Celebrity Baby Name Suggestions: Volume 3

Danny Dek via Dribbble

This month has had some high profile pregnancy announcements. The Baldwins, Olivers, and Levines? How did we get so lucky? There's no doubt that these babies will have impeccable names, but what they are exactly, we can't yet say. We might have to wait a few more months to hear these babies' names, but in the meantime, we can always speculate. These are my picks for the big celebrity baby names--from the classic and respected to the unconventional and bizarre (I'm looking at you, Jamie Oliver).

Behati Prinsloo and Adam Levine
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Predicting names is always hard when there are no siblings to refer to. That's why these names are all over the place stylistically. I could see Behati and Adam going in a couple different directions. Maybe honor names (Behati's mother's name is Magda, Adam's middle name is Noah), or possibly a musical reference to dad's career. Whatever the case, baby Levine will have a striking and stylish name.
Girl: Celie, Elodie, Harbor, Kiva, Lennox, Lotus, Maggie, Marlowe, Vivienne, Zola
Boy: Boaz, Bowie, Dashiell, Freddie, Huxley, Loyal, Morrison, Neo, Noah, Wilder
*Update* Baby girl is Dusty Rose!

Hilaria and Alec Baldwin
Gender: boy
Siblings: Ireland (previous marriage), Carmen Gabriela and Raphael Thomas
After two babies together, we know the Baldwin's naming style--Spanish romance. All of their kids have such great names (dare I say perfect?), so I can't wait to hear what they name this little boy.
Boy: Antonio, Emanuel, Dominic, Joaquin, Leonardo, Lorenzo, Simeon, Vincenzo
*Update* A correct prediction--Leonardo Ángel Charles Baldwin

Jools and Jamie Oliver
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Poppy Honey Rosie, Daisy Boo Pamela, Petal Blossom Rainbow, and Buddy Bear Maurice
Another baby Oliver? Praise the naming gods! At this point we know it's going to be something floral for a girl, something informal for a boy. Either gender, we know baby Oliver is going to have three names, with one (or all!) of them quirky.
Girl: Bluebell, Butterfly, Clementine, Clover, Flora, Iris, Lilac, Peony, Posey, Primrose, Tulip
Boy: Charlie, Billy, Bobby, Freddy, Huey, Perry, Ricky, Rudy, Sammy, Sonny, Teddy, Woody
*Update* It's a boy! Welcome River Rocket Blue.

Anna Chlumsky and Shaun So
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Penelope Joan
Veep's Anna Chlumsky and her husband chose such a sweet name for their first-born. Penelope Joan has a vintage-yet-modern feel, something I think they'll try to emulate with baby number two.
Girl: Alice, Camilla, Daphne, Delia, Greta, Isobel, Josephine, Lorelei, Matilda, Millicent, Zelda
Boy: Andrew, Arthur, Edward, Henry, Paul, Quentin, Ray, Simon, Theodore, Thomas, Walter
*Update* Clara Elizabeth--perfect!

Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Noah Shannon (b) and Bodhi Ransom
Megan Fox's two sons have names that are almost opposites on the style scale, however, they have one thing in common--the long o sound. Will they continue the pattern with baby number three?
Girl: Bree, Harley, Kyla, Leila, Liv, Lola, Naomi, Rain, Rose, Sage, Shea, Zoe
Boy: Ace, Axel, Blaise, Jonah, Levi, Major, Max, Owen, Rafe, Rowan, Zeb, Zeke
*Update* Megan and Brian have welcomed a son, Journey River.

Ellie Kemper and Michael Koman
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
The ever-cheerful Ellie Kemper is pregnant with her first child! The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt actress is known for her sunny disposition, so no doubt Baby Koman will have a happy and upbeat name.
Girl: Anya, Birdie, Celia, Daisy, Gracie, Hallie, Hattie, Ivy, Josie, Juniper, Libby, Olive, Penny
Boy: Elliot, Felix, Finley, Frankie, Henry, Jasper, Julian, Liam, Oliver, Rory, Theo, Wyatt
*Update* Welcome, James Miller!

