Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 9

Dennis Cortes via Dribbble

It's been said that 2016 was a terrible year, so let's look ahead to 2017. Many stars and starlets announced their pregnancies at the end of this year--which means babies born in 2017! High profile celebrities like Jesse Eisenberg, Amanda Seyfried, Liam Payne and Bradley Cooper are all going to become parents for the first time in 2017. There are also quite a few future big sisters out there. Pink is giving her daughter Willow a younger sibling, Jane Kimmel will soon have a little brother or sister, and Gal Gadot's daughter Alma won't be an only child for long. I'm sure there will be some more exciting pregnancies announced before the end of the year, but I can already tell--we can expect some great birth announcements from 2017.

Megan Hilty and Brian Gallagher
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Viola Philomena
Viola Philomena is a name full of romance. I would love to see Megan Hilty and Brian Gallagher choose another romantic, Shakespearean name for their second child, and the odds aren't bad--as a Broadway star, Megan Hilty knows a thing or two about theatrics.
Girl: Agatha, Alice, Cordelia, Flora, Gloria, Helena, Lilia, Louise, Matilda, Zelda
Boy: Ansel, Arthur, Benedict, Edmund, George, Lawrence, Lester, Louis, Oliver
*Update* It's a boy--Ronan Laine!

Pink and Carey Hart
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Willow
Hardcore couple Pink and Carey Hart chose a name that's anything but for their daughter. I expect them to go the ethereal, perhaps nature-related route again for baby number two, but who knows? Maybe they'll surprise us.
Girl: Anya, Clover, Fiona, Georgia, Ivy, Lark, Olive, Piper, Sage, Sloane, Wren
Boy: Asher, Atticus, Bay, Jude, Kai, Levi, Noah, River, Rowan, Sawyer, Skye
*Update* Welcome, Jameson Moon!

Anna Strout and Jesse Eisenberg
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
It's hard to say what direction Anna Strout and Jesse Eisenberg will go in for their first baby's name, but given the current climate of celebrity baby names, my best guess is short and vintage. Names like Mabel, Sybil, Frederick, and Daisy have been popping up all over the place, and it seems like that might be a good stylistic fit for baby Eisenberg.
Girl: Agnes, Claire, Eloise, Esme, Frances, Greta, Maisie, Nora, Rory, Tess
Boy: Arthur, Edwin, Henry, Matthew, Otis, Peter, Roscoe, Rudy, Theo

Gal Gadot and Yaron Varsano
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Alma
Israeli couple Gal Gadot and Yaron Varsano chose the gorgeous name Alma for their oldest daughter. Many Americans consider Alma a strictly Latin name, but she's actually a global choice with roots in Spanish, Italian, and Hebrew--although it's currently most popular in Scandinavia. I predict Alma's sister or brother will have a similarly striking moniker, perhaps one that translates around the world as well as Alma.
Girl: Aziza, Clara, Clea, Este, Marnie, Nadia, Leandra, Paloma, Pella, Sylvie
Boy: Bram, Emil, Gael, Isaac, Lior, Louis, Noam, Ori, Rex, Tal, Walter
*Update* Hello, Maya!

Amanda Seyfried and Thomas Sadoski
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
It can be tricky to predict celebrity baby names with no siblings to refer to, but that's when I turn to pet names. Amanda has a beloved dog named Finn--might she choose another friendly and casual name for her baby?
Girl: Emmy, Isla, Laney, Lucy, Maeve, Poppy, Romy, Rosie, Ruby, Scarlett
Boy: Archer, Beckett, Charlie, Graham, Gus, Hank, Jack, Milo, Owen, Reid, Sam

Irina Shayk and Bradley Cooper
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Bradley Cooper and his girlfriend Irina Shayk are going to be parents! Irina is Russian, so I would not be surprised if the couple chose a name with Russian usage that is familiar to Americans.
Girl: Anastasia, Evva, Isidora, Kira, Lilia, Mika, Natalia, Odessa, Sarka
Boy: Alexei, Anton, Edmon, Leonti, Lev, Luka, Maksim, Nikolai, Sasha
*Update* Hello, Lea de Seine Shayk Cooper!

