Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 15

Each family has different traditions and values when it comes to naming their children, and celebrities are no different. Some, like Jessica Alba and Cash Warren, prefer the meanings of their children's names to be packed with significance. Their daughters are named Honor and Haven, which are both quite virtuous. Other stars, like James Corden and Cristiano Ronaldo, place value on family names. Cristiano Ronaldo's oldest son is a junior, which is the utmost way to honor the father in many families. James Corden's daughter is named Carey, for his wife's maiden name.

I'm most interested to see what naming values some first-time celebrity parents will have. Will Nathan Kress choose a name from his side of the family? Would Mindy Kaling pick a name inspired by one of her heroes (like Nora Ephron, perhaps?) I can't wait to find out!

Nicky Hilton and James Rothschild
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Lily Grace Victoria
Nicky Hilton and James Rothschild have a naming style I like to call "accessible royalty." Their daughter's name--Lily Grace Victoria--has a regal sound to it, with the two middles and classic names, but with a modern twist. I think their next child will have a name with a similar feel--rooted in royalty, but appropriate for a baby of 2017.
Girl: Adelaide, Cecilia, Charlotte, Chloe, Elizabeth, Juliette, Madeleine, Ruby
Boy: Charles, Henry, Jack, Jacob, Nathaniel, Oliver, Samuel, Theodore, William
*Update* Another girl--Teddy Marilyn!

Julia Carey and James Corden
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Max, Carey (g)
James Corden and his wife Julia used one of my favorite honor naming techniques--they gave their daughter Julia's maiden name as a first name--Carey. Carey (and its more widely-used form, Carrie) was most popular in the 1970s, while the Corden's son's name, Max, peaked in 2011. I'm hoping James and Julia choose a name that bridges the style gap between the two names, and leads to a cohesive sibset.
Girl: Abigail, Caroline, Emma, Gemma, Gracie, Greta, Laney, Leah, Molly, Phoebe
Boy: Callum, Charlie, Drew, Isaac, Jack, Luke, Miles, Nico, Nolan, Owen, Reid
*Update* A girl—Charlotte!

London Moore and Nathan Kress
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Model and actress London Elise Moore and actor Nathan Kress are a young couple with strong family-oriented values. I have a feeling they might choose a name from one of their family trees. It turns out Nathan's side of the family has tons of great options, ranging from the classic to the quirky!
Girl: Alice, Anna, Caroline, Charlotte, Hazel, Janie, Katherine, Margaret, Mamie
Boy: Alexander, Charles, Henry, Jacob, James, Lewis, Marshall, Roy, Stone, Truett
*Update* It's a girl--Rosie Carolyn!

Mindy Kaling
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
On her TV show The Mindy Project, Mindy Kaling's character has a son named Leo. Considering she has a role in writing the script, I'd bet Leo is a name that Mindy likes (and maybe even made her list at one point or another). Keeping that in mind, I chose some names that share Leo's essence--short, friendly, and charming.
Girl: Emmy, Eva, Josie, Lila, Maya, Mina, Mira, Nora, Nina, Roxy, Ruby, Veda
Boy: Arlo, Asher, Dashiell, Eli, Emmett, Felix, Henry, Levi, Maxwell, Milo, Theo
*Update* Welcome, Katherine Swati!

Jessica Alba and Cash Warren
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Honor Marie, Haven Garner
Jessica Alba and Cash Warren love names that are rich with meaning, particularly those with a virtuous quality. Honor and Haven are modern virtue names--sweeter and subtler than the virtue names of yesteryear like Patience and Chastity. I'm hoping they stick with that theme for baby number three, although I'm not so sure how I feel about another potential H name. Would it be cute or gimmicky?
Girl: Aurora, Ember, Harbor, Harlow, Hollis, Hope, Ivy, Jade, Nova, Sage, Willow
Boy: Everett, Foster, Harris, Henry, Jasper, Jude, Lawson, Linden, Pax, Sailor, True
*Update* Baby boy is Hayes Alba!