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds
Gender: unknown
Siblings: James (g)
What do you name a sibling for a daughter named James? This is a relatively new phenomenon, and a question I expect we'll be hearing much more in the coming years. For now, here are my ideas.
Girl: Abbott, Elliot, Emmett, Greer, Hollis, Lincoln, Mavis, Maxwell, Percy, Quincy, Sutton
Boy: Calvin, Charles, Harrison, Jonathan, Noble, Quinlan, Roscoe, Theodore, Thomas, Weston
*Update* A little girl--Ines!

Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Esmeralda Amada
Like the Baldwins, Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling love extravagent Spanish names, undeniably due to Eva's Cuban heritage. It seems pretty likely that they'll stick with this theme for their next son or daughter, which in that case means Baby Gosling will have a lovely (and probably long) name.
Girl: Celestina, Estela, Floriana, Graciela, Luisa, Mariela, Mireya, Paloma, Raphaela, Rosalina
Boy: Augusto, Cortez. Emilio, Francesco, Luciano, Marcelo, Pasqual, Silviano, Valentino
*Update* It's a girl, and her name is Amada Lee! They must love the name Amada to use it twice.


I'm taking next week off for midterms, but I will see you all back here right after the arrival of the 2015's top 1000!

Literary Namesake Names

Image Credit

November is National Novel Writing Month, and seeing as the month is coming to close, it's only fitting that we take a look at literary namesake names today. There are so many wonderful authors that you could look to for naming inspiration. I've only coved a few in this post--mostly writers with distinctive names or ones who are heavily associated with their names. Which ones would you add?

Agatha--Agatha Christie
Alcott--Louisa May Alcott
Anais--Anais Nin
Angelou--Maya Angelou
Astrid--Astrid Lindgren
Austen--Jane Austen
Beatrix--Beatrix Potter
Bronte--the Bronte sisters
Carroll--Lewis Carroll
Eliot--T.S. Eliot
Ernest--Ernest Hemingway
Fitzgerald--F. Scott Fitzgerald
Flannery--Flannery O'Connor
Franz--Franz Kafka
Gertrude--Gertrude Stein
Hawthorne--Nathaniel Hawthorne
Joan--Joan Didion
Jules--Jules Verne
Oscar--Oscar Wilde
Roald--Roald Dahl
Salinger--J.D. Salinger
Sylvia--Sylvia Plath
Tennessee--Tennessee Williams
Truman--Truman Capote
Wharton--Edith Wharton
Wilder--Laura Ingalls Wilder
Woolf--Virginia Woolf
Zora--Zora Neale Hurston

Shakespearean Names

Ben Didier via Dribbble

There's a reason everyone likes Shakespearean names--they signify class, romanticism, and intelligence, (most) without sounding too pompous or proper. If you're looking for one of these names for your son or daughter, I've compiled this list of the ones I deem most usable.

Girls
Adriana
Aemilia
Alice
Aliena
Angelica
Anne
Audrey
Beatrice
Bianca
Blanche
Calphurnia
Cassandra
Celia
Cleopatra
Constance
Cordelia
Cressida
Desdemona
Diana
Dionyza
Doll
Dorcas
Eleanor
Elizabeth
Emilia
Francisca
Gertrude
Helen
Helena
Hermia
Hermione
Hero
Imogen
Iris
Isabella
Jane
Jessica
Joan
Julia
Juliet
Juno
Kate
Katharine
Katherine
Lavinia
Leonine
Luce
Lucetta
Luciana
Margaret
Maria
Marianna
Marina
Meg
Miranda
Nan
Nell
Nerissa
Octavia
Olivia
Ophelia
Patience
Paulina
Perdita
Phebe
Portia
Regan
Rosalind
Rosaline
Silvia
Tamora
Thaisa
Thisbe
Timandra
Titania
Valeria
Viola
Virgilia
Volumnia