Cheryl and Liam Payne
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
This baby is going to be the first child for Cheryl and Liam Payne, but if Liam is anything like his One Direction bandmates, this little one is going to have a spunky British name.
Girl: Alice, Daisy, Darcy, Elodie, Hattie, Indie, Libby, Lottie, Millie, Poppy
Boy: Arlo, Aston, Finley, Hugo, Julian, Max, Ollie, Remy, Sebastian, Theo
*Update* A boy, Bear!

Molly McNearney and Jimmy Kimmel
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Kevin, Katherine (from a previous relationship), Jane
Jimmy Kimmel is gearing up to be a dad for the fourth time. His youngest child's name is Jane--a sweet classic choice that has been creeping back into style lately. I bet he and his wife will choose something in the same vein for their latest son or daughter.
Girl: Anna, Audrey, Bridget, Cora, Eleanor, Eliza, Iris, Louisa, Rose, Sadie, Violet
Boy: Andrew, Henry, James, Matthew, Michael, Oliver, Paul, Samuel, William
*Update* Correct prediction! Welcome, William John, "Billy"!

Names with "an"

I recently got an email from a reader asking for some naming inspiration.

Fiona writes:

My first 2 children both have a theme of "an" - Marianne and Kassandra. It happened accidentally, but the more we think about future names, the more we seem attracted to this sound. It would be great to have some help and inspiration please! 
Our second child was only born this year, so we are jumping the gun a little but we do plan a 3rd child (hopefully, as obviously thanks to mother nature's blips, having a child is not in our complete control!) and our experience is that it is never too early to start thinking about names.

With many thanks,
Fiona 

Past the page break I have put together an exhaustive list of names with -an in them. I've italicised the ones I think work best with Marianne and Kassandra. Feel free to leave your thoughts or suggestions for Fiona in the comments. If you have a naming question that you would like me to post on the blog, feel free to email me at skihm (at) hotmail (dot) com. 

Catalog Names: Shutterfly, Holiday 2013

Holiday cards are one of my favorite things about the holidays. I usually shop for them online, but you can imagine my excitement when I found Shutterfly and TinyPrints catalogs sitting on the kitchen table. Not only do I get to browse wonderful holiday cards, but names as well! Here is an interesting assortment for you to browse.

Girls:
Abby
Abigail
Adrienne
Alison
Alma
Amanda
Anna
Aria
Ariel
Audrey
Ava
Avery
Bella
Brenda
Carlie
Casey
Cate
Cathleen
Cathy
Charlotte
Chloe
Christina
Claire
Clara
Cynthia
Diane
Eliza
Elizabeth
Ellie
Emily
Emma
Emmy
Eva
Gemma
Hillary
Holly
Isabella
Jane
Janel
Jen
Jennifer
Jenny
Josie
Julia
June
Katie
Kaylie
Kelly
Kira
Kylie
Lee Ella
Linda
Lisa
Liz
Lucy
Lyla
Maddison
Madison
Marcella
Maria
Marissa
Maryellen
Maya
Megan
Melissa
Mia
Michelle
Mollie
Natalie
Nora
Olivia
Phoebe
Rachel
Rebecca
Renee
Rose
Ruby
Sandra
Sarah
Sheila
Sophia
Tessa
Viv
Zoe

Boys:
Alex
Andrew
Andy
Anthony
Ben
Bill
Blaine
Brandt
Brayden
Charles
Chris
Connor
Dan
Daniel
Davis
Douglas
Drew
Dustin
Dylan
Eli
Enrique
Ethan
Garrett
Hamilton
Ian
Jack
Jackson
Jake
James
Jason
Jeff
Jerry
Joe
John
Jonathan
Joseph
Justin
Keith
Kevin
Kyle
Lance
Landon
Liam
Mark
Max
Michael
Mike
Nate
Noah
Oliver
Owen
Parker
Patrick
Paul
Peter
Robert
Ryan
Seth
Steve
Timmy
Timothy
Tyler

Names from Arrested Development

Image Credit

To celebrate Arrested Development coming back to television, I thought I'd do a post on the names of the characters and actors.

