The main characters
SpongeBob SquarePants: Shorten it to Bob (or lengthen it to Robert) for your little anthropomorphic sea sponge.
Patrick Star: The starfish best friend offers two names: Patrick, for a boy, and Star, for a girl.
Squidward Tentacles: Ward is a nice masculine baby name for a boy. (If Ward is not your thing, consider Rodger, in honor of the actor who provides the voice of this cranky octopus.)
Eugene Krabs: The red crab sports a classic name that peaked in popularity around the late 1920s but now ranks in the lowest quarter of the top 1,000.
Sandy Cheeks: It is certainly unexpected to find a squirrel living under the sea, but the multitalented Sandy does just that. Her gender-neutral name is favored more for girls than for boys.
Gary Snail: Humans keep cats as pets, SpongeBob keeps a snail. Gary enjoyed its best years in the 1950s and has slowly dropped in popularity ever since.
Sheldon Plankton: The main antagonist shares his not-so-popular name with The Big Bang Theory's goofy Sheldon Cooper.
Recurring characters
Karen: Plankton's W.I.F.E. Karen is really a Wired Integrated Female Electroencephalograph. Karen was among the top 10 names for baby girls from 1951 through 1968.
Pearl Krabs: For some unknown reason, Mr. Krabs' teenage daughter is a sperm whale. Her antique moniker is enjoying a resurgence in popularity, thanks to celebs who have chosen the name for their children.
Larry the Lobster: When you think about it, it's silly that this underwater series would feature a lifeguard (and a lobster lifeguard at that).
Officer Nancy and Officer John: Bikini Bottom sees its fair share of crime, and Nancy and John are the police fish who help restore law and order.
Johnny Elaine: The bass anchor-fish has been called both Johnny and Elaine — a great pair of names for a set of twins, don't you think?
Perch Perkins: Perhaps it's time the names of this field news reporter sports names, Perch and Perkins, finally make the Social Security Administration's top 1,000.
Harold and Margaret SquarePants: Despite their surname, SpongeBob's parents are decidedly round. (SpongeBob has his mother's nose.)
Squilliam Fancyson: The archrival (and former classmate) of Squidward, Squilliam is arrogant, wealthy and talented. We don't recommend Squilliam as a first name, but William makes a nice substitute.
Betsy Krabs: Viewers were shocked when Plankton put the moves on Betsy, who is Mr. Krabs' domineering mother.
Man Ray: Picture a well-built man wearing a helmet in the shape of a stingray's head, and you'll have a pretty good idea of what this villain looks like. Man Ray and Dirty Bubble frequently cross paths with elderly superheroes Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy.
More baby name ideas
The best and worst celebrity baby names of 2014
Cool baby names inspired by Guardians of the Galaxy
Blockbuster baby names