Georgina Rodriguez and Cristiano Ronaldo
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Cristiano Jr., Eva Maria, Mateo (previous relationship)
Spanish soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo and his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez are expecting his fourth child--a brother or sister for the impeccably named Cristiano Jr., Eva Maria, and Mateo. His youngest two children have names that are quite fashionable in Spain, so my bet is that baby number four will have a trendy and stylish name as well.
Girl: Alba, Carolina, Elena, Helena, Isabel, Lola, Lucia, Luna, Marina, Sofia
Boy: Bruno, Gabriel, Iker, Leo, Luis, Marco, Martin, Niko, Oscar, Sebastian
*Update* A little girl--Alana Martina dos Santos Aveiro

Ashley Hinshaw and Topher Grace
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Actors Ashley Hinshaw and Topher Grace are huge Harry Potter fans. Knowing how influential the series has been when it comes to baby name trends, I would not be surprised if the Graces chose a name of one of the minor characters. Not necessarily a name that's super out there, like Severus or Artemisia, but something with familiarity--perhaps Phineas or Emmeline.
Girl: Aurora, Emmeline, Honoria, Isla, Maisie, Millicent, Mirabella, Penelope
Boy: Connolly, Dexter, Gideon, Humphrey, Magnus, Otto, Phineas, Zacharias
*Update* Hello, Mabel Jane!

Brooklyn Decker and Andy Roddick
Gender: girl
Siblings: Hank
Hank is one of those old-school, every-man nicknames of the 20th century that is just beginning to have that "adorkable" status among parents. Now that Brooklyn Decker and Andy Roddick are expecting a daughter, I'm curious to hear what they pair with Hank. I'm clearly hoping for another sassy retro name!
Girl: Annie, Edie, Francie, Georgia, Louise, Lucille, Minnie, Nellie, Tess
*Update* Welcome, Stevie!

140th Westminster Call Names

Craig Jamieson via Dribbble This year's winner was a German Shorthaired Pointer named CJ

When we hear about show dog names, we most often are mentioning the outrageous, over-the-top, nonsensical monikers the dogs are referred to formally. Even though I get a kick out of these, I'm always more interested in the call names of the dogs, i.e., what they respond to outside the show ring. Hundreds of dogs participated in the 140th Westminster Dog Show this year, and I recording their names to list here (here's last year's post, if you're interested). This isn't a very large sample size, but it can give us some insight into how people name their dogs, and how it's so similar, yet vastly different from naming children.

Classic Dog Names
Bella
Charlie
Chloe
Gus
Henry
Hunter
Izzy
Louie
Lucy x2
Marley
Molly
Parker x2
Pepper
Sophie
Thor

Colorful Canines
Azul
Blue x2
Cadet
Mr. Blue
Sky

Cultural Choices
Blitx--"lightning" in Swedish
Devlin (g)
Gomez
Gretel
Hoja
Leandro
Mano
Ovidius
Pepe
Ronan
Saxon
Schilling
Sunito
Tuco

Currently Trending
Annabelle
Anouk
Beckett
Cyrus
Eli x2
Finn
Gia
Gideon
Juliet
Kit (b)
Leo
Olivia
Piper
Walker

Distinguished Gentlemen
Adrian
Alan
Andrew
Angus
Anton
Bradley
Casey
Chauncey
Falco
Griffin
Hank
Hector
Humphrey
Jango
Jason
Joshua
Lucas
Moses
Mr. Jones
Ned
Nelson
Preston
Remy
Richard
Stuart
Vito
Watson
Xavier

Food and Drink
Bacon
Brie
Kahlua
Monte Cristo
Patrón

Lovely Ladies
Clara
Creeda
Fiona
Gail
Grace
Etta
Kate
Lucia
Paola
Primrose
Summer x2
Vanessa
Vera
Victoria
Zora

