Baby Names Inspired By Iconic Characters From Classic Soap Operas

Expecting a baby is one of the biggest moments of your life, and nothing compares to the excitement as your bump starts to grow. Big decisions need to be made soon before the big arrival, such as picking out car seats, strollers, and decorating the nursery. Among all the preparations is choosing a name, and that doesn't always come easily. There are so many options, and you can find ideas anywhere, like baby names inspired by your favorite Hallmark actors, musicians, or athletes. However, if you're a huge soap fan, you can narrow down your options by looking to classic daytime television characters.

There's a reason soap operas like "Days of Our Lives" and "The Young and the Restless" remain on air to this day. Sure, they can get pretty over-the-top with their storylines, but we just love to live vicariously through the fictional characters. Some have been on-screen for so long that fans have spent decades getting to know and love them, so it makes total sense to name your child-to-be after one of them. We're sure many Ericas were named after Susan Lucci's infamous "All My Children" character, and while she may have been an inspiration to many parents, there are plenty of other soaps with just the right name for your baby.

As one of the longest-running soap operas, "The Young and the Restless" has kept fans riveted since 1973. Set in the fictional town of Genoa City, the show's overarching storyline revolves around two feuding families, the Abbotts and the Newmans. The patriarch of the latter, Victor Newman, can serve as inspiration if you have a son and want him to be a tough-as-nails businessman. His wife, Nikki Reed Newman, is an option if you're having a girl, and you can even opt for the alternative spelling, Nicky, if you're having a boy, but still want to pay tribute to the Newman matriarch. Victoria is also a strong contender and is one of the most popular '80s-inspired baby names of 2026 so far, so you can't go wrong with that.

Moving over to the Abbott family, Jack Abbott has a first name that's been in the top 20 most popular since 2020, according to the Social Security Administration. While that's usually a name for boys, we love the idea of a girl rocking that moniker, and you can also go the Jackie or Jacqueline route if you're more of a traditionalist. And of course, we can't forget Ashley Abbott, played by Eileen Davidson, who remains a daytime TV star over 40 with incredible style.

There was a time when fans would rush to their television sets at 1 p.m. sharp to watch "Days of Our Lives" on NBC. Now, the longtime soap opera airs on Peacock, but we're still just as riveted by the folks in Salem. The show premiered in 1965, with Deirdre Hall joining the cast 11 years later as Dr. Marlena Evans, who is beloved on "DOOL" and would be such a lovely name for a girl. It has Hebrew roots and can mean "rebellious" or "wished-for." Renée Jones's character, Lexie, is a sweet take on Alexis, while Chloe, played by Nadia Bjorlin, remains a popular pick.

Hope Brady was another fan-favorite character on "DOOL," and the name inspires such warm thoughts of optimism — perfect for welcoming a baby with infinite possibilities in her future. Kayla is another Brady family member with a pretty-sounding name if you're looking for something extra feminine. And finally, Billie and Sami are both adorable options for gender-neutral names that can be spelled multiple ways.

"All My Children" gave viewers so much entertainment for over four decades before going off the air in 2011. Still, fans look back on the show fondly, and you can stroll down memory lane and relive all the titillating storylines by going over baby name options. Aside from Erica (Kane), which was popular in the '80s, Myrtle also serves as great inspo for a baby name if you want something retro. Opal also has an old-fashioned ring to it, and it would be totally fitting for you to name your baby after a precious stone.

For names with a Southern ring, Greenlee and Dixie are both solid choices and invoke images of drinking sweet tea on a porch. If you're as much a fan of the Kardashian-Jenner clan as you are of soaps, Kendall is the way to go for either a boy or a girl. The patriarch of "All My Children," Palmer Cortland, has a first name that is likewise unisex, so if you're waiting to find out your baby's gender until birth, that can be firmly on your list of possible picks.