Alia- Alia Shawkat plays Maeby Funke. Alia is currently ranked at 763, and is considered a variation of Aaliyah.
Buster- Buster Bluth's name is more popular for pets than it is human. He is currently not in the top 1000, but peaked in 1909 at 238.
Byron- Buster's full name is Byron Bluth. Byron is currently at the lowest point he's ever been in the top 1000, coming in at 540. He was consistently popular until the 1990s.
David- David Cross plays Tobias Funke. His name has always been extremely popular, and currently sits at 18.
George- George Bluth, the patriarch of the show is played by Jeffrey Tambor. His name has been in a slow decline since the 1940s, and is at its lowest point in history, number 165.
George Michael- Michael Bluth's son goes by both his father and grandfather's names. This double-barrel name has never been in the top 1000, but is probably a pretty popular combination for men of all ages.
Gob- The character Gob got his name from his initials (George Oscar Bluth). Neither this spelling, nor the more popular, biblical Job have ever been in the top 1000.
Jason- Jason Bateman plays main character Michael Bluth. His name was a staple in the 1980s, and currently is ranked at 71.
Jeffrey- The name Jeffrey made an incredible climb in the 1930s and 40s. He jumped more than 900 spots in five years. He's not unheard of today, sitting at 238.
Jessica- Jessica Walter plays Lucille Bluth. Her name was very popular in the 70s and 80s, and currently is at 120.
Lindsay- The self-centered Lindsay Bluth Funke is played by Portia de Rossi. Lindsay was popular throughout the ages, but has had a steady decline, leaving her at 524.
Lucille- Lucille is currently on her way up, coming in at 394. She's a great update on the popular Lucy.
Maeby- The name Maeby was made up by the show's creator. She has never been in the top 1000, but was given to six baby girls in 2006, and eight baby girls in 2011. All years in between there were less than five.
Michael- Michael Bluth is the main character in Arrested Development. His name has been popular forever, and currently is at number 6.
Oscar- Oscar Bluth is George's twin brother, also played by Jeffery Tambor. His name is going down in popularity, and is ranked at 177.
Portia- Portia dropped of the top 1000 in 1991, and hasn't been back since. She's a beautiful Shakespearean name, but Lindsay actress Portia de Rossi was born Amanda and called Mandy.
Tobias- Tobias Funke is arguably the strangest character on Arrested Development. His name is currently going up in popularity, coming in at 516.
Tony- Tony Hale plays Byron "Buster" Bluth. His name is a nickname for Anthony, and stand-alone it is way down in popularity, at 409.
Will- Will Arnett plays biggest brother Gob Bluth. His name is commonly seen as a nickname for William, but by itself it has been declining, ranked at 666.

Catalog Names: Tiny Prints 2014

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The Holidays are officially here, which can only mean one thing: a giant influx of mail. I recently got the Tiny Prints catalog, and I looked at the names on the cards right away. Overall they were pretty run-of-the-mill, but I found a few gems (Maxine and Simone--yes, please!).

Girls
Abby
Alexandra (x2)
Alexis
Amanda
Angela
Anna
Bianca
Caitlin
Chloe
Eleanor
Eliza
Emily
Evelyn
Evie
Grace
Gwenyth
Jane
Jen
Jenna
Julia
Lauren
Lilly
Lizzie
Madeline
Maggie
Margaret
Margot
Mariah
Maryann
Maxine
Melissa (x2)
Nadia
Rachel
Rebecca
Riley
Sandy
Savannah (x2)
Sloan
Simone
Sophie

Boys
Aiden
Anthony
Brent (x2)
Brian
Christopher (x2)
Connor
Edward
Emery
Ethan
Frederick
Jared (x2)
Jayden
Jonathan
Jordan
Josh
Joshua
Liam
Madden
Mason
Matthew
Mike
Miles
Nathan
Oliver
Robert
Reid
Samuel
Scott
Sebastian
Thomas
Tim
Xavier

Movie Names: Amelie

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Have you guys seen the movie Amelie? It's one of my favorites, the story and characters are all so whimsical and charming. One of the perks of watching a French movie is hearing all the characters names. Some of them fit right in with today's top American picks, while others are a bit more out there. Let me know what you think.

Girls:
Amandine- Incredibly French. A great pick if you're looking for a name that honors an Amanda while reflecting your culture.
Amelie- She's becoming an increasingly popular alternative to Amelia, but how can you resist her charm?
Eva- Parents love Eva for her similarity to Ava, but if you want something a little less popular, try Eve, who ranks at 490.
Georgette- It's not very hard to picture a little Georgette called Georgie, even in America.
Gina- Gina sounds a little dated on her own, but the nickname Gigi is oh so cute and trendy.
Madeleine- The French spelling is lovely, but I'd say the Maddie names are overused.
Philomene- Does Philomena remind you too much of the 2013 Oscars? Philomene is just as pretty.
Suzanne- I know I've said it before, but the nickname Susie is ready for a comeback. Suzanne is a great way to get there.

