Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 12

It's been a trend in recent years for celebrities to delay the release of their baby's name--usually for a few weeks, even months. However, actors Peter Dinklage and Josh Hartnett have never revealed the names of their children, and their daughters are five and two years old, respectively! Now they both have a second child on the way--will we find out the names of those babies, or continue to be left in the dark?

We also have some stars this month expecting Irish twins--two siblings born less than a year apart. Supermodel Bar Refaeli is pregnant for the second time, only months after giving birth to her daughter Liv. Lauren Gregory and Thomas Rhett were in the process of adopting a baby from Africa when they found out they were pregnant with a little girl. Now they have two babies on the way that should arrive around the same time. How will these celebrities go about naming their Irish twins? I have my predictions, but we'll have to wait and see.

Erica Schmidt and Peter Dinklage
Gender: unknown
Siblings: sister (name not released)
Peter Dinklage has managed to keep his daughter's name a secret for over five years, but rumors abound that her name is Zelig. According to Peter, this is not true, although it seems like a fitting name for the couple. Both of their surnames are of Germanic origin, and Zelig is a Yiddish derivation of the German name Selig. Keeping that in mind, I chose some similarly strong and quirky names for their next child.
Girl: Agnes, Editha, Elza, Francie. Frieda, Hettie, Hilda, Ilsa, Meret, Tresa
Boy: Alric, Anton, Bruno, Jannick, Kaiser, Rainier, Raymond, Roderick, Rollo

Tamsin Egerton and Josh Hartnett
Gender: unknown
Siblings: sister (name not released)
Like the Dinklages, Tamsin Egerton and Josh Hartnett have never released the name of their daughter. However, given Tamsin's British heritage, I'd wager that their little girl (and her upcoming sibling) has a name with some serious English style.
Girl: Edie, Elena, Eloise, Felicity, Iris, Libby, Lydia, Millie, Orla, Poppy
Boy: Arlo, Dashiell, Elias, Finlay, Harry, Jasper, Luca, Rory, Tobias, Theo

Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg
Gender: girl
Siblings: Maxima "Max"
Facebook mogul Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan chose the clunky-cool name Maxima for their daughter in 2015, but call her by the tomboyish nickname Max. Now they're expecting their second daughter--will we see another long Latin name with a sassy nickname?
Girl: Aurelia, Avalon, Cecily, Livia, Lucia, Minerva, Noa, Romilly, Rosette
*Update* Hello, August!

Xosha Roquemore and Lakeith Stanfield
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Xosha Roquemore was named after the Xhosa people--a tribe originally from South Africa. Her father got the idea after researching South African tribes for a play he directing, and Xosha herself went on to study abroad in Ghana during her college years. It's clear that African culture is important to Xosha and her family, which makes me think her baby will have a name with some African influence.
Girl: Amara, Kaia, Kessie, Lissa, Marjani, Nia, Nyala, Sekai, Shona, Zella
Boy: Ayo, Kayin, Kofi, Kwame, Lekan, Massai, Obi, Odion, Taye, Zaire

Casey Wilson and David Caspe
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Max Red
Comedian Casey Wilson and her producer husband David Caspe may have played it safe (by celebrity standards) with the first name Max for their son, but kicked it up a notch with the very bold Red for his middle name. I have a feeling they'll follow a similar pattern for their next son or daughter, so I chose some well-liked, somewhat trendy names for the baby's first name.
Girl: Clare, Daisy, Evie, Frankie, Ivy, Kate, Kit, Phoebe, Piper, Sadie, Tess
Boy: Charlie, Finn, Gray, Henry, Jack, Jude, Liam, Luke, Nate, Owen, Rhys
*Update* Welcome, Henry Bear!

Elvira Lind and Oscar Isaac
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Oscar Isaac is Guatemalan-American, while his girlfriend Elvira Lind is Danish. It may come as a surprise considering Denmark and Guatemala are halfway across the world from each other, but there are actually quite a few names that are used in both countries. I've listed some of them here, along with names I think have the potential to cross over.
Girl: Alba, Amada, Camila, Elena, Isla, Liv, Luna, Maya, Nessa, Signe, Sofia
Boy: Arlo, Bastien, Casper, Hugo, Jonathan, Marco, Otto, Soren, Teo, Viggo
*Update* Baby boy is Eugene, after Oscar's mother, Eugenia!

Bar Refaeli and Adi Ezra
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Liv
Just seven months after the birth of her daughter Liv, Bar Refaeli has announced that she's pregnant again! Bar and her husband Adi are Israeli, and even though Liv is a Scandinavian name, it works well with many Hebrew names. I'm guessing we'll see another short name (maybe also containing the "it" letter V) for Liv's Irish twin.
Girl: Alma, Alva, Avia, Evie, Maya, Mika, Naomi, Niva, Tali, Zadie
Boy: Ash, Bram, Eli, Micah, Nevo, Omri, Oren, Rom. Shai, Tal, Uri
*Update* Another girl--Elle!

Lauren Gregory and Thomas Rhett Akins
Gender: girl and unknown
Siblings: none
Country singer Thomas Rhett and his wife Lauren are expecting a baby girl, and meanwhile are adopting a baby (of unknown gender) from Africa. The couple has said they want to use family names, and are open to feminizations of male names for their daughter. Thomas is a junior himself, so if the adopted baby is a boy, could there be a Thomas Rhett Akins III?
Girl: Grace, Gracen, Greta, Kasey, Leah, Macy, Paige, Retta, Tamsin
Boy: Everett, Grayson, Gregor, Gregory, Lawrence, Lee, Rhett, Thomas
*Update* The Akins' adopted baby girl is Willa Gray!
*Second Update* Baby girl number two is Ada James!