Boys
Aaron
Abraham
Adam
Adrian
Andrew
Ajax
Alexander
Alexas
Alonso
Angelo
Angus
Anthony
Antonio
Ariel
Arthur
Balthasar
Barnardo
Benedick
Benvolio
Berkeley
Bertram
Brandon
Caesar
Caius
Camillo
Cassio
Cassius
Cato
Charles
Christopher
Cicero
Cinna
Clarence
Claudio
Claudius
Cleomines
Cleon
Clifford
Clitus
Cloten
Corin
Cornelius
Curan
Curio
Curtis
Cymbeline
Davy
Demetrius
Denny
Dick
Dion
Duncan
Edgar
Edmund
Edward
Egeon
Emmanuel
Fabian
Fenton
Ferdinand
Flavius
Ford
Francis
Francisco
Frederick
Gardiner
George
Gerald
Gregory
Grey
Griffith
Harry
Hector
Henry
Horatio
Hubert
Hugh
Humphrey
Iago
Isidore
Jachimo
Jack
Jaques
James
Jamy
John
Joseph
Jourdain
Julius
Junius
Jupiter
Lennox
Leonardo
Leonato
Leonatus
Leontes
Lewis
Lorenzo
Louis
Lovell
Lucentio
Lucilius
Lucio
Lucius
Lysander
Macmorris
Malcolm
Marcellus
Marcus
Mark
Martius
Matthew
Mercutio
Michael
Montano
Morgan
Mortimer
Morton
Nathaniel
Ned
Nicholas
Nick
Nym
Oberon
Octavius
Oliver
Orlando
Orsino
Osrick
Oswald
Othello
Owen
Paris
Pedro
Percy
Peter
Peto
Philip
Philario
Philo
Polonius
Puck
Quince
Quintus
Reynaldo
Richard
Robert
Robin
Roderigo
Romeo
Ross
Sampson
Sebastian
Silvius
Simon
Smith
Stanley
Stephano
Taurus
Thomas
Timon
Timothy
Titus
Toby
Tom
Tranio
Travers
Troy
Valentine
Valerius
Varro
Vernon
Vincentio
Walter
Will
Williams
Willoughby

Short Middle Names: Girls

Image Credit

With Americans' fascination of long, extravagent first names for girls, many parents are looking for something much shorter to put in the middle. I've put together a list of 100 single syllable names for girls, any of them are perfect for the middle position. There's something for everyone on this list, whether you prefer classic, quirky, or cutesy names. Tell me in the comments: which ones would you use?

Anne
Bay
Bee
Belle
Bess
Beth
Bette
Bex
Biet
Bird
Blair
Blake
Blythe
Bo
Bree
Bren
Britt
Brooke
Brynn
Cass
Cat
Claire
Clove
Dell
Dot
Dru
Elle
Em
Eve
Faye
Fleur
France
Gem
Grace
Greer
Gwen
Harp
Hayes
Hope
Jade
Jane
Jean
Jen
Jess
Jette
Jewel
Jill
Jo
Joan
Joss
June
Kate
Kath
Kay
Kit
Lane
Lark
Lee
Lex
Lise
Liv
Lotte
Lou
Lune
Lux
Luz
Lynn
Maeve
Mai
Maude
May
Meg
Mel
Nan
Nell
Noor
Paige
Pearl
Pimm
Plum
Poe
Pomme
Prune
Quinn
Rae
Rose
Roux
Ruth
Scout
Shae
Sloane
Sol
Sue
Tate
Tess
Val
Vale
Viv
Wynne

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 Josephine

Josephine is a beautiful name, but on the long side. If you want your own little Josephine, here's what you can call her.

Expected:
Jo
Joey
Jojo
Josie

Unique:
Fee
Fifi
Phiney
Posy

Unheard of:
Fina
Joan
Joy
Sephie

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 20

New year, new crop of celebrity pregnancy announcements. We're starting 2018 off right with some great ones! Hugh Grant as well as Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna Gaines will all be adding baby number five to their households this year. America Ferrera is expecting her first child later in 2018, and Pete Wentz is tasked with naming a sister to Bronx Mowgli and Saint Lazslo (what will he choose?)

By the looks of it, 2018 is not going to disappoint when it comes to celebrity baby names. I've made some predictions for what those names might be below--how do they compare with yours?

Jamie Lynn Spears and Jamie Watson

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Maddie Briann (previous relationship)

Jamie Lynn Spears (sister of Britney) chose the name Maddie Briann for her daughter back in 2008. That name is relatively restrained for celebrity standards, so I'm not expecting to see anything crazy from Jamie and Jamie for this next baby. If it's a girl, I think a well-liked, feminine name is in order. For a boy, something nickname-y or a modern classic.

