Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 27

As 2018 comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on the year in celebrity baby names. It was an exciting time—three (yes, three!) Kardashians babies were born this year, Chicago, Stormi, and True. Chrissy Teigen and John Legend named their son Miles Theodore, Cardi B and Offset gave their daughter the name Kulture Kiari. Other notable celebrity baby names from 2018 include Colette Koala (Macklemore), Marvel Jane (Pete Wentz) and Rani Rose (Kate Hudson).

Looking ahead, 2019 should be a great year as well. Stars like Jessica Simpson, Carrie Underwood, and Snooki are all expecting new babies in the new year. Amy Schumer, Molly Yeh, and Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are going to become parents for the first time in 2019. So what names will they choose for their babies? I’ve made my predictions for some of them below.

Angela and Alfonso Ribeiro

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Sienna (previous relationship), Alfonso Lincoln, Anders Reyn

Angela and Alfonso Ribeiro’s two sons each have A names—Alfonso and Anders. Now that they’re expecting their third, are they going to make this a pattern? Alfonso’s teenage daughter is named Sienna, so it could be fun to find another S name, especially if the baby is a girl. But even if they don’t choose to do an initial theme, there are plenty of great options for the Ribeiro sibset.
Girl: Adeline, Allegra, Arya, Carolina, Emilia, Isabella, Juliet, Maya, Scarlett, Willow

Boy: Alaric, Axel, Benson, Dexter, Julius, Linus, Lucien, Quincy, Vincent, Winston
*Update* Another A—Ava Sue!

Michelle Mulitz and Ben Feldman

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Charlie Milton

In 2017, Ben Feldman and wife Michelle Mulitz gave their son the name Charlie Milton. Milton is an honor name from Michelle’s side of the family, but Charlie was chosen for its cute-factor. The pair of names makes quite the vintage combination. Should Ben and Michelle try and emulate that style for their next child’s name, they should consider the following.

Girl: Clara, Edie, Eliza, Eloise, Flora, Hazel, Ivy, Jane, Lucy, Ruby, Ruth, Violet

Boy: Eli, Emmett, Finn, George, Gus, Henry, Jack, Levi, Liam, Max, Milo, Theo

Molly Yeh and Nick Hagen

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

Food blogger and TV personality Molly Yeh is pregnant with her first child. She and her husband Nick are interested in using names or variations of names from their family trees. Molly has Chinese and Jewish roots, while Nick’s ancestors come from northern Europe. This gives them quite a large pool to choose from, and I wouldn’t be surprised if their later sibset ended up with an eclectic feel.

Girl: Anouk, Aviva, Dalia, Ilsa, Joanie, Lia, Liora, Marnie, May, Mina, Roux

Boy: Asa, Asher, Bo, Ira, Isaac, Jack, Jacob, Jonah, Kai, Noam, Pim, Samson
*Update* A little girl—Bernadette Rosemary, called Bernie!

Janet Montgomery and Joe Fox

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

British actress Janet Montgomery and boyfriend Joe Fox share a dog named Guthrie. Guthrie is a Scottish name in origin, but feels decidedly country-western, thanks in part to singer Woody Guthrie. Cowboy and -girl names are actually some of the fastest rising in England and Wales, so I’d wager that the couple will chose something with some country vibes for their son or daughter.

Girl: Hallie, Harlow, Indie, Josie, Mabel, Paisley, Rosalie, Sadie, Savannah, Skylar

Boy: Brody, Carter, Grayson, Hunter, Jax, Jude, Levi, Lincoln, Maddox, Wyatt
*Update* It's a girl—Sunday Juno!

Jess Weixler and Hamish Brocklebank

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

Jess Weixler hails from the South—Kentucky, to be exact—while her husband Hamish Brocklebank is from the UK. While it might seem like these two regions would have disparate naming styles, there are some names that overlap. I took names that are rising on the UK charts and also have style cred in the American South to come up with a list of possibilities for Jess and Hamish.

Girl: Callie, Daisy, Ellie, Esme, Georgia, Maisie, Molly, Paisley, Scarlett, Willow

Boy: Benjamin, Gabriel, Grayson, Jackson, Jude, Miles, Rowan, Teddy, Toby
*Update* Welcome, Beatrice Danger!

Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Jionni LaValle

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Lorenzo Dominic and Giovanna Marie

Snooki Polizzi and Jionni LaValle are going to welcome their third child in 2019. Based on the names of their oldest two children, odds are that he or she will have a lengthy Italian name, which ties back to their ancestral heritage. I’d love to see them use an up-and-coming Italian name like Antonella or Luciano—their celebrity influence could propel these names into the mainstream.

