april

Introduction (engaging hook about April)

There are some baby names that feel like they walk into the room with fresh air behind them. Like you can practically smell clean laundry on a line and hear birds doing that obnoxiously cheerful chirping thing. April is one of those names for me.

And I’ll be honest: I didn’t always feel that way. When I was pregnant with my second (aka the pregnancy where I cried because we were out of peanut butter), I went through a phase where I thought “month names” were a little too on-the-nose. Like, are we naming a baby or labeling a calendar? But the more I sat with it, the more April started to feel… grounded. Familiar, but not boring. Soft, but not flimsy.

Also? April is one of those names that works at every age. I can picture a tiny baby April with milk-drunk cheeks, a kindergartener April who insists on wearing rain boots in July, a teenager April who rolls her eyes at me (fair), and an adult April who signs emails like she has her life together—even if she’s also eating goldfish crackers for lunch. (No judgment. Been there.)

So if you’re considering April, grab your coffee and let’s talk it through like best friends. We’re going to cover meaning, origin, history, notable namesakes, popularity, nicknames, and the big question: is April right for your baby?

What Does April Mean? (meaning, etymology)

At the most straightforward level, April means “April (the month).” Which sounds almost too simple until you really think about what the month represents. April is that hinge point in a lot of places—when spring starts to feel real, when the world stops being beige, when you can finally open a window without regretting it immediately.

And there’s a deeper layer that people often connect to the name: April is commonly interpreted as “to open,” tied to springtime and everything opening up again—buds, blossoms, the whole world exhaling after winter. I love that imagery, not in a cheesy “Pinterest quote” way, but in a real-life way. Because motherhood? Parenting? It’s a constant cycle of opening—new stages, new challenges, new parts of you you didn’t know existed.

I also love that April’s meaning doesn’t feel like pressure. Some names come with this intense “your child must be brave and powerful and rule the earth” vibe. April feels gentler. It’s hopeful without demanding perfection. It’s the kind of meaning you can tuck into your pocket and carry around on the hard days.

Origin and History (where the name comes from)

April has a Latin/English origin, which is part of why it feels so familiar to so many people. It’s rooted in the name of the month, which—if you’re like me—you learned in school and then never thought about again until you were filling out daycare paperwork and suddenly every word felt important.

Historically, month names as given names have popped up across different eras and cultures, and April is one of the ones that really stuck in English-speaking places. It’s not fussy, it’s not hard to spell, and it doesn’t require your child to correct people for the rest of their life. (If you’ve ever had to say, “It’s pronounced like—” every single time you order coffee, you know what I mean.)

I also think April fits into that sweet spot of names that feel classic but not ancient. It’s not like you’re naming your baby something that belongs exclusively to a particular decade… and yet it also has this nostalgic warmth. Like a name you’ve known forever, even if you haven’t.

And yes, it’s a name that has been popular across different eras—which can be a pro or a con depending on your vibe. Some parents want a name that nobody else in the preschool class will have. Other parents want a name that doesn’t feel like a trendy experiment. April tends to land in that steady middle lane: recognizable, but not aggressively everywhere all the time.

Famous Historical Figures Named April

When I’m naming a baby (or helping a friend name a baby), I always peek at namesakes—not because I think it determines a child’s destiny, but because it helps me feel the texture of a name in the real world. Like, who has carried it? What kinds of stories are attached to it?

April Ashley (1935–2021)

One of the most significant historical figures with this name is April Ashley (1935–2021). She was one of the first British people to undergo gender-affirming surgery in the 1950s—a fact that carries so much weight when you consider what that era was like.

I’m not going to pretend I can fully understand what it took for her to live her truth in that time, but as a mom, it hits me right in the chest. Parenting has made me incredibly tender about the idea of kids growing up in a world that doesn’t always make room for them. And it makes me deeply respectful of people like April Ashley, who lived through public scrutiny and still became a name in history.

If you’re the kind of parent who cares about raising a child with empathy and courage (and honestly, aren’t we all trying?), that association with April can feel meaningful. Not in a “your baby must be a trailblazer” way, but in a “this name has been worn by someone who mattered” kind of way.

April Glaspie (1942–)

Another historical figure is April Glaspie (born 1942), a U.S. Foreign Service officer. Now, I’m going to be real: when I hear “Foreign Service officer,” my brain immediately goes to those crisp suits and people who speak in calm, measured sentences—two things I have not mastered. I once walked into a parent-teacher conference with applesauce on my sleeve. So.

But I love that April can fit someone in international service, diplomacy, and serious grown-up roles. It reinforces what I feel about the name: it’s soft enough for a baby, but it holds up in adult spaces. It doesn’t get stuck in “cute kid name” territory.

Celebrity Namesakes

Celebrity namesakes can be a fun bonus—not because we’re naming kids after celebrities (although sometimes we totally are), but because it shows how a name sits in pop culture. Does it feel current? Does it feel dated? Does it bring up a character you can’t unsee?

April Ludgate (fictional character, portrayed by Aubrey Plaza)

If you’ve watched Parks and Recreation, you already know April Ludgate—the deadpan queen herself, a fictional character portrayed by Aubrey Plaza, and a recurring main character on “Parks and Recreation.”

Now, here’s my confession: I love April Ludgate. Not because I want my children to communicate exclusively through sarcasm (I have enough of that happening naturally), but because she’s hilarious, weird in the best way, and surprisingly loyal. If your brain associates the name April with that character, it might give the name a slightly edgy, comedic vibe—like, “Yes, my daughter is sweet, but she will also roast you.”

