Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 21

Patterns in sibsets can be very cute and add cohesion when done right. But sometimes it can get you into trouble. Take Ayesha and Steph Curry. They have two daughters named Riley and Ryan, and now Ayesha is pregnant with their third child. Ryker or Ryder seems like the obvious choice for a boy, but if they have another daughter, this could be the end of the Ry- pattern.

Kimberly and James Van Der Beek are also in a predicament if they have another baby girl. Each of their children has a 3+ syllable name, and their daughters names all start with different vowels—O, A, and E, which leaves I and U. My top choice for them is Isla, which follows the different vowel pattern, but not the syllable count one. 

All this to say—patterns can be great, but if they're too restrictive, be prepared to give up some of the requirements as more children are added to the mix. I'm excited to see how these celebrities handle the challenge, and I've weighed in with my advice below. 

Laina Rose Thyfault and Chris Klein

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Frederick Easton "Easton"

Laina Rose Thyfault and Chris Klein's son Frederick is named for Chris's dad, Fred. The kiddo actually goes by his middle name, Easton, which gives us a better sense of his mom and dad's naming style. However, I'd love to see them follow a similar pattern of using the honor names first. Chris's mother's name offers some great possibilities—her maiden name, Bergen, would be darling on a son, and while slightly dated, her first name, Therese, lends itself to the sweet (and not at all dated) nickname Tess.

Girl: Addison, Delaney, Hadley, Harper, Piper, Quinn, Sydney, Tess, Therese

Boy: Beckett, Bergen, Carter, Clayton, Greyson, Landon, Lincoln, Tucker

*Update* It's a girl--welcome Isla Rose!

Ayesha and Steph Curry

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Riley, Ryan Carson (g)

Golden State Warriors player Steph Curry and his wife Ayesha are expecting their third child, but after daughters named Riley and Ryan, which name comes next? There are only so many Ry- names left (and many of them rhyme with Ryan), so my best guess is that they might give up the Ry- sound pattern for the broader R initial one.

Girl: Raelyn, Raven. Reagan, Reese, Rhiannon, Ria, Ridley, Ripley, Rissa

Boy: Rayden, Raymond, Rico, Rigby, River, Roman, Rowan, Ryder, Ryker
*Update* They didn't go with another Ry- name--it's a boy named Canon W. Jack!

Luisana Lopilato and Michael Bublé

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Noah, Elias

Noah and Elias are both gentle names for boys that have a religious bent. They also work well in Luisana Lopilato's native Spanish, an important factor to consider when naming cross-cultural babies. Luisana and Michael obviously aren't afraid to use names higher up on the popularity charts, so I imagine they will use another well-liked moniker for Elias and Noah's baby brother or sister.
Girl: Amelia, Annabella, Eden, Grace, Hannah, Isabel, Lily, Mia, Olivia, Sofia

Boy: Asher, Benjamin, Caleb, Ezra, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Levi, Micah, Samuel
*Update* A little girl--Vida!

Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent

Gender: boy

Siblings: Poppy

Interior design superstars Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent are adding a baby boy to their brood! They named their daughter Poppy back in 2015—a stylish choice that's underused in America, but quite popular across the pond. In all likelihood, they'll choose a similarly friendly and fashionable name for her younger brother.

Boy: Graham, Felix, Jack, Jasper, Leland, Lyle, Milo, Oliver, Otis, Theo, Toby
*Update* Welcome, Oskar Michael!

Michelle Branch and Patrick Carney

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Owen Isabelle (previous relationship)

Singer Michelle Branch gave her daughter the gender-bending name Owen over a decade ago. Now, twelve years later, she is expecting her second child. Have her tastes shifted over the years, or would she go for another masculine name for a daughter? Whatever she picks, I'm sure it will be modern and stylish.
Girl: Elliot, Finley, James, Jude, Kit, Mason, Noa, Parker, Rory, Sawyer

Boy: Beckett, Camden, Dashiell, Griffith, Jack, Magnus, Sullivan, Wyatt
*Update* Hello, Rhys James!

Rachel McAdams and Jamie Linden

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

Rachel McAdams may be best known for her acting, but she's also an active environmentalist. That makes me wonder if she'll choose a nature name for her baby, although with a surname like Linden, it could become too much of a good thing. Perhaps a name with subtle nature ties, like Cyrus or Daphne, might be better for Rachel and Jamie's son or daughter. 

Girl: Clover, Daphne, Flora, Laurel, Magnolia, Mavis, Rose, Violet, Willow

Boy: Canyon, Cyrus, Danner, Dune, Field, Forest, Fox, Grove, Lachlan, River

Kimberly and James Van Der Beek

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel Leah, Emilia

After four children, the Van Der Beeks have clearly defined preferences when it comes to baby names. Long, soft names are a must for either gender, and for their daughters, they like names that start with different vowels. Some of these requirements are easier met than others, so I'm eager to see which ones Kimberly and James value the most when they name baby number five. 