Girl: Antonella, Bianca, Carina, Daniella, Giorgia, Giuliana, Lucia, Sienna, Viviana

Boy: Antonio, Emilio, Leonardo, Luciano, Marcello, Matteo, Maximo, Nicolo, Santino
*Update* Hello, Angelo James!

Carly Matros and Zachery Bryan

Gender: boy

Siblings: Gemma, Taylor (g), Jordana Nicole

Zachery Bryan was a child star of the ‘90s, and it seems like his naming style might be influenced by that decade. Taylor was a top ten pick for girls from 1993-2000 (peaking at Number 6 from ’94-’96). Jordana has never broken through the top 1000, but the very similar Jordan peaked for girls in 1997 at Number 40. Gemma is somewhat of an outlier in the sibset, as it has currently plateaued around Number 250. Now that Carly and Zachery are expecting a boy, are we going to see this same ‘90s style come through in his name?

Boy: Aiden, Brady, Carson, Clayton, Cody, Dylan, Griffin, Kyle, Lucas, Porter, Ryan
*Update* He's here—Pierce Alexander!

Kayla Rae Reid and Ryan Lochte

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Caiden Zane

Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte and his wife Kayla picked the name Caiden Zane for their son in 2016. It’s a name that’s emblematic of the decade, given the popularity of the -aiden names and affection for high-value Scrabble letters like Z. I expect their next child to have a name that is similarly on-trend and representative of the 2010s.

Girl: Addison, Aubree, Blakely, Brielle, Emerson, Everly, Kinsley, Rylee, Zoey

Boy: Axel, Bentley, Bryson, Colton, Jace, Jaxon, Kingston, Logan, Luke, Maverick
*Update* A girl—Liv Rae!

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 22

Sibsets with half-siblings can be tricky. Often there is the desire to create a completely cohesive sibset. But new partners can introduce new tastes and preferences for baby names, so a harmonious sibset isn’t always very possible.

When it does work out though, it is incredibly satisfying. Stanley Tucci has done a fantastic job blending the name his youngest child (with wife Felicity Blunt) with the names of his children from his first marriage. This is especially impressive considering there is a twelve year age gap between the two youngest. He and Felicity are set to welcome another little one later this year, and I can’t wait to hear his or her name.

Many other celebrities this month have to deal with this half-sibling sibset conundrum. Kate Hudson is going to be naming a half-sister to Ryder and Bingham, Tyrese Gibson’s wife Samantha is expecting a baby girl who will be a half-sister to Shayla, and Cardi B. will be adding a half-sibling to Offset’s brood of Jordan, Kody, and Kalea.

Whether or not these stars choose to create cohesive sibsets for half-siblings doesn’t really matter (there are no rules when it comes to baby naming, at least, not in the US). The most important thing is that they choose names they are excited about. So if that means that Stanley Tucci goes rogue and names his baby Caiomhe, or Cardi B. picks something totally off base from Jordan, Kody, and Kalea, then I’m cool with it.

Felicity Blunt and Stanley Tucci

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Nicolo Robert, Isabel Concetta, Camilla (previous relationship), Matteo Oliver

When it comes to his children's names, Stanley Tucci has wholeheartedly embraced his Italian heritage. All four of his kids have Italian (or Italian adjacent, a la Isabel) names that work perfectly in an American context. His youngest son was given the very haute name Matteo, so I think for this next baby we will see something similarly en vogue (or, I should say, alla moda).

Girl: Alessia, Allegra, Bianca, Emilia, Fabiana, Lucia, Luna, Viola

Boy: Elio, Enzo, Leandro, Luca, Samuele, Sandro, Santino, Silvio
*Update* A little girl (and correct prediction)--welcome, Emilia Giovanna!

Erin Burnett and David Rubulotta

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Nyle Thomas Burnett, Colby Isabelle

With children named Nyle and Colby, CNN anchor Erin Burnett seems to have a penchant for familiar-but-unusual names with a hint of androgyny. Lucky for her, there is no shortage of options for baby number three’s name. For a girl, I am crossing my fingers for Darcy—a drastically underused name that is super sweet (and how cute is it paired with Colby for a sister-set?). If the baby is a boy, my vote is for Teague. Like Darcy, it doesn’t break the top 1000, but Teague has a modern sound and is ripe for discovery.

Girl: Blair, Bree, Bryn, Darcy, Fifer, Harper, James, Logan, Neve, Rory, Tierney

Boy: Alistair, Brogan, Cian, Errol, Fintan, Gregor, Jett, Lachlan, Quinlan, Teague
*Update* A boy--Owen Thomas!

Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Milo

British ex-pats Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty chose the name Milo for their son—a fashionable choice in both their native and adoptive homes. I’d love to see them choose something that’s hasn’t hit the American mainstream for their second baby—something like Elodie or Kit, perhaps—but I have a feeling they’ll go with a name that is both well-liked and well-used in both the United States and the United Kingdom, just like they did with Milo.

Girl: Annika, Edie, Elodie, Esme, Flora, Freya, Marnie, Matilda, Olive, Poppy, Wren

Boy: Asher, Axel, Eli, Felix, Frankie, Jasper, Kit, Leon, Oskar, Otto, Remy, Rex, Rhys
*Update* Another boy--James Patrick!

Samantha and Tyrese Gibson

Gender: girl

Siblings: Shayla Somer (previous relationship)

Although the name Shayla has almost fallen out of the top 1000, back when Tyrese Gibson gave it to his daughter ten years ago, it was still well-used. I expect he and wife Samantha will choose something a little bit more modern for their new baby daughter—there are plenty of contemporary choices that still work well with half-sister Shayla's name. 

Girl: Ashlyn, Chiara, Keeley, Kenzie, Laney, Nola, Olivia, Rylee, Savannah, Sierra
*Update* Baby girl is Soraya Lee!

Kate Hudson and Danny Fujikawa

Gender: girl

Siblings: Ryder Russell and Bingham Hawn (previous relationships)

Kate Hudson's boys have names bursting with family significance. Ryder's middle name honors her stepdad Kurt Russell, Bingham is named after Kurt's father (who was called Bing), and Hawn is Kate's mother's surname. It's pretty clear that there will be an honor name somewhere in her baby girl's name—the question is what that name will be. I'd love to see Kate and Danny use a name that means "gold" to honor Kate's mom Goldie. But considering each of her kids have alliterative first and last names (Ryder Robinson and Bingham Bellamy), it could be fun to find an F name for baby Fujikawa. 

Girl: Aurelia, Fable, Fia, Fleur, Fuchsia, Koko, Mika, Suki, Xanthe
*Update* Hello, Rani Rose!

Cardi B and Offset

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Jordan, Kody, Kalea Marie (previous relationships)

Cardi B and Offset (given names: Belcalis and Kiari Kendrell) are expecting their first child together! Offset already has three kids--his sons are named Jordan and Kody, which have a definite '90s vibe to them. However, his daughter is named Kalea, a beautiful Hawaiian name that feels fresh in this era of Leilani and the like. But Cardi B has Dominican and Trinidadian ancestry, so it's possible we'll see a name with Hispanic roots. I'm curious to see how she will influence this sibset—will Cardi's baby's name match up with Offset's other children's, or be totally incongruent? 

Girl: Angeles, Bonita, Carissa, Dominica, India, Kallista, Kiara, Sabrina, Solana

Boy: Baez, Bronx, Chase, Dylan, Justus, Kade, Quinn, Tevin, Tigre, Tristan
*Update* It's a girl--Kulture Kiari!

Arielle Goldrath and Kevin McKidd

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Joseph, Iona (previous relationship)

Scottish actor Kevin McKidd chose Iona for his daughter back in the early aughts--a Scottish name that remains undiscovered in the US. Considering there will be a fifteen year age difference between his two youngest children, I would love for him and wife Arielle Goldrath to use another Scottish name to cohere the sibset (and as a nod to Dad's roots). 

Girl: Bonnie, Blair, Eilidh, Greer, Isobel, Lileas, Maisie, Nessa, Tamsin, Vaila

Boy: Alistair, Callum, Dashiell, Graham, Ian, Keir, Lachlan, Malcolm, Ross
*Update* It's a boy--Aiden!

Christine Lakin and Brandon Breault

Gender: boy

Siblings: Georgia James

‘90s sitcom star Christine Lakin named her daughter Georgia after her home state. Now she and husband Brandon Breault are expecting a baby boy—I think a Southern gentlemanly name might be the perfect thing to pair with Georgia, and would definitely match this couple’s style.

Boy: August, Beau, Brooks, Clayton, Dean, Heath, Tucker, Walker, Wyatt
*Update* Welcome Baylor B.!

Nickname Proof Names: Boys

Krystin via Sappy Apple

While many of us look for names that are nickname gold-mines, just as many parents want a name with absolutely no nicknames at all. If you're one of the latter, I've compiled a list of over 100 names for boys--none with any established nicknames. It's all after the jump. Check back on Friday for the girls list!