And honestly? I don’t hate that energy.

April Ryan (journalist, White House correspondent)

Then there’s April Ryan, a journalist and White House correspondent. This is one of those namesakes that makes a name feel strong without being loud. Journalism—especially at that level—requires grit, quick thinking, and a backbone. It’s not a job for someone who folds under pressure.

When I imagine an adult April, I can absolutely see her as someone who asks the hard questions, who shows up prepared, who doesn’t get bulldozed. And if you’re picking a name and hoping it carries a little “she can handle life” energy, April Ryan is a really solid association.

Popularity Trends

Let’s talk popularity, because this is where a lot of us get stuck. We want a name people can spell, but we also don’t want to yell it at the playground and have six kids turn around.

Here’s the key detail we have: April has been popular across different eras. That’s actually a useful way to describe it, because April isn’t a one-decade wonder. It’s not a name that screams, “My parents were definitely naming babies in one specific year.”

To me, April reads as a name that cycles in and out of fashion without ever becoming totally weird or unusable. It’s familiar enough that most people won’t mishear it. It’s simple enough that it won’t be constantly misspelled. And it’s established enough that it doesn’t feel like a gamble.

From a practical mom perspective, that matters. Because your child is going to live with this name on:

• •classroom rosters
• •sports jerseys
• •job applications
• •wedding invitations
• •email signatures
• •and those tiny “Happy Birthday” cupcakes you forgot to order until the night before (no? just me?)

A name like April tends to hold up through all of it.

The other thing about “popular across different eras” is that your April might meet adults named April and not feel like the only one in the world—but she also might not have three Aprils in her kindergarten class. It’s that middle ground again. Steady. Familiar. Not oversaturated.

Nicknames and Variations

Nicknames are one of my favorite parts of baby naming because they’re like the little private language your family develops. Half my kids’ nicknames have nothing to do with their actual names at this point, but still—having options built in is nice.

Here are the nicknames that come with April, and my honest mom thoughts on each:

• •Apri — This feels sweet and modern. Like something a big sibling would naturally shorten it to.
• •Ape — I’m going to be real: this one depends on your kid’s personality. Some kids would think it’s hilarious. Some would be like, “Absolutely not, mother.”
• •Apey — This feels like a playful extension of Ape, kind of silly-cute.
• •Apr — Super short, kind of cool in a text-message way. Not my personal favorite out loud, but I can see it working as a casual shorthand.
• •Aprilie — This one feels extra affectionate, almost vintage, like something a grandma might say when she’s squeezing cheeks.

One thing I like about April is that you’re not boxed into one obvious nickname. Some names only shorten one way. April gives you choices, and you might also find that no nickname sticks at all—which is totally fine. April is already short, clean, and complete.

Also, it’s worth saying: April pairs well with a lot of middle names. It has two syllables, it’s not tongue-twisty, and it doesn’t fight with most last names. It’s one of those names that just… behaves.

Is April Right for Your Baby?

Okay, this is the heart of it. Because you can read all the meaning and history in the world, but the real question is: does it feel like your baby?

I always tell my friends to picture themselves doing the most ordinary, exhausted parenting things with the name. Not the Instagram announcement. Not the baby shower cake topper. The real stuff.

Can you picture yourself saying:

• •“April, please put your shoes on. No, the other shoes.”
• •“April, we do not lick the shopping cart.”
• •“April, I love you, but I need five minutes of quiet.”
• •“April, you did a hard thing today. I’m proud of you.”

If the name still feels good in those moments, that’s a green flag.

Reasons you might love April

In my mom-opinion, April is a great choice if you want a name that’s:

• •Feminine without being frilly
• •Recognizable without being overly trendy
• •Easy to spell and pronounce
• •Connected to a meaning that feels quietly hopeful: “to open” and springtime energy
• •Backed by real-world namesakes—from April Ashley and her historic role as one of the first British people to undergo gender-affirming surgery in the 1950s, to April Glaspie in the U.S. Foreign Service, to April Ryan as a White House correspondent, plus the pop-culture wink of April Ludgate from Parks and Recreation

That’s a pretty wide, interesting range for one name. It can belong to a comedian, a journalist, a diplomat, a trailblazer, a kid who loves worms, or a kid who hates everyone until lunchtime. (Again: Parks and Rec.)

Things to consider before you commit

Because I’m your internet bestie and not a baby-name salesperson, here are the practical “think it through” points:

• •If you strongly dislike month/season associations, April might feel too literal. (Even though it has deeper meaning too.)
• •If your last name is also a time word (like “April Spring” or “April May”), it might feel a bit like a children’s book character. Not necessarily bad—just a vibe check.
• •The nickname Ape may or may not bug you. Kids can be creative, and you can’t control everything. (If you can, please tell me your secrets.)

My honest take: would I use it?

If I were naming a baby today—and I wanted something classic, gentle, and quietly strong—April would absolutely be on my shortlist.

It has that rare mix of softness and backbone. It’s connected to the idea of opening, newness, and spring, without turning your child into a walking metaphor. It has history. It has pop culture. It has a clean sound that doesn’t try too hard.

And maybe most importantly: it feels like a name you can grow into. A baby can wear it, a teenager can survive it, and an adult can own it in a boardroom, an art studio, a classroom, or a chaotic kitchen with three kids asking for snacks at the exact same time.

If you choose April, I think you’re choosing a name that will keep showing up for your child—steady, bright, and familiar—like that first warm day when you crack the window open and remember you can breathe again.