Ben Names

Ben is a very popular among today's parents. It's easy to see why too. Ben is an everyman, he can be the lawyer or the teacher, the doctor or the chef. If Ben is just too short for you, here are some names that he could be short for.

Benaiah
Benard
Benedict
Benedetto
Benen
Benicio
Benigno
Benjamin
Benji
Bennett
Benning
Benno
Benoit
Benson
Bentley
Benton
Eben
Gerben
Reuben

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 10

New year, new celebrity pregnancy announcement! And boy did we start off with a bang. Zooey Deschanel, who is often credited with giving us the best baby name of 2015 (Elsie Otter!) is going to be a mom for the second time. Jill Duggar is also pregnant with her second child. With her oldest son named Israel, I can't wait to see what name she chooses next. There also are quite a few first-time moms on this month's list, including actresses Lily Rabe, Laura Prepon, and lifestyle guru Lauren Conrad. So far 2017 is shaping up to be a great year for celebrity pregnancy announcements. Let's keep that momentum going into February!

Zooey Deschanel and Jacob Pechenik
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Elsie Otter
Elsie Otter was one of the cutest celebrity baby names of 2015, so I have high hopes for Zooey Deschanel's next baby. I think it would be so sweet if he or she also had an unexpected animal name for the middle, but that's a whole other set of predictions (maybe something like Lynx or Fawn?)
Girl: Clementine, Josie, Lottie, Minnie, Pearl, Phoebe, Ruthie, Sylvie, Tess, Tilly
Boy: Amos, Gus, Frankie, Fritz, Henry, Ira, Lester, Louie, Otto, Richie, Theo
*Update* I was right about their naming formula--welcome, Charlie Wolf!

Lake Bell and Scott Campbell
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Nova
Nova is a strong word name with a connection to the stars. I have a feeling Lake Bell and Scott Campbell are not going to go with a night sky themed sibsets, but I included some subtle options that fit the bill just in case.
Girl: Alpha, Echo, Electra, Lark, Lotus, Maxima, Vesper, Winter, Wren
Boy: Alistair, Axel, Flynn, Lex, Loyal, Marvel, Oz, Rio, Sky, Zephyr
*Update* Welcome, Ozgood, "Ozzy"!

Jill Duggar and Derrick Dillard
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Israel David
Rumor has it that if the Dillard's first-born was a girl, he would have been named Selah. That makes Selah my number one guess for a daughter--but who knows? As long as it's biblical, anything goes.
Girl: Aviva, Dania, Dinah, Elyse, Eve, Galilee, Lilah, Raya, Selah, Shalom, Talia
Boy: Asa, Elijah, Ezra, Gideon, Hosea, Judah, Samson, Simeon, Solomon, Tobias
*Update* It's another boy--Samuel Scott!

Lauren Conrad and William Tell
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Celebrity lifestyle blogger Lauren Conrad hinted at some of her favorite baby names earlier this month, but something tells me that she wouldn't reveal her baby's name that soon. It did provide plenty of inspiration though--traditional modern names seem to strike her fancy.
Girl: Blair, Cecilia, Elsie, Evangeline, Juliette, Luna, Ruby, Scarlett, Sloane, Violet
Boy: Camden, Charles, Eli, Everett, Harrison, Jameson, Nathan, Owen, Reid, Walker
*Update* Hello, Liam James!

Emilie Livingston and Jeff Goldblum
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Charlie Ocean (b)
The name Charlie has a friendly, casual vibe--even more so when paired with a calming middle like Ocean. I expect the Goldblums to choose another unfussy name with great style for their newest son or daughter. If they use a subtle nature theme, that's even better.
Girl: Amelia, Hazel, Ivy, Lena, Lily, Lydia, Nora, Romy, Sadie Stella, Zoey
Boy: Archie, Ben, Calvin, Felix, Henry, Jack, Jude, Luke, Max, Milo, Rudy
*Update* Another water-themed name--River Joe!

Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Lucinda Rose (half sibling)
It's hard to imagine a name more romantic that Lucinda Rose. It has a sweet vintage spirit and sophisticated elegance that I sought to replicate in my top picks for their latest arrival.
Girl: Amelie, Antonia, Beatrice, Cornelia, Isadora, Magnolia, Sabina, Valerie
Boy: Adrian, Anton, Benjamin, Edmund, Hugh, Jasper, Marcel, Oliver, Samuel

Laura Prepon and Ben Foster
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Laura Prepon is expecting her first child with Ben Foster. I have a hunch they'll either go with a tailored, modern name, or something with personal significance. Time will tell.
Girl: Aurora, Arbor, Celia, Jersey, Liv, Maren, Nora, Penelope, Vivian
Boy: Bram, Clay, Colin, Finn, Fletcher, Ford, Gabriel, Jacob, Jett, Michael
*Update* It's a girl--Ella!

Dana Vollmer and Andy Grant
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Arlen Jackson
Olympic swimmer Dana Vollmer and her husband Andy Grant gave their son the unusual-but-not-unheard-of name Arlen. It's an English surname that feels preppy, but still quite modern. I chose names along the same lines for my predictions for their second child's name.
Girl: Darby, Harper, Marlowe, Payton, Piper, Quinn, Reagan, Riley, Teagan
Boy: Connor, Gardner, Gavin, Jude, Liam, Nolan, Rhys, Rory, Rowan, Tate
*Update* It's a boy--Ryker Alexander!

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 29

How important to you is sibset cohesion? Many celebrity sibsets in this month’s group are remarkably harmonized—Nikki Sixx’s children all have edgy names perfect for the sons and daughters of a punk rocker. Courtney and Mario Lopez gave each of their kids very Italian names, and Jessa and Ben Seewald have sons with names inspired by notable members of their faith.