Place Names
Cayman
Dixie
Fenway
Mexico
Orlando
Tennessee

Nicknames
Allie
Augie
Cal
CJ
CR
Danny
Duffy
Frankie (g)
Gabby
Gabe
Gedi
Gibbs
Jenny
Lumi (b)
Mack
Manny
Obie x2
Odgie
Ollie
Pandy (b)
Ricky x2
Robbie
Rocky
Rondo
Sally
Tilly
Toodles
Tubbs
Vinny
Zak

Notable Namesakes
Astaire
Fergi
Jackson--after Michael Jackson
Julia--after Julia Louis-Dreyfuss
Mick--after Mick Jagger
Peyton--after Peyton Manning
Robert Redford
Santana--after Carlos Santana
Windsor

Pop Culture Picks
Bond
Burberry
Indy (b)
Jedi
Leonard--after the Big Bang Theory
Neo
Peter Parker
Steelers--after the Pittsburgh Steelers
Wesley--after The Princess Bride

Word Names
Banner
Bingo
Bogey
Brazen
Chance
Cubit
Dart
Dynamite
Exquisite "Quizzy"
Flash x2
Frosty
General
Journey
Judge
Panda x2
Paparazzi
Pilot
Precious
Rain
Riot
Rocketman
Rumble
Rumor
Slick
Star
Striker
Tank
Toot
Trader
Vanity

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. 

Nicknames for Henry

Henry is a true every-boy. It's easy to imagine him with any style or personality, probably because there are so many Henrys around. If you adore Henry, but want him to stand out from the crowd, consider some of these nicknames.

Expected:
Hank
Harry

Unique:
Hal
Henny

Unheard of:
Enzo
Huck

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 25

I'm not in the business of predicting middle names, but I find them as equally fascinating as the first names I am in charge of prognosticating. Some parents choose middle names to honor loved ones, some use it as a place to go bold, and others are most concerned with the how the middle name adds to the flow of the full name.

Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher fall into the first category, giving their son the name Isaiah Michael—his middle being Dad's full first name. Robin Thicke's children have the daring middle names of Fuego and Love, and Nev Schulman's daughter has James in the middle (which I argue is a product of her 2016 birthday). Eddie Murphy's children have middle names including Mitchell, Ivy, and Oona, and Taylor Hanson's kids middles range from the expected to the out-there, with names like Anne, Ezra, and Moriah.

So even though I've only given my predictions for the first names, I'm very excited to see what this group of celebrities decides to go with for their children's middle names as well. Check out my musings, and leave a comment about potential middle name options!

Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher
Gender: girl
Siblings: Isaiah Michael
It's going to be a girl for Carrie Underwood and hockey player husband Mike Fisher. Three years ago they welcomed a son named Isaiah, a name that's understated (by celebrity standards) but speaks to their religious convictions. For their daughter I expect they'll go a similar route—a name that is on-trend, but with spiritual significance.
Girl: Abigail, Eden, Everly, Felicity, Grace, Haven, Layla, Madeline, Olivia
*Update* It's a boy—Jacob Bryan!

Troian Bellisario and Patrick J. Adams
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Actress Troian Bellisario is known for having an unconventional name. Troian (pronounced TROY-en) is actually a family surname. Might they use a different family surname for their baby? (Marsh and Pratt are attractive options). It's a possibility, but I could also see them using something more established, perhaps like one of the following:
Girl: Anais, Astrid, Celeste, Colette, Dahlia, Esme, Fiona, Linnea, Sylvie, Wren
Boy: Alastair, Bastian, Bodhi, Clark, Cyrus, Harlan, Otto, Marsh, Pratt, Ronan

Laura Perlongo and Nev Schulman
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Cleo James
Cleo James Schulman was born in 2016, and her name definitely reflects that. After Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds named their daughter James in December of 2015, we saw a bunch of celebrities put it in the middle spot for their baby girls the following year. The trend has died down now (it's still happening, but not with the same frequency). In trying to come up with a 2018 equivalent, I couldn't think of any names that have made that same kind of impact. So I'm very curious to see what this baby's middle name will be, especially if it's a girl. Although for his or her first name, I feel like I have a better grasp on the possibilities.
Girl: Agnes, Della, Effie, Esme, Ivy, Nessa, Phoebe, Pippa, Romy, Tess, Zelda
Boy: Abe, Alistair, Bram, Felix, Hank, Harvey, Jasper, Joah, Noam, Otto, Rex
*Update* Welcome, Beau Bobby Bruce!