Girl: Adeline, Audrey, Elena, Elodie, Camilla, Grace, Iris, Isla, Ivy, Lilia, Lucia

Boy: Adrian, Benjamin, Elijah, Elliott, Jameson, Noah, Samuel, Silas, Wesley
*Update* Another girl, but not another vowel name--baby girl is Gwendolyn!

Sophie Flack and Josh Charles

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Rocco

The friendly, charming name Rocco was chosen by Sophie Flack and Josh Charles for their son back in 2014. Although the name is Italian in origin, neither Sophie nor Josh have Italian heritage. That makes me think they chose Rocco more its style cred than its backstory, so I don't think we should expect another Italian name from Sophie and Josh. Although who knows? Rocco and Luca makes a pretty darn cute combination. 

Girl: Adele, Alma, Cleo, Della, Evie, Frieda, Gemma, Luella, Stella

Boy: Arlo, Benji, Cosmo, Duke, Hugo, Julius, Luca, Maxim, Nico, Otto

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 14

Names with personal significance are always special, and this month's batch of celebrities loves a good honor name. All of John Carter Cash's children have names from his side of the family, and Daphne Oz has a son who's a junior (which seems rarer nowadays, especially with celebrities).

There are some stars who are having their first child that I would love to see use a name with personal significance. Matthew Morrison's wife Renee is from Hawaii, where many gorgeous names have originated. Nikki Reed and Ian Somerhalder are huge nature lovers, so a nature name would have a lot of meaning to them. Finally, Julia Stiles has some quirky naming traditions in her family that I'm wondering if she'll follow. Whatever direction these celebrities go in, I'm sure they'll choose lovely names, but I'm always crossing my fingers for names with a good story behind them.

Ana Cristina and John Carter Cash
Gender: girl
Siblings: Joseph John, Jack Ezra, Anna Maybelle "AnnaBelle" (previous relationships)
It's very evident that that John Carter Cash loves to use honor names--and he should, with so many great names to choose from! All three of his children have a name plucked from his famous family tree in either the first or middle position (or both, as is the case with Jack Ezra). I'd wager that his upcoming baby girl will have a name with family significance as well.
Girl: Caroline, Clover, Helen, June, Maggie, Margaret, Valerie, Virginia
*Update* Welcome, Grace June!

Tasha McCauley and Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Gender: unknown
Siblings: brother (name not released)
Notoriously private Tasha McCauley and Joseph Gordon-Levitt have never shared the name of their son, and that's unlikely to change with baby number two. However, I have a pretty good idea of the type of name they would choose. Tasha and Joseph are very worldly--she speaks English, Spanish, and Arabic!--so a name with multicultural influence seems to be in order.
She speaks English, Spanish, Arabic
Girl: Alia, Gracie, Isa, Jane, Leila, Lula, Mariam, Ramona, Senna
Boy: Arlo, Daniel, Hugo, Israel, Julian, Milo, Sebastian, Samar

Nikki Reed and Ian Somerhalder
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Nikki Reed and Ian Somerhalder are a nature and animal-loving couple. They are climate and animal-rights activists, and Nikki has a line of sustainable beauty products. This makes me think they will choose a name from the natural world--whether it be a plant, animal, or simply nature-inspired name--for their first child.
Girl: Harbor, Juniper, Lark, Linden, Prairie, Sage, Swan, Willow, Wren
Boy: Bear, Canyon, Forest, Fox, Moss, Oak, River, Sparrow, Stone, Wolf
*Update* It's a girl--Bodhi Soleil!

Renee Puente and Matthew Morrison
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Renee Puente and Matthew Morrison love Hawaii. Renee grew up on the islands, and the couple held their wedding there. Since Hawaii has played such a large role in their lives, I expect Matthew and Renee's child to have a name with some Hawaiian flavor.
Girl: Alohi, Ani, Emalia, Iva, Lilia, Leilani, Luana, Meilani, Poema
Boy: Hiro, Kai, Kanoa, Kauri, Kimo, Liko, Luka, Niko, Oli, Rai, Tao
*Update* They did use a Hawaiian name--in the middle! Welcome Revel James Makai!

Jaime Pressly and Hamzi Hijazi
Gender: boy/boy twins!
Siblings: Dezi James (previous relationship)
Actress Jaime Pressly is expecting twin boys--brothers to her son Dezi James. Dezi is one of those great names that is stylish and uncommon, yet familiar. Should Jaime and Hamzi choose names in a similar vein for their sons (that also have Dezi's casual vibes) I think they might some of the following.
Boy: Bodhi, Eli, Nev, Nial, Odie, Rafe, Ren, Roy, Shae, Shan, Teague
*Update* They're here--Leo and Lenon!

