby nickname, give one of these options a road test.

portrait of a baby in bed — GETTY IMAGES

Animal Nicknames for Babies

Some babies score animal-themed monikers for their formal names (think of Alicia Silverstone's Bear, or Cricket and Birdie, the two daughters of actress and talk show host Busy Philipps). But even if you aren't quite that daring, you can pick a baby nickname that's related to animals, like one of these adorable options.

Bear
Bee
Birdie
Bug
Bunny
Chick
Chickadee
Chinchilla
Chunky Monkey
Cricket
Cub
Dove
Ducky
Firefly
Guppy
Honey Badger
Kitten
Kitty
Ladybug
Lark
Newt
Pollywog
Raven
Swan
Wiggleworm
Wildcat
Wildebeest

Food-Themed Baby Nicknames

These food-themed baby nicknames are reserved for only the absolutely sweetest babies. (And we know your kiddo's one of them!)

Apple
Blueberry
Bun
Cheese Ball
Cocoa Puff
Cookie
Cupcake
Cutie Pie
Dumpling
Honey
Honeybun
Jellybean
Lemon Drop
Lollipop
Muffin
Peachy
Peanut
Peppermint
Pippin
Plum
Pudding
Pumpkin
Shortcake
Snickerdoodle
Sugar
Sugarplum
Sweet Pea
Sweetie Pie

Friendly Baby Nicknames

This set of nicknames reflects your baby's sunny personality—and you may even want to use them ironically on those days when they may be more grumpy than happy.

Amore
Babylicious
Bubba
Bubbles
Bud
Buddy
Cuddles
Dear
Dude
Giggles
Happy
Pal
Smiley
Sunny
Sunshine

Flower Baby Nicknames

Floral names have been red-hot for decades, whether you're going for timeless standards like Lily and Rose, or more unique choices like Dahlia or Zinnia. (Just think of all those florally named characters in the Harry Potter series, from Lavender Brown to Fleur Delacour). But even if you don't want to give your baby an official floral name, here's a bouquet worth of sweet floral nicknames.

Blossom
Bluebell
Briar Rose
Buttercup
Daisy
Leilani
Petal
Petunia
Poppy
Posy
Rosie
Tiger Lily

Bold Baby Nicknames

You don't have to stick with the typical "sunshine and roses" baby nicknames. If your infant is one tough cookie, consider these nickname options that have a bit of an edge to them.

Ace
Badass
Blaze
Boss
Bruiser
Buzz
Countess
Cowboy/Cowgirl
Daredevil
Devil
Diablo
Dragon
Duchess
Duke
Firebird
Firecracker
Gem
Heartbreaker
Hero
His/Her Majesty
King
Moxie
Mr. Man
Ms. Fierce
Queenie
Rebel
Rock Star
Rogue
Sassy
Spike
Superstar
Tough Guy

Cute Baby Nicknames

Whether you want to reflect on how incredibly cute your baby is—or just want a nonsense nickname that's sweet—these may be just the ticket.

Angel
Babbu
Bella
Bizzy
Boo
Bugaloo
Chatterbox
Chubster
Coco
Ellie-Belly
Fairy
Fifi
Handsome
Jazz
Lady
Lovey
Lulu
Nugget
Pebbles
Pookie
Precious
Sir
Snuggle Bug
Sweetheart
Sweetie
Sweets
Tater
Teddy Bear
Twinkle

Pop Culture Baby Nicknames

Let's face it: Pop culture inspires an awful lot of baby names today (we're looking at you, parents who are picking Kylo and Khaleesi for your kids). And your pop culture favorites may just inspire a clever nickname for your baby, too. Here are a few creative nickname picks inspired by popular culture.

Arya
Baloo
Bambi
Ewok
Goofy
Grumpy
He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Changed
Jack-Jack
Khaleesi
Pooh Bear
Prince Charming
Scooby Doo
Sir Cries-a-lot
Sleepy
Snow White
The Chosen One
Tigger
Tinkerbell
Titan
Voldypants
Ziggy Stardust

Colorful Baby Nicknames

Pick your favorite color from the rainbow, and let it inspire cute nicknames for your tot.

Aqua
Blue
Ginger
Goldie
Jade
Jet
Hazel
Olive
Pinky
Rainbow Bright
Red
Ruby

Sporty Baby Nicknames

No matter what sport you adore, there's a whole slew of clever nicknames associated with it. So hit one out of the park with these charming nicknames for your future athlete.

Air Jordan
Beast
Champ
Flo-Jo
Muscles
Rocket
Slugger
Sport
Sugar Ray
The Great Bambino
Yogi

Comic Book Character Nicknames for Babies

Your baby may not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound (at least not yet!), but they're definitely the hero of your heart. So go ahead and give your kiddo one of these cool superhero-inspired picks.