Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 26

Do you find it easier to name girls or boys? Traditionally the name pool for girls has been larger (although the options for boys are ever increasing). For some, the plethora of choices for girls makes it easier to find a name they love, while for others the number of options can be overwhelming.

For Jessica Simpson, the girls name pool wasn't big enough. She borrowed from the boys when naming her daughter Maxwell in 2012. Now that she has another daughter on the way, will we see a similar situation?

This month, many other celebrities announced they are expecting girls. Kehlani, Teresa Palmer, and Egypt Sherrod are all going to be having daughters next year. And the biggest celebrity pregnancy news of the month—Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are having a baby (although no news yet on whether it'll be a prince or a princess).

We've got a lot of star-babies to look forward to in the coming year, and many of them are sure to have interesting names. I've made my prognostications, but I'd love to know—what do you think these celebrities are going to name their babies?

Alejandra Silva and Richard Gere
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Homer James Jigme, Albert (previous relationships)
It can be hard to find a name that merges the styles of blended families, but with sons named Homer and Albert, it shouldn't be too difficult for Alejandra Silva and Richard Gere. Another old-fashioned, clunky-cool name seems to be in order whether it's a girl or a boy. Either way, I'm hoping he or she will have a Tibetan middle name like Richard's son Homer. Richard Gere is a human rights advocate with a strong focus on Tibet, so it's nice to see his love of the culture spill over into his choice of baby names.
Girl: Adelaide, Augusta, Cleo, Etta, Frances, Harriet, Josephine, Martha, Matilda
Boy: Archie, Bernard, Chester, Conrad, Forrest, Otto, Walter, Watson, Winston
*Update* Welcome, Alexander!

Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson
Gender: girl
Siblings: Maxwell Drew (g), Ace Knute
Back in 2012, Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson defied expectations by naming their daughter Maxwell. Now that they're expecting another girl, everyone is wondering if Jessica and Eric will surprise us again. What do you name a sister to Maxwell? I'm thinking they might go with another gender-bending choice, but perhaps she'll choose something traditionally unisex.
Girl: Everett, Finn, Jameson, Lennox, Phoenix, Quinn, Remington, Sawyer
*Update* Hello, Birdie Mae!

Sophie Hunter and Benedict Cumberbatch
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Christopher "Kit" Carlton, Hal Auden
With sons named Kit and Hal, Sophie Hunter and Benedict Cumberbatch are obviously big fans of succinct nicknames with a hint of British flair. There are plenty of quirky-cute British nicknames that haven't yet made the leap over the pond. I'd love to see them use another one-syllable name, especially if it's a boy, and perhaps get a bit more playful if it's a girl.
Girl: Dolly, Dot, Ginny, Lucy, Lula, Maude, Millie, Penny, Pippa, Rose, Tess
Boy: Billy, Bram, Finn, Jack, Jay, Jem, Len, Lou, Mac, Ned, Robbie, Seb, Theo

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
One of the biggest celebrity babies of 2019 is undoubtedly going to be that of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. The world's favorite couple is expecting their son or daughter in the Spring, and already the bettors are taking their guesses as to what his or her name will be. It's likely they'll choose a classic name with some history of use in the monarchy, but that's not a guarantee. Harry and Meghan have a bit more leeway than Will and Kate, since their child will be further down the line of succession. If it's a boy, I'm holding out for Spencer. It's a strong and handsome name that would beautifully honor Diana.
Girl: Alexandra, Alice, Dorothea, Elizabeth, Isabelle, Louisa, Sophia, Victoria
Boy: Albert, Arthur, Charles, Edward, Frederick, James, Jasper, Philip, Spencer
*Update* Archie Harrison!

Kehlani Parrish and Javie Young-White
Gender: girl
Siblings: none
Mononymic singer Kehlani is expecting her first child with Javie Young-White. The couple is spiritual and artistic, so I'd be very curious to see their short list for baby girl's name. Odds of a word name are high—I'm getting a lot of night sky and astrological vibes from Kehlani and Javie, so I wouldn't be surprised if they uses any of the following:
Girl: Celestial, Dream, Frida, Indigo, Lavender, Lotus, Mystery, Nova, Soleil
*Update* Baby girl is Adeya Nomi!

Teresa Palmer and Mark Webber
Gender: girl
Siblings: Isaac (previous relationship), Bodhi Rain, Forrest Sage
Teresa Palmer and Mark Webber are going to be having a girl! They have two sons together, and each has a name ripe with natural significance. It's almost a given that baby girl will have a combination of nature names—the question is, which ones?
Girl: Aspen, Clover, Haven, Iris, Juniper, Lark, Laurel, Prairie, Willow, Wren
*Update* Welcome, Poet Lake!