Daphne Oz and John Jovanovic
Gender: girl
Siblings: Philomena Bijou and Jovan Jr.
Although Daphne Oz's children have fairly extravagant names, she often calls them by the more accessible nicknames Philo and JJ. For her next daughter, I bet she is looking for a name along the same line--long and romantic, but with a fun nickname. Isabeau called Izzy or Beau, or Minerva called Minnie would be especially sweet.
Girl: Agatha, Clementine, Eugenie, Isabeau, Liora, Minerva, Winifred, Zelda
*Update* Welcome, Domenica Celine!

Roselyn Sanchez and Eric Winter
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Sebella Rose "Sebi"
Sebella Rose is the perfect name for Roselyn Sanchez and Eric Winter's daughter. Sebella has Spanish roots, which nods to Roselyn's Puerto Rican heritage, but it's not obscure, thanks to Isabella's popularity in the US. Using that formula, I picked out some more cross-cultural names that could be contenders for Sebi's little brother or sister.
Girl: Camila, Esme, Luisa, Marisol, Paloma, Seraphina, Valentina, Viviana
Boy: Augustin, Benjamin, Emilio, Leo, Mateo, Milo, Nathaniel, Santiago
*Update* A boy--Dylan Gabriel!

Julia Stiles and Preston J. Cook
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Julia Stiles has an interesting story behind her name. Both her parents and her siblings have first names that start with J, and her middle name is O'Hara--her father's surname. Stiles is her mother's surname, and I would love to see Julia use it as a first name if her baby is a boy. Stiles is an overlooked option that should appeal to parents searching for something tailored with a preppy feel.
Girl: Celia, Dorothy, Emmeline, Estelle, Lilia, Lyra, Mina, Simone, Sylvie
Boy: Callum, Flynn, Harris, O'Hara, Otis, Ray, Shepherd, Stiles, Thatcher

*Update* Hello, Strummer Newcomb!

Celebrity Baby Name Suggestions: Volume 2

Foss Design via Etsy

Celebrity baby naming is unpredictable, but that doesn't stop us from trying! Just as we're shocked when a famous parents chooses something way out of left field for their child (a la Jamie Oliver's Petal Blossom Rainbow or Gwyneth Paltrow's Apple), it's just as surprising to hear them pick a common name (like Michael Buble's Noah or Matt Damon's Isabella). That being said, there are some tricks to celebrity baby name predictions, so let's look into the crystal ball.

Emily Blunt and John Krasinski
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Hazel
Hazel is super sweet and subtly vintage. I think they'll pick another on-trend name with retro roots.
Boy: August, Charlie, Felix, Finn, Julian, Louis, Oscar, Russell, Spencer, Toby, Walter
Girl: Ada, Cora, Fiona, Gemma, Georgia, Helena, Ivy, Phoebe, Poppy, Ruthie, Zara
*Update* Another color-nature name for the Krasinski clan--Violet!

Erica Hanson and Ike Barinholtz
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Foster (g)
The hilarious Ike Barinholtz (Morgan Tookers on The Mindy Project) and his wife Erica went the androgynous surname route for their little girl. I expect they'll choose something similar for baby #2, regardless of gender.
Boy: Coleman, Cormac, Fielding, Gardner, Hart, Holt, Huck, Shepherd, Sumner
Girl: Abbott, Campbell, Connelly, Hadley, Halsey, Hollis, Madden, Sheridan, Sloane
*Update* Another girl--Payton June!

Holly Madison and Pasquele Rotella
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Rainbow Aurora
Holly Madison surprised us all when it turned out she had secretly (and subtly) revealed the first name of her daughter via Twitter. In this article she reveals she likes word names as well as Disney inspired ones. Keeping that in mind, here are my predictions.
Boy: Anthem, Charming, Diesel, Dragon, Echo, Flynn, Hero, Spirit, Temple, Treasure, Valentine
Girl: Ariel, Chrysanthemum, Bliss, Bluebell, Fantasia, Forever, Holiday, Jubilee, Meadow, Pixie
*Update* She does love word names--baby boy is Forest Leonardo Antonio!

Alanis Morisette and Mario Treadway
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Ever Imre (b)
Imre, Alanis Morissette and Mario Treadway's son's middle name, is not one you hear often. It's actually a Hungarian name, which ties back to Morissette's heritage. Might we see another Hungarian choice? Or perhaps something from her French-Irish side of the family? More word names? I guess we'll wait and see.
Boy: Bence, Hawk, Judge. Justice, King, Laszlo, Maverick, Noble, Rogue, True
Girl: Emerald, Fable, Harbor, Haven, Ireland, Lyric, Mika, Rebel, Sailor, Story
*Update*  It's a girl for Alanis Morisette--Onyx Solace!