Stylish Choices Outside the Top 1000: 2015 Girls

Syd Nagoshi via Instagram

It can be really frustrating to see your top choices break into the top 1000--no one wants people to discover their favorite name! If you are looking for a name that's guaranteed to be uncommon, outside the top 1000 is the best place to look. None of these names were used over 263 times--that being said, it's impossible to tell how many of these are being used as nicknames for more popular names. The names are ordered from most uses to least: 263 to 5. Make sure to come back on Friday for the boys list, and check out the 2014 list to see what's changed.

10 Vietnamese Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

Kerstin Sterl via Dribbble

Names from Asian cultures are some of the trickiest to import into the English-speaking world. Many of them use sounds we can't pronounce, or have slightly "off" translations. However, Vietnamese uses an alphabet rather than characters, so many of their native names are ripe for American use. The following ten names would work very well on a mixed-culture baby, for first or middle names.

Cam- Though it may sound nickname-y to American ears, the name Cam is very much complete by Vietnamese standards. The Vietnamese version means "orange," like the fruit. She is the perfect Vietnamese-American name, since she's familiar in both countries.

Chau- Chau is a sweet and delicate Vietnamese name meaning "pearl." She shares this meaning with the Marg- names, so Chau could be a subtle way to honor both Vietnamese heritage, and Grandma Margaret.

Chi- Lovely Chi means "branch" in Vietnamese. The Igbo tribe in Western Africa also uses the name Chi, but there it means "spiritual being."

Hoa- Looking for an exotic alternative to Noa? Hoa is your girl. She means "flower," and unlike Noa, is strictly feminine.

Hue- While she might be considered a word name by American standards, in Vietnam, Hue is a well-known given name. She means "intelligence" or "lily."

Linh- Linh looks like she'd be pronounced like Lynn, but she is actually said more like LEEN or LEENG, depending on the region. Either way, she's an easy import. Like so many Vietnamese names, Linh has a lovely meaning--"soul."

Mai- Mai is one of my favorites on this list. She has roots in Japan and Vietnam, but the pronunciation varies slightly. The Japanese version is two syllables, MAH-ee, but the Vietnamese version sounds more like "my." Mai is one of the few Vietnamese names to ever break the top 1000--in the late eighties and early nineties she got as high as #793. Mai means "apricot blossom."

Phuong- Phuong is one of the most consistently popular names in Vietnam. If you live in an area with a lot of Vietnamese Americans, you've probably heard this one quite a bit (I know I have). Phuong actually have two meanings, depending on the accent marks. The more common spelling means "phoenix," while the other means "direction." Though they have slightly different pronunciations depending on the accent marks, in English, they'd both be said as "FOON"

Tien- Tien is a fantastic Vietnamese name. She's one that would translate well in America. She means "spirit" or "fairy," which is almost too adorable to pass up.

Yen- Speaking of wonderful meanings, Yen means "peaceful." I'm not usually a fan of Y names, but I really like Yen.

10 Arabic Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

via For the Love of Names on Pinterest. Follow her!

Depending on where you live in the United States, Arabic names are seldom heard. You're much more likely to hear them in Europe, Africa, and of course, the Middle East. I'm lucky to live in a place where almost all cultures are represented, so I'm no stranger to Arabic names. However, this list contains some names that even I had never heard of, and I'm excited to share it with you.

Anisa- Anisa is a simpler variation of Aanisah, and means "good natured." Even though the two are unrelated, her similarity to the spice anise makes me think she'd be a good name for the daughter of a chef.

Aziza- Looking for a zesty alternative to Aviva? Aziza is your best option. She's spunky and fresh--I kind of love her.

Farida- So many Arabic names have simply beautiful meanings, and Farida is no exception. She means "unique and precious pearl," how lovely is that? She'd be wonderful for a June baby, who's birthstone is the pearl.

Hadiya- I've told you before about my love for Hadiya. Nothing has changed! I would love to see her used more often in the U.S.--Hadiya is extremely import friendly.

Nazia- Nazia is one of those names I had never heard of before (she doesn't even have an entry on Nameberry!), but I'm so glad I finally did, because she's remarkably beautiful. Nazia means "woman who we are proud of," and her likeness to Nadia makes her a perfect unsual yet familar pick for an American baby.

Noor- You've most likely heard of Noor. But unless you live in the Netherlands (where she is so popular) you probably never really thought of using her. Her sweet simplicity makes her attractive to parents from all cultures. Noor can fit into many a sibset.

Omaira- Omaira means "red," so put her on the list for any ginger-haired, Autumn-born babies that you'll have. There's not much information on her, but it seems as if she derived from Omar, and therefore makes a lovely honor name for him.

Peridot- Oh, Peridot. I have talked about her so much (one, two, three, four, five, six). She's definitely one of my guilty pleasure names. And the nickname Dot! I die.

Zaina- Zaina (and similarly, Zayna) are variations of Zaynab--"beautiful" in Arabic, and also a tree name. -ain names might be the next big thing in the U.S., so Zaina would be right on trend.

Zuelia- I'm a big fan of a Julia substituion (see here: Tulia), so you can imagine how excited I was to find Zuelia. I love her soothing zue sound, though I understand the similarity to "zoo" might bother some people.