Other stars have coordinating sibsets—the names go together, but they may be a bit different in style or usage. Chelsea Clinton’s Charlotte and Aidan are an example of this, as are Sara Haines’s Alec and Sandra. Each are adding a third child to their family this year, and it will be exciting to see how their names add to the sibsets. I’ve made my predictions for their choices below—let me know how yours compare!

Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Charlotte, Aidan

Chelsea Clinton and her husband Marc Mezvinsky chose popular names for their two children, but with slightly different styles. Charlotte is a modern classic—not so long ago considered an old-lady name, but recently given the royal seal of approval. Aidan, although with Irish roots, feels very American, thanks to the -ayden names defining the decade in US baby name trends. It’s not uncommon for parents to have different taste in names for each gender, but I’m curious if this sibset will bend more towards recent favorites or familiar revivals.
Girl: Eleanor, Elizabeth, Eva, Grace, Josephine, Lillian, Lucy, Nora, Olivia, Sadie

Boy: Benjamin, Eli, Henry, James, Liam, Nathan, Nicholas, Owen, Samuel, Theo

Courtney and Mario Lopez

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Gia Francesca, Dominic Luciano

Courtney and Mario Lopez have a love for accessible Italian choices—ones that have distinct Italian flair, but don’t feel out of place on their American children. Considering they picked names in this category for each of their children’s first and middle names, the odds are high that baby number three will follow this pattern as well.
Girl: Aria, Bianca, Camilla, Eliana, Emilia, Livia, Lucia, Luna, Milana, Serena

Boy: Angelo, Lorenzo, Luca, Marco, Matteo, Maximo, Romeo, Santino, Xavier

Courtney and Nikki Sixx

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Gunner Nicholas, Storm Brieann, Decker Nilsson, Frankie-Jean Mary (previous relationships)

A large age gap often leads to disparate name styles within a sibset, but I don’t think that will be the case with Nikki Sixx’s children. His children all have what we like to call Badass Baby Names. With such a clear affinity for names with a radical image, I expect baby number five will have one as well.

Girl: Avalon, Domino, Echo, Indigo, Lavender, Lux, Maven, Phoenix, Revel, Seven

Boy: Axel, Blade, Breaker, Crash, Diesel, Draven, Kicker, Onyx, Zenith, Zephyr

 Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Spurgeon Elliot and Henry Wilberforce

The Duggar family at large is known for having themed sibsets and choosing names with religious significance. Jessa and Ben in particular have picked names for their sons drawn from historical figures in Christianity. We have every reason to expect they will continue this theme for their third child—the question is, who will they be inspired by?
Girl: Annie, Darby, Elizabeth, Evangeline, Lottie, Phoebe, Pink, Sunday, Taylor

Boy: Barton, Beecher, Harris, Judson, Palmer, Pruitt, Simeon, Theodore, Wesley
*Update* Welcome, Ivy Jane!

Danielle Fishel and Jensen Karp

Gender: boy

Siblings: none

Danielle Fishel and Jensen Karp are expecting their first child this summer—a boy! The pair has pets named Brunch and Bill, but I don’t think they’ll go quite as quirky when choosing a name for their son. I could see Danielle and Jensen using a familiar and stylish name that hits all the right notes for a 2019 baby, much like the following:

Boy: Beckett, Grayson, Hudson, Ian, Julian, Logan, Maddox, Otto, Wilder

Jazmyn Simon and Dulé Hill

Gender: boy

Siblings: Kennedy (previous relationship)

When a mother’s last name works as a first name, I love to see it used as such. Simon, which has a long history as a first name, would be a great contender for the name of Jazmyn Simon and Dulé Hill’s son. If they decide not to use that opportunity, I think Jazmyn and Dulé might go with a trendier name for their little boy.

Boy: Easton, Flynn, Jameson, Jax, Landon, Milo, Nolan, Rylan, Simon, Wyatt
*Update* He's here—Levi Dulé!

Abby Huntsman and Jeffrey Livingston

Gender: boy/girl twins

Siblings: Isabel Grace

Newscaster Abby Huntsman and her husband Jeffrey gave their daughter the sweet and classic name Isabel Grace. Now they’re expecting twins—a boy and a girl—and I would bet that their new little ones will have similarly well-liked, charming names. For their daughter, something feminine but substantial seems to be in order. For their son, I could see them either going full-classic (like Arthur or William), or modern (like Sawyer and Greyson).
Girl: Amara, Cecilia, Eden, Elena, Jane, Julia, Lila, Madeline, Natalie, Rosalie

Boy: Arthur, Charlie, Elliot, Greyson, Jasper, Jude, Sawyer, Thomas, William
*Update* One out of two! Hello, Ruby Kate and William Jeffrey!

Sara Haines and Max Shifrin

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Alec Richard and Sandra Grace

If you said that Alec and Sandra sound like a sibset out of the 20^th century, I wouldn’t blame you. Both names are well past their peak, with Alec topping out in 1994, and Sandra reaching its height in 1947. Sara and Max’s daughter was named after Sara’s mother Sandy, but it still was a surprising pick, considering Sandra is considered quite dated. I’m hoping Sara and Max revive another forgotten classic with their third child’s name.

Girl: Amalia, Diana, Erica, Frances, Judith, Julianna, June, Laura, Tessa, Virginia

Boy: Amos, Anton, Edward, Gregory, Marcus, Nathaniel, Philip, Tobias, Walter