Lisa Ling and Paul Song
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Jett Ling (g)
Wow, we have a lot of word name-loving celebs this month! Lisa Ling named her daughter Jett back in 2013, and I'm curious to see if she chooses another unisex word name for baby number two.
Boy: Archer, Canyon, Cove, Dashiell, Dax, Fletcher, Fox, Kit, Park, Rex, Rocco
Girl: Bird, Domino, Grey, Indie, Liv, Max, Monroe, Poet, Scout, Sea, Sutton
*Update* It's a girl--Ray Ling Song!

Alexi Ashe and Seth Meyers
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Late Night host Seth Meyers' wife Alexi are pregnant with their first. It's hard to make predictions about name choice without an older sibling's name to look to (they do have a dog named Frisbee, not that that helps), but I have a feeling this couple isn't going to choose anything wild and crazy.
Boy: Bennett, Conrad, Eli, Emmett, Ford, Graham, Henry, Jay, Judson, Lawson, Reid
Girl: Amelie, Cecilia, Eleanor, Eve, Fiona, Ivy, Lily, Madeleine, Nadia, Nina, Rosie
*Update* It's a boy, and his name is Ashe Olson--the maiden names of Alexi and Seth's mother. How sweet!

Paige Mitchell and Eddie Murphy
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Eric, Christian, Bria, Myles, Shayne, Zola, Bella, and Angel (g)
It's baby number nine for Eddie Murphy! With this many kids, it's hard to keep sibsets super cohesive. But taking inspiration from his youngest ones, I would expect the baby to be named...
Boy: Ace, Cash, Chaz, Jax, Jayce, Lynx, Phoenix, Xander, Zaire, Zack
Girl: Asha, Asia, Faith, Jade, Jasmine, Jolie, Journey, Liberty, Nala, Skyla
*Update* Hello, Izzy Oona!

Soleil Moon Frye and Jason Goldberg
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Poet Sienna Rose, Jagger Joseph Blue (g), and Lyric Sonny Roads (b)
After three babies, I think we have a pretty good handle on Soleil Moon Frye's naming style--artistic word names. She's a fan of gender-bending though, so I might as well have left off the boy and girl labels.
Boy: Crescent, Drummer, Freedom, Jazz, Journey, Ocean, Mystery, Rhapsody
Girl: Dancer, Dreamer, Fable, Galaxy, Pastel, Silhouette, Swan, Velvet, Whimsy
*Update* Soleil has welcomed a little boy named Story!

Nicky Hilton and James Rothschild
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Coming from such a high-profile family, the pressure's on Nicky Hilton Rothschild to choose a marvelous name for her son or daughter. Something tells me it's going to be a little bit dramatic and extravagant, but still wearable.
Boy: Alastair, Augustine, Bennington, Charleston, Maximilian, Reginald, Whittaker
Girl: Angeline, Aurelia, Calixta, Clarissa, Emmeline, Simone, Valentina, Veronique
*Update* Welcome Lily Grace Victoria!

Liv Tyler and David Gardner
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Milo and Sailor Gene
When both of Liv Tyler's sons were born, their names were on the cusp of cool. I suspect she will make a similar choice when it comes to her third child.
Boy: Asa, Cyrus, Dashiell, Finn, Jude, Nico, Otto, Phoenix, Reid, Royce
Girl: Carys, Delilah, Elodie, Ivy, Luna, Marnie, Matilda, Pearl, Tallulah
*Update* I was close with Luna and Tallulah--baby girl is Lula Rose!

Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Charlotte

A new Clinton baby will be arriving in the midst of a busy summer for it's presidental candidate grandma, Hillary. First daughter Chelsea and her husband Marc chose the name Charlotte for their first child--ranked at #10 the year she was born. Charlotte is a soft, vintage-inspired name that feels very current right now. My guess is her sibling will have a similar name. 

Boy: Andrew, Graham, James, Jasper, Julian, Harrison, Levi, Paul, Spencer, Thomas, William

Girl: Alice, Annabel, Audrey, Eleanor, Elizabeth, Evelyn, Genevieve, Lucy, Madeleine, Nora
*Update* Welcome Aidan Clinton Mezvinsky!

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. 

Stylish Choices Outside the Top 1000: 2014 Boys

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Uninspired by the names in the top 1000? Looking for something particularly unusual? Consider one of the following names for your son--none of them were given to more than 204 boys last year (and some were only given to 5!) It's all after the jump.

Word Names

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Word names make great middle names. We see it all the time with celebrities--Charlie Ballerina, Sparrow James Midnight, Buddy Bear, etc. But you don't need to be a celebrity to go big in the middle. The best part about middle name is that they are just that: in the middle! They aren't used on a regular basis, so have fun with it. I've got 150 options here, ranging from the safe and easy to the truly outrageous. It's all after the jump.