Best Unisex Names for Boys

Buy the print here, via Ebay

This list surprised me in many ways. The first is by some of the names. I never would have guessed that names like Dominique, Kimball, and Wynn are all more popular for boys (to be fair, they're all pretty close in terms of boy/girl usage). Second, this list is quite a bit longer than Monday's. I would have thought that there are more unisex names that are considered "for girls" rather than the other way around. Granted, I couldn't have thought of every unisex name, so there still could be more "girlish" ones, I suppose. Let me know what you think--are all of these better suited for the boys?

Abbott
Adrian
Aiden
Alex
Anchor
Angel
Ari
Ash
Ashton
Birch
Bo
Brady
Brighton
Cameron
Carlton
Casey
Cedar
Charlie
Chris
Christian
Cove
Dallas
Daryl
Devin
Dominique
Doran
Drew
Dylan
Elliot
Ellis
Evan
Gardner
Garland
Glenn
Gray
Finn
Flynn
Hart
Hayden
Jazz
Jordan
Jory
Joss
Justus
Keegan
Kimball
Kyle
Lake
Lane
Lincoln
Logan
Linden
Maguire
Mercer
Micah
Nico
Noel
North
Oak
Oakley
Parker
Paxton
Phoenix
Quincy
Ray
Reece
Reid
Ren
Rio
River
Rory
Rowan
Ryan
Sacha
Sam
Samar
Sawyer
Sean
Storm
Tate
Terry
Toby
Tony
True
Tyler
Wynn

10 African Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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I talked a lot about meanings in last Wednesday's post, and today will be no different. African names have some of the best meanings, which can add a special level of connection to your child's name. Take a look, and as always, I want to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Ade- Ade is a short and sweet name that would be lovely on his own or as a nickname. More mainstream full name choices include Adam, Adler, Adrian, or Aiden.

Bayo- Bayo is a unisex name meaning "joy has found us." How simple and delightful--it's exactly the message I would want to give my baby.

Garian- Garian is a place name--it's a town in the African country Libya. Even though most people have never heard of him before, he's the name on this list that would be easiest to wear as an American child.

Haji- This Swahili name is especially popular among Muslims, as he means "born during the pilgrimage to Mecca." Haji would be a nice way to incorporate your heritage and religion into your son's name.

Ibo- I'm a sucker for a short name, so it should come as no surprise that I'm enchanted by Ibo. He means "my people," which is charming.

Iniko- I didn't include him on my Full Names for Nick post, but I should have, because Iniko easily lends himself to Nick or Niko. Plus, he's way more interesting that Nicholas. 

Kito- Kito is cute, rather nickname-y Swahili name that means "precious jewel" (as seen on Monday). If you don't like the idea of Kito as the full name, he'd be a wonderful short form of Christopher.

Kwame- Every time I see the name Kwame, my mind immediately goes to Ja'mie, Private School Girl, the funniest TV show I have ever seen. It features an endearing character named Kwame, which convinces me that this Ghanian name is very usable.

Odion- Odion is pronounced oh-dee-OHN, and is commonly used on the first born twin, as that is his meaning. He's Nigerian in origin, but I could definitely see him on an American child.

Zikomo- While name meanings don't actually have an effect on childrens' personalities, it certainly doesn't hurt to try. If you want a polite, well-mannered child, Zikomo could be the name for you. He means "thank you," one of the first phrases we try and teach our children.

10 O Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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Oh boy, O names for boys! I couldn't resist. O names are the coolest. 

Oak- Tree names are on the up-and-up, and Oak is no exception. He still is below the top 1000 though, so you have time to snag him. 

Oberon- Oberon is a Shakespearean name with some serious style. Obie would be a cool nickname. 

Odin- Odin is our most popular name on this list, ranking at #573. I was surprised at first, because I have never heard this name before. But after considering how close he was to Aiden, it all made sense. 

Ogden- Ooh, I love Ogden. He's the name of a major street here in Chicago, which, of course makes me love him even more. 

Omer- Homer has been ruined (forever?). But Omer is up for grabs. But they are awfully close. 

Onyx- A color name with quite a few high point Scrabble letters. Could Onyx be the next baby of Robert Downing Jr.?

Oren- Oren is cute, simple, and musical. Anyone a fan of Oren Lavie? 

Oro- Oro means gold in Spanish, which is perfect for your little treasure. 

Oxford- He might sound a little pretentious and preppy to some, but I think Oxford is a winner. Plus, Ford makes for a rad nickname. 

Oz- You might get a few jokes about being "great and powerful," but that's not so bad. And calling him Ozzie will eliminate that problem. 

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

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.