Retro '90s Baby Names Inspired By Classic Sitcom Saved By The Bell

Like skater dresses and grunge boots, baby names from the '90s are back in fashion, too. If you are looking for a baby name inspired by your favorite sitcom of the era, look no further than "Saved by the Bell." This iconic TV series follows a group of friends from Bayside High in California, full of colorful fashion, funny misadventures, silly jokes, and true love. It is a quintessential '90s teen show — a digital time capsule of growing up in this era — so it's a perfect place for inspiration for a retro  baby name.

Stars of "Saved by the Bell" include ultimate '90s cool girl Tiffani Thiessen, as well as Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez, Lark Voorhies, Dustin Diamond, Elizabeth Berkley, and Dennis Haskins. These actors helped cement their cool teen characters (plus Principal Belding, of course) into our hearts, and now it's time to resurrect some of their names for the next generation — although Screech can keep his — we aren't quite ready to give a baby that unique moniker! Check out some of our favorite "Saved by the Bell"-inspired baby names below.

"Saved by the Bell" has tons of bubbly names with major main character energy. Zack Morris, played by Mark-Paul Gosselaar, is the popular preppy boy on the series, and his name, a nickname for Zachary, means "God has remembered." Give this to your son, and if he gets in trouble, you can yell "time out!" just like Zack does.

Of course, there are tons of popular girls on the show as well, which provide tons of fodder for baby name inspo. Name a future fashionista baby after Lisa Turtle (Lark Voorhies), who always brings the style. With her neon colors and perky attitude, Lisa is an icon — and your baby might be too with this name, which means "God's promise."

Leah Remini has had a complete transformation over the years, but we still remember when she played Stacey Carosi on "Saved by the Bell." Stacey was sassy and self-confident during her brief summer fling with Zack, and her name just sounds so '90s. It's perfect for a nostalgic but cool name without a doubt.

Want something that stands out and is fit for a tough baby? Go with Slater, a name for the ultimate jock like A.C. Slater, the quarterback of the football team and a member of the wrestling team at Bayside High. Although Slater was technically the last name of Mario Lopez's "Saved by the Bell" character, it makes for a great first name that means "one who lays slates." Definitely a hard job and a name with a strong vibe! 

For baby girls, Kelly is a cute choice. Sweet, popular, and skilled at nearly everything — Kelly Kapowski (Tiffani Thiessen) is just that girl! Kelly is the head cheerleader and captain of the volleyball team at Bayside High. She's kind, smart, and beautiful, and it's no wonder Zack Morris is so in love with her! Kelly sounds like a pretty, bubbly girl's name, but it actually means "war" or "warrior." This just proves your little Kelly will be stronger than people might think!

Tori is another fabulous option. Tough, dangerous, and bad to the bone, Tori Scott (Leanna Creel) was one of the coolest characters on "Saved by the Bell." She appeared right at the end and briefly stole Zack's heart with her swagger and chic leather jacket. The name Tori is derived from a Japanese word meaning "bird," and it's also of Latin origin as a shortened form of Victoria, meaning "victory."

Violet Bickerstaff was nerdy — but, man, she had an angelic voice! Tori Spelling guest-starred as Violet on "Saved by the Bell," turning the adorkable, pigtail-wearing girlfriend of Screech into a fan-favorite. The name Violet is such a beautiful, vintage name, which literally means "purple." As flowers, violets symbolize love, innocence, and faithfulness. It's also a timeless name, as Violet has been trendy for over a century. It was ranked number 109 on the U.S. Social Security Administration's top 1000 baby names list in the year 1900, and it ranked number 13 in 2025!

For boys, you can't go wrong with Richard after Principal Richard Belding (Dennis Haskins). Despite being the man in charge of Bayside High in "Saved by the Bell," he genuinely cares about his students. The name Richard is a classic name that means "powerful" or "brave" and has been used by parents frequently since the 1900s. In fact, it was ranked in the top 100 baby names in the SSA's list from 1900 until 2007, and still came in at 234 in 2025. Using one of these timeless names feels like a secret tribute to your favorite show.