Girl: Bella, Chloe, Elle, Grace, Isla, Lily, Nora, Ruby, Scarlett, Sienna

Boy: Charlie, Grant, Jack, Jude, Liam, Logan, Luke, Noah, Wyatt, Zeke
*Update* It's a girl--Ivey Joan!

America Ferrera and Ryan Piers Williams

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

Sometimes when someone has an "extreme" name (either extremely popular or extremely unusual), they give their child a name that is completely different from their own. Such might be the case with America Ferrera. She recently told Stephen Colbert that she wouldn't be naming her baby after a "land mass or an idea." That makes me think she is looking at more well-known, perhaps even ordinary name for her son or daughter.

Girl: Celeste, Eleanor, Esme, Isabel, Lucy, Luna, Maya, Mila, Tessa, Viola

Boy: Arlo, George, Jasper, Jonas, Leo, Nico, Sebastian, Theodore, Wesley
*Update* Hello, Sebastian Piers!

Meagan Camper and Pete Wentz

Gender: girl

Siblings: Bronx Mowgli (previous relationship), Saint Lazslo

Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz is known for giving his children out-there names. He and his partner Meagan Camper are expecting their first daughter, and the possibilities for her name are endless. My guess is that they'll go with another word name for her--possibly one of the following:

Girl: Coco, Marvel, Navy, Olympia, Pixie, Roux, Sparrow, Spring, Velvet
*Update* Wow, I called this one--baby girl is Marvel Jane!

Joanna and Chip Gaines

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Drake, Ella Rose, Duke, Emmie Kay

HGTV power-couple Chip and Joanna Gaines are expecting baby number five, but they have a pretty limited name pool for him or her. Each of their daughters has a two syllable E name with a single-syllable middle name, and each of their sons has a single-syllable D name with a "K" sound at the end. Can Chip and Joanna find another name within these tight parameters, or is something going to give?

Girl: Eddie, Eden, Edie, Effie, Elin, Esme, Estelle, Eva, Evangeline, Evie

Boy: Dakota, Dallas, Dane, Dash, Dax, Dean, Decker, Drew, Dustin, Dylan
*Update* Not another D name--welcome Crew!

Zara and Mike Tindall

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Mia

Zara Tindall is pregnant with her second child—so what is a name fit for the Queen of England's great-grandchild? They went with Mia the first time around—a short and sweet name that feels right at home in Great Britain. I'm expecting something similar for their next baby—something trim and polished, but with plenty of style.

Girl: Ada, Anna, Eliza, Ella, Emma, Grace, Hallie, Iris, Marnie, Nora, Sadie

Boy: Arthur, Eli, Finn, Hugo, Jude, Lenny, Max, Miles, Ralph, Rex, Teddy
*Update* Another girl--Lena Elizabeth!

Haylie Duff and Matt Rosenberg

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Ryan Ava Erhard

Haylie Duff and Matt Rosenberg paired the masculine Ryan with the ultra-feminine, vintage Ava for their first-born daughter. Will we see a similar pattern with their second baby—two names that fall on opposite ends of the spectrum, yet work surprisingly well together? I suspect we might.

Girl: Addison, Blake, Eden, Greer, Kennedy, Logan, Piper, Quinn, Reese

Boy: Brady, Carter, Gray, Kieran, Kingston, Luca, Maddox, Royce, Walker
*Update* Welcome, Lulu Gray!

Jinger Duggar and Jeremy Vuolo

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

Jinger Duggar is known as the most stylish sister among the Duggar family, so I'm hoping that translates into baby names as well. Lately her sisters have been choosing more traditional names for their sons (Henry and Samuel), but maybe we'll see something a bit more daring—but still Biblical—from Jinger and Jeremy.

Girl: Abra, Atara, Chloe, Keturah, Mary, Phoebe, Priscilla, Rebekah, Salome

Boy: Abner, Asa, Charles, Daniel, Jude, Lazarus, Malachi, Phineas, Tobiah
*Update* A virtue name--Felicity Nicole!

Anna Eberstein and Hugh Grant

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Tabitha Xaio Xi, Felix Chang Hong (previous relationship), John Mungo, Daughter (name not released)

Even though Hugh Grant hasn't publicly revealed the name of his youngest child, I am holding out hope that we get to hear the name of his fifth baby! Based on the names of his children that we do know, I'd wager that this baby will have a fashionable, vintage-inspired name that possibly honors a relative of Hugh or Anna.