Lily Aldridge and Caleb Followill
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Dixie Pearl
Caleb Followill is a Southern boy, born and raised in Tennessee. It's no surprise then that he and wife Lily Aldridge gave their daughter the country-cute name Dixie in 2012. I'm expecting they might follow suit for baby number two's name—something similarly short, sweet, and oozing with Southern charm.
Girl: Birdie, Charlie, Delta, Emmie, Faye, Polly, Ruby, Sadie, Scarlett, Stella
Boy: August, Beau, Duke, Gage, Hudson, Jack, Jay, Kit, Lane, Sailor, Warren
*Update* Hello, Winston Roy!

April Love Geary and Robin Thicke
Gender: girl
Siblings: Julian Fuego (previous relationship), Mia Love
Robin Thicke's older two children's names follow one of my favorite patterns—a well-used (dare I say ordinary?) first name, paired with an unconventional middle. I don't know what April and Robin will use for baby girl's middle name—maybe something like True, Poet, or Winter—but here are my picks for her first name:
Girl: Allegra, Celia, Clara, Elena, Lea, Livia, Lola, Luna, Stella, Vera, Zoey
*Update* I got it—Lola Alain!

Paige O'Brien and Josh Peck
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Josh Peck and his wife Paige O'Brien are young, fun, and a little bit goofy. So how will this translate into their baby's name? Well, I think we'll see something modern and lighthearted from this couple. Nothing too classic, long, or fussy. I could see Josh and Paige going with any of my picks, but who knows? Maybe they'll surprise us.
Girl: Ella, Hazel, Isla, Josie, Lila, Maya, Mina, Nora, Poppy, Tessa, Vivienne
Boy: Callum, Dylan, Elliot, Grady, Griffin, Leo, Liam, Miles, Nolan, Owen
*Update* Close one—Milo Max!

Paige Butcher and Eddie Murphy
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Eric, Bria, Christian, Miles Mitchell, Shaye Audra, Bella Zahra, Zola Ivy, Angel Iris (previous relationships), Izzy Oona
It's baby number ten (yep, ten) for Eddie Murphy. For having so many siblings ranging in ages from 2 to 29, this baby is entering into a surprisingly cohesive sibset. That being said, his or her name will probably be most similar to Izzy's, considering they will be the closest in age and share the same mother.
Girl: Ariel, Aviva, Cece, Dove, Enya, Jem, Lacey, Lux, Mia, Raya, True, Vivi, Willow
Boy: Axel, Cato, Dashiell, Fletcher, Flynn, Jack, Jude, Logan, Max, Nash, Sonny, Theo
*Update* Yep, baby boy is Max Charles!

Natalie and Taylor Hanson
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Jordan Ezra, Penelope "Penny" Anne, River Samuel, Viggo Moriah, Wilhelmina "Willa" Jane
Musician Taylor Hanson and wife Natalie have five (soon to be six) kids, and their names seem to be getting more adventurous as they go along. Their sons all have two-syllable first names and Biblical middles, while their daughters have long first names--but go by shorter nicknames--with conventional middles. Will they keep up this pattern for their next son or daughter?
Girl: Beatrice, Dorothea, Emmeline, Evangeline, Harriet, Henrietta, Josephine, Matilda
Boy: Declan, Gideon, Harmon, Magnus, Miles, Orin, Phineas, Rafferty, Tobin, Wolf
*Update* It's a boy—Claude Indiana Emmanuel!