Amy Schumer and Chris Fischer
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
What kind of baby name will Amy Schumer and Chris Fischer choose? Considering one of them is not a celebrity, I'd imagine this name is going to be more "normal" than one might hope. A possible clue—Amy's dog is named Tatiana (after actress Tatiana Maslany), but goes by Tati. Keeping that in mind, I choose some more names for the couple with strong consonant sounds and nickname options.
Girl: Edith, Genevieve, Josephine, Juliet, Marlowe, Miranda, Olivia, Romilly
Boy: August, Beckett, Benjamin, Dashiell, Harrison, Jacob, Maxwell, Nathaniel
*Update* It's a boy—Gene Attell!

Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson
Gender: girl
Siblings: Simone (previous relationship), Kendall
It'll be a houseful of girls for Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson, as they are set to welcome daughter number three into their family in 2019. She'll be closest in age to their six-year-old Kendall, so it's likely her name will fall closer to the modern and unisex part of the spectrum, rather than be French and feminine like Simone.
Girl: Addison, Ashlyn, Aubrey, Brooklyn, Emerson, Jordan, Olivia, Waverly
*Update* Welcome, Harper Skye!

Country Names for Babies

86era via Dribbble

It's the last week of the Olympics, which has me thinking all about names. Not only the names of the athletes (which is my favorite part), but also the names of the countries. Many country names can double as baby names, like the ones I have listed here. Which ones are your favorites?

Girls
Andorra
Bolivia
China
Columbia
Dominica
France
Georgia
Holland
India
Ireland
Italy
Jamaica
Jordan
Kenya
Libya
Mali
Malta

Boys
Benin
Chad
Cuba
Cyprus
Egypt
Israel
Jordan
Monaco
Morocco
Oman

Full Names for Hallie

Made by me, via PicMonkey

Hallie is such a sweet, all-American girl type of nickname--it's a shame she's not used more often! The problem might be in that she doesn't have many obvious full name choices. I have eight wonderful options listed today--let me know if there are any you would add.

Halcyon- Halcyon is a fabulous Greek name with origins in Greek mythology. The fantastical bird was known for it's calming effect. It may seem like a lot to wear, but with the nickname Hallie, I think it works.

Halda- Halda might seem a touch old-fashioned, but my theory is the -da name are going to come back in style--soon. Think Frieda, Tilda, Esmeralda. When that happens, Halda will be a great under-the-radar pick, with the bonus of an adorable nickname.

Haldis- However, I'm not as optimistic about the -is names coming back anytime soon. Gladys, Glennis, and others haven't quite ripened up again. Although, Haldis is made a bit sweeter by her nickname Hallie.

Halima- Halima is a gorgeous African name popular in Egypt and Somalia. She means "gentle," "mild," or "patient" depending on the translation. Halima obviously doesn't need a nickname, but should you choose to go that route, Hallie is a nice option.

Halona- Halona has Native American and Hawaiian roots, and has the wonderful meaning of "happy fortune." She would be very wearable on an American baby, even sans the Hallie nickname.

Halsey- Everyone is loving H surnames right now, but Halsey remains undiscovered. She's short enough to go without a nickname--and obviously Hallie isn't any shorter--but it could help with gender confusion.

Henna- Many of you will recognize Henna as a plant name, most commonly associated with the Indian art of temporary tattooing. Hallie might seem like an odd nickname choice, but if Henry can answer to Hal, Henna can definitely be called Hallie.

Henrietta- Henrietta is a spunky heroine name, a la Henrietta Lacks. Much like Henna, Hallie isn't the first nickname you would expect, but is nonetheless a viable option.

Hipster Baby Name or Hipster City: International Edition

One of my most popular posts is Hipster Baby Name or Hipster City? Now I'm bringing it back, but this time we're going outside of the states. What exactly is a hipster baby name? Hipster baby names seem too quirky, old fashioned, or extreme for yuppie parents. In fact, they're probably names you never would have thought of. The trickier part is identifying a hipster city--I had some trouble with it myself. For the purpose of this post, a hipster city has to be well-known for housing trend-setting twenty-somethings. I know that every city has a hipster neighborhood, but to be a real HC, it has to go beyond that (Tip: the bigger the city, the more likely it is to be a hipster city). Good luck on the quiz, and make sure to come back after the jump to read my justifications.

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