Boys:
Dominique- Dominique is one of the only truly unisex names out there, yet I've only heard it on girls. What's your take on Dom for a boy?
Joseph- An American classic.
Lucien- Lucian ranks 631 on the Top 1000 list, but the French spelling doesn't make it.
Nino- Ever since I saw this movie for the first time, I fell in love with Nino. I can't picture him on an American man (too cutesy?), but I love the idea of a baby Nino.
Raphael- Sleek and glamorous.  
Raymond- One of these days a celebrity is going to use Raymond, and then he will be all over the place. Until then, he is ranked at 264, so use him before he gets hot.

Share a Coke Names: Part One

I made this here.

I'm sure you guys are familiar with the Share a Coke campaign. It's a great marketing scheme, not only because they get free advertising with every Instagrammed bottle, but because people go crazy for stuff with their names on it. While you can put any name on your coke if you order it online, only certain names are sold in store. Here in America, they chose 250 names to be a part of that group. I recorded them all, so I will list them below, then we will talk about hits and misses. It's all after the jump.

 

Disclaimer: This is not sponsored by the Coca Cola company. I actually don't like soda. At all.

Mamma Mia! The Names From the Movie

As you may or may not know, Mamma Mia! is my favorite movie. It's not because I share a name with the main character (though that's pretty cool), but instead because I love movie musicals. I thought I would analyze the characters and actors names today.

Sophia (Sophie)- A beautiful name of course, but WAY too overused.
Amanda- She is one of my favorite actresses, but her name is too plain. The "man" in there bothers me.
Donna- A good choice for a women that age, but it's personally not my style.
Meryl- I really like this name. It's not too feminine, but very stylish (Meryl Streep is my all time favorite actress).
Sam- Could they have picked more boring names for these men? Sam is so boring.
Pierce- Very interesting. I prefer Pierre, the French version, but I can see Pierce getting popular.
Harry- Again, a boring choice. I am surprised that this name isn't more popular today, considering our country's love for Harry Potter.
Colin: This name is okay. It reminds me of a colon.
Bill- I get why they used this form of William, but I prefer Will or especially Liam.
Stellan: This is a really cool name. I wouldn't use it, but it sounds like stellar, which is completly awesome!
Sky: Eww. I hate this name for a boy. I hate it for a girl too, but especially for a guy.
Dominic: This is an amazing name. It sounds cool and modern, but not flashy.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Look forward to more movie character name analyses!

Same Meaning Sibsets: Part Two

Image Credit

Part two! Today we have six more name meanings to create sibsets out of. View part one here.

Good
Agatha + Glenda
Gita, Mona, + Tova

Grace
Anya, Grace, + Hannah
Amara, Hanita, + Sena
Carissa + Milena

Love
Amy + Darrell
Esme, Kerensa, + Priya
Amanda, Connor, + David

Peace
Axel, Fritz, + Pax
Freddie + Winnie
Frederick, Geoffrey, + Humphrey
Frieda + Salome

Song
Melody + Odele
Ronia + Zamir
Shira, Rayna, + Roni

Sweet
Anika + Laia
Dulcie + Eulalie
Myra + Shirin

Share a Coke Names: Part Two

Might as well go with Nell ;) Make one here.

Okay, back for more. To do this post, I looked at all the names they sold in stores in the UK. Turns out it's a lot more. Like, almost five times as more. It took a long time to get all this data, but I've got some interesting observations for you guys. I'm going to list all 1,146 (!) names after the jump, then we can talk about them.

My hand hurt after writing seven pages of this.

Catalog Names: PB Teen

Girls:
Addison
Amanda
Anna
Ariel
Brooke
Brynn
Chelsea
Chloe
Claire
Coraline
Elsie
Emma
Emily
Hallie
Jamie
Julia
Julie
Kaitlyn
Katie
Kelley
Kennedy
Lacey
Lauren
Lola
Marbella
Martina
Mary
Molly
Peyton
Raleigh
Sarah
Sophie
Taylor
Zoe


Boys:
Austin
Brooks
Chris
Emerson
Hunter
Jacob
Jake
Joe
Maddox
Max
Tyler