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 9

Dennis Cortes via Dribbble

It's been said that 2016 was a terrible year, so let's look ahead to 2017. Many stars and starlets announced their pregnancies at the end of this year--which means babies born in 2017! High profile celebrities like Jesse Eisenberg, Amanda Seyfried, Liam Payne and Bradley Cooper are all going to become parents for the first time in 2017. There are also quite a few future big sisters out there. Pink is giving her daughter Willow a younger sibling, Jane Kimmel will soon have a little brother or sister, and Gal Gadot's daughter Alma won't be an only child for long. I'm sure there will be some more exciting pregnancies announced before the end of the year, but I can already tell--we can expect some great birth announcements from 2017.

Megan Hilty and Brian Gallagher
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Viola Philomena
Viola Philomena is a name full of romance. I would love to see Megan Hilty and Brian Gallagher choose another romantic, Shakespearean name for their second child, and the odds aren't bad--as a Broadway star, Megan Hilty knows a thing or two about theatrics.
Girl: Agatha, Alice, Cordelia, Flora, Gloria, Helena, Lilia, Louise, Matilda, Zelda
Boy: Ansel, Arthur, Benedict, Edmund, George, Lawrence, Lester, Louis, Oliver
*Update* It's a boy--Ronan Laine!

Pink and Carey Hart
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Willow
Hardcore couple Pink and Carey Hart chose a name that's anything but for their daughter. I expect them to go the ethereal, perhaps nature-related route again for baby number two, but who knows? Maybe they'll surprise us.
Girl: Anya, Clover, Fiona, Georgia, Ivy, Lark, Olive, Piper, Sage, Sloane, Wren
Boy: Asher, Atticus, Bay, Jude, Kai, Levi, Noah, River, Rowan, Sawyer, Skye
*Update* Welcome, Jameson Moon!

Anna Strout and Jesse Eisenberg
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
It's hard to say what direction Anna Strout and Jesse Eisenberg will go in for their first baby's name, but given the current climate of celebrity baby names, my best guess is short and vintage. Names like Mabel, Sybil, Frederick, and Daisy have been popping up all over the place, and it seems like that might be a good stylistic fit for baby Eisenberg.
Girl: Agnes, Claire, Eloise, Esme, Frances, Greta, Maisie, Nora, Rory, Tess
Boy: Arthur, Edwin, Henry, Matthew, Otis, Peter, Roscoe, Rudy, Theo

Gal Gadot and Yaron Varsano
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Alma
Israeli couple Gal Gadot and Yaron Varsano chose the gorgeous name Alma for their oldest daughter. Many Americans consider Alma a strictly Latin name, but she's actually a global choice with roots in Spanish, Italian, and Hebrew--although it's currently most popular in Scandinavia. I predict Alma's sister or brother will have a similarly striking moniker, perhaps one that translates around the world as well as Alma.
Girl: Aziza, Clara, Clea, Este, Marnie, Nadia, Leandra, Paloma, Pella, Sylvie
Boy: Bram, Emil, Gael, Isaac, Lior, Louis, Noam, Ori, Rex, Tal, Walter
*Update* Hello, Maya!

Amanda Seyfried and Thomas Sadoski
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
It can be tricky to predict celebrity baby names with no siblings to refer to, but that's when I turn to pet names. Amanda has a beloved dog named Finn--might she choose another friendly and casual name for her baby?
Girl: Emmy, Isla, Laney, Lucy, Maeve, Poppy, Romy, Rosie, Ruby, Scarlett
Boy: Archer, Beckett, Charlie, Graham, Gus, Hank, Jack, Milo, Owen, Reid, Sam

Irina Shayk and Bradley Cooper
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Bradley Cooper and his girlfriend Irina Shayk are going to be parents! Irina is Russian, so I would not be surprised if the couple chose a name with Russian usage that is familiar to Americans.
Girl: Anastasia, Evva, Isidora, Kira, Lilia, Mika, Natalia, Odessa, Sarka
Boy: Alexei, Anton, Edmon, Leonti, Lev, Luka, Maksim, Nikolai, Sasha
*Update* Hello, Lea de Seine Shayk Cooper!