Girl: Alice, Clarissa, Cornelia, Eliza, Helena, Juliet, Lydia, Rose, Susanna

Boy: Anton, Benedict, Charles, Finn, Graham, Henry, James, Miles, Oliver

10 Spanish Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

Joshua Krohn via Dribbble

Time for Spanish names for boys! These sophisticated señor‎‎s are lovely on a baby of any nationality. 

Augusto- August is all the rage these days, but what about his suave Spanish cousin, Augusto? Turns out, the latter doesn't even crack the top 1000, making him a prime choice for parents seeking a creative way to get to Gus.

Baez- Baez is a unisex Spanish surname with a lot of potential. It's most well known as the last name of singer Joan Baez, who would be a worthy namesake for your baby.

Cisco- Cisco is a hipper, more causal off-shoot of Francisco. The latter ranks at #232 in America, making him a familiar, yet not overused name. But if you're looking for something less formal, and a bit more unique, Cisco is the way to go.

Cordovan- It's not always easy to find long names for boys with easy nicknames, but Cordovan is just that. His cowboy-cool nickname Cord is a winner.

Cortez- You guys, I am SO excited about Cortez. I think this name is really going places. Cortez is basically the perfect name--not too long or short, easy to say and spell, familiar enough but not even in the top 1000, and he can shorten to Cort. 2016 is Cortez's year, I'm calling it.

Fredo- Alfredo may seem a bit fusty on a baby, but Fredo? Totally different vibe. He's actually the Spanish version of Jeffrey (though he's also short for Alfredo), If you think he's too nickname-y on his own, try Fredo as a nickname for Frederick.

Isra- Upset about Israel's recent Duggar-fication? Isra could be the answer to all your problems. While he does have an "A" ending, his ties to Israel and similarities to Ezra make him read masculine.

Oro- Looking for a gold-star baby name? Oro is your man--he literally means "gold." He's also got a very sophisticated and stylish sound--reminiscent of names like Ari, Orin, and Arlo.

Sidro- Long time readers might remember my post about Full Names for Sid. How I wish I knew about Sidro when I wrote that post! Sidro strikes me as one of the coolest ways to get to Sid--no nickname necessary.

Teo- Theo's all the rage these days--he and full name Theodore are still on the up-and-up. However, his Spanish counterpart, Teo is no where to be found. He's short and sweet, and works as a nickname for countless names, from Matthew and Matteo, to Theodore and Thelonius.

10 J Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

Image Credit

Finally, no more I names. J is an easy letter to work with, there are so many names that begin with it. If you're looking for something a little more offbeat, I suggest you try this list. We've got an interesting group today.

Jacinta- Pronounced with an H sound as opposed to a J, Jacinta is the Spanish word for hyacinth.

Jalila- A cute and unique way to get to the nickname Lila.

Janna- You could pronounce her (YAH-nuh) or (JAN-uh), but if you choose the former be prepared for some confusion. If you happen to like that pronunciation, Iana gets the point across more clearly.

Jean- I get it, she seems dated. But if everyone's going gaga over Jane, it's not unreasonable to think Jean would be the next step. It feels refreshing on a baby girl.

Jemsa- She sounds very British to my ear. Half Gemma, half Elsa, how can you go wrong?

Jetta- Jette is pretty stylish as a nickname, but if you don't like Juliette, what are you to do? Jetta sounds a bit more tough but can still be called Jette, so it's perfect.

Jocasta- She's one of the few Jo- names that sounds super fresh. Perfect for honoring Aunt Joanna or Grandma Joan.

Joss- Yes, Joss can be a girl name, too. You could use her as a nickname for Jocelyn, but I'm also fond of her by herself.

Jules- Much spunkier than Julia or Juliet.

July- July has been snubbed as a month name. She's fun, quirky, and perfect for any time of the year.

Chicago Names: City Streets

I'm all about subtle honor names--names that honor someone in a way that isn't obvious or flashy. Using the name of the street such honoree grew up on definitely fits into the "subtle honor" category. In fact, I have the name of the street I was born on on my short list for potential middles. Today I'm featuring Chicago street name--this is the city I live in, after all. I would love to make this a series to compare street names of cities around the country. Let me know which city you'd like to be featured next!

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.