Cheryl and Liam Payne
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
This baby is going to be the first child for Cheryl and Liam Payne, but if Liam is anything like his One Direction bandmates, this little one is going to have a spunky British name.
Girl: Alice, Daisy, Darcy, Elodie, Hattie, Indie, Libby, Lottie, Millie, Poppy
Boy: Arlo, Aston, Finley, Hugo, Julian, Max, Ollie, Remy, Sebastian, Theo
*Update* A boy, Bear!

Molly McNearney and Jimmy Kimmel
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Kevin, Katherine (from a previous relationship), Jane
Jimmy Kimmel is gearing up to be a dad for the fourth time. His youngest child's name is Jane--a sweet classic choice that has been creeping back into style lately. I bet he and his wife will choose something in the same vein for their latest son or daughter.
Girl: Anna, Audrey, Bridget, Cora, Eleanor, Eliza, Iris, Louisa, Rose, Sadie, Violet
Boy: Andrew, Henry, James, Matthew, Michael, Oliver, Paul, Samuel, William
*Update* Correct prediction! Welcome, William John, "Billy"!

Short Middle Names: Boys

Image Credit

Happy August! After writing my post on Middle Name Statistics, I became obsessed over middle names. So, I've designated August as Middle Name Month. All month long we will be talking about middle names (with the exception of Wednesdays--our series will continue). Let's start off with 100 single syllable names for boys.

Ash
Bas
Beck
Blaine
Blake
Bo
Bram
Brooks
Cal
Charles
Clay
Cliff
Clyde
Dash
Dex
Drake
Eames
Ed
Finn
Fitz
Fritz
Fox
Gabe
George
Gray
Gus
Hal
Hall
Hank
Hart
Hayes
Heath
Huck
Hugh
Jack
James
Jay
Jed
Jem
Jet
Joe
John
Joss
Jude
Jules
Kai
Keats
King
Knox
Lane
Lars
Lee
Leif
Lex
Link
Lou
Mack
Max
Mead
Mo
Nash
Nat
Ned
Neil
Pax
Penn
Pierce
Pip
Quinn
Rafe
Ray
Reid
Rex
Rhodes
Rhys
Ridge
Rome
Royce
Sal
Sam
Shaw
Teague
Thane
Thijs
Todd
Tor
True
Van
Venn
Walt
Webb
Wes
Wolf
Xan
Yale
Yann
York
Zed
Zeus

Full Names for Huck

Image Credit

Do you guys read the blog Hey Natalie Jean? She has the most adorable son named Huck, and ever since I started reading her blog (back in middle school!) I've loved the name. Her son's full name is Henry, but if that's not your style, there are some other options for getting to this full-of-fun, slightly mischevious nickname.

Charles- If Charles can be Chuck, then why not Huck? Besides, the latter is a lot more contemporary--I think Chuck needs another generation or two before he can be revived.

Henry- Lovable Henry has many nickname options, most of which I just adore. If you love Henry, just not his popularity status (ahem, me), bite the bullet and use a cool nickname--Hal, Hank, Harry, Huck!--to distinguish him from the others.

Huckleberry- On the other hand, why not use Huck to make his full name seem tamer? Huckleberry is a wild choice, but he's certainly usable (Bear Grylls has a son with the name), plus it gives you the added connection of Huckleberry "Huck" Finn (though it's quite debatable whether or not that's a good thing).

Huxley- Huxley is an English surname that people have been loving lately. He's currently at #1346, but looking at his trajectory, I wouldn't be surprised to see him break the top 1000 this year. His spelling lends himself to the nickname Hux, but I personally prefer Huck.

Huxton- Huxton appears to be an invented name--he was only used on 12 baby boys last year--but he mirrors the English surname style quite well. If you're not deterred by his lack of history, Huxton is a perfect full name for Huck.