Famous Surnames

Garrett via Dribbble

Would you ever consider a celebrity surname for your child? It can be a fun way to pay homage to your favorite stars--past and present! Which names would you add?

Alba--Jessica Alba
Aniston--Jennifer Aniston
Baldwin--Alec Baldwin
Bardot--Bridget Bardot
Beckham--David Beckham
Bergen--Candice Bergen
Bowie--David Bowie
Brando--Marlon Brando
Brody--Adrian Brody
Brooks--Garth Brooks
Campbell--Naomi Campbell
Carey--Mariah Carey
Cash--Johnny Cash
Chase--Chevy Chase
Crosby--Bing Crosby
Cruz--Penelope Cruz
Damon--Matt Damon
Fallon--Jimmy Fallon
Farley--Chris Farley
Fox--Megan Fox, Michael J. Fox
Gable--Clark Gable
Garland--Judy Garland
Garner--Jennifer Garner
Griffith--Andy Griffith, Melanie Griffith
Harlow--Jean Harlow
Holliday--Billy Holliday
Hudson--Kate Hudson
Huston--Anjelica Huston
Keaton--Diane Keaton
Jagger--Mick Jagger
Jenner--Caitlyn Jenner
Jolie--Angelina Jolie
Jordan--Michael Jordan
Legend--John Legend
Lennox--Annie Lennox
Lively--Blake Lively
Maguire--Tobey Maguire
Mirren--Helen Mirren
Monroe--Marilyn Monroe
Moss--Kate Moss, Elisabeth Moss
Mulligan--Carey Mulligan
Murray--Bill Murray
Perry--Katy Perry
Presley--Elvis Presley
Renner--Jeremy Renner
Quaid--Dennis Quaid
Rourke--Mickey Rourke
Ryder--Winona Ryder
Urban--Keith Urban
Vaughn--Vince Vaughn
Wilde--Olivia Wilde
Winslet--Kate Winslet

Ends with "X"

The latest trendy ending is "X." What's not to love? "X" is a cool letter, and gives off a tough girl/guy vibe. If you love the "X" ending, but want something beyond Max, here are some great names to look at.

Girls:

Expected:
Beatrix- If you want something wilder than Beatrice, or the nickname Trixie.
Margaux- The French spelling of Margot.

Unique:
Bellatrix- The associations with Harry Potter are strong, but she's a nice name.
Bex- Best left as a nickname for Rebecca.

Unheard of:
Leatrix- If Beatrix is too tame for you, try Leatrix.
Lux- Perfect for the middle spot, Lux means light.


Boys:

Expected:
Felix- A lovely name meaning happy.
Hendrix- A la Jimi.
Jax- Very trendy right now, there are more Jax's out there than you think.
Maddox- A great name, if you don't mind the Jolie-Pitt association.
Max- A fun name that many young boys answer to.

Unique:
Dax- Cool, unique, and nicknameless.
Dex- Whether he's short for Dexter or on his own, Dex makes a great name.
Fox- Popular hipster baby name.
Knox- Another Jolie-Pitt baby name.
Pax- And another.
Rex- Still too dog-ish? I think it could work.

Unheard of:
Ajax- Not unless you love bleach.
Bronx- Masculine and unexpected.
Calix- Has the cowboy-ish nickname Cal.
Fairfax- He has a surname-y feel, and he'll be the only one in his class.


Either:

Expected:
Alex- Works on its own or as a nickname.

Unique:
Lennox- This cool name works on either gender.
Lex- Makes a great middle or nickname for Alexander or Alexandra.
Phoenix- Gaining popularity, but still a good choice.

Unheard of:
Onyx- Dark, mysterious, color name.

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!

10 Z Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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We're down to our last letter. Today's post is the penultimate of this (over a year long) series. Enjoy, and as always, let me know what you think.

Zadie- Zadie's been on my favorites list for a few years now. She's a spunky form of Sadie, so you could use her as a nickname for Sarah if you like.

Zahara- Zahara is both a Hebrew and a Swahili name, meaning "to shine" and "flower," respectively. She experienced a sharp rise in popularity after Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt gave it to their daughter, but still only ranks at #1569.

Zailie- Although she's typically a nickname for Azalea or Zelia, Zailie could definitely be worn on her own. She's similar in style to Lily, but does require a bit of a braver namer.

Zanna- Zanna is a diminutive of Susanna, and also the Polish form of Jane. She's one of the more tame names on this list, if you prefer something no too out there.

Zea- The Latin name Zea (ZAY-uh) is perfect for parents looking for a name that's unusual but usable. As a short and cute Z name, she makes a great alternative to the increasingly more popular Zoey.

Zella- Add a Z onto Ella and you have a completely new, very striking name. Zella is an African name that could be easily worn on an American baby. Plus, her similarity to Ella and Bella makes her right on trend.

Zelma- Zelma may be an old lady name, but she has serious style. She sounds the more current than her sound-alikes (Selma, Thelma, Velma), thanks to that Z. I've met a little girl named Zelma before, and trust me, it's very wearable.

Zinnia- Zinnia is one of the unexpected flower names I absolutely adore. She's bold and bright, plus Zinnie is a cute nickname.

Zora- Zora means "dawn," so she'd be especially adorable on an early morning baby. Author Zora Neale Hurston makes a wonderful namesake.

Zosia- Zosia is perhaps most well known as the name of David Mamet's daughter, who plays Shoshana on HBO's Girls. She's a variant of Sophia, and is pronounced to rhyme with Sasha.

25 Days of Christmas: Pax

Number four in our 25 Days of Christmas series is our first boy name- Pax. Pax is Latin and means peaceful. Even though he is not currently ranked, he is in vogue because he ends in X. Pax is the perfect choice for a winter holiday baby. The meaning relating to peace incorporates the meaning of the holiday season.

Pax would make a logical alternative to Max, if you were looking for something less common. He could be should for Paxton, a surname name that has a more polished quality.

The most famous Pax would be Pax Jolie-Pitt, Brangelina's adopted son.

Pax is an all-around great name. If you are looking for something short, easy to remember, and holiday related, Pax makes a great choice

10 M Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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Today's list is a great one, so let's get right to it.

Madigan- She's so similar to Madison, yet nobody uses her. Quite possibly the best alternative to all of those Mad- names. 

Maisie- Sweet and cutesy with a bit of Southern charm. A good nickname choice if you can't decide between Maggie or Daisy. 

Marin- A modern, feminine name that's not too girly. She can be spelled in a plethora of ways, including Merryn, Marryn, Marrin, or Marren. 

Marine- Marine is tranquil and beachy, perfect for families settled along the coast. She has a gorgeous sound, and is more contemporary than Marina. 

Marais- One of my favorite middle names. She's pronounced muh-RAY; the emphasis on the second syllable makes her flow very well with almost any first name. 

Mika- Mika is chirpy, but polished. She has Japanese, Hebrew and Russian roots, which makes her a nice option for multicultural families. 

Minna- Ooh, I love Minna. She had everything I look for in a name. She's not too long or girly, pretty much nickname-less, and nobody's heard of her. 

Mirabel- Now Mirabel is ultra-femme. No doubt about it, Mirabel is a girly girl. If she does turn out to be a tomboy, you can always shorten it to Mira. 

Mirren- Is it only an American thing to give our children celebrity surnames? I've been hearing a lot of them lately--Keaton, Anniston, Jolie, etc. Mirren is a real winner though, both in sound and namesake. 

Moon- How dreamy is Moon? I love her gentle sound. I would love to see her as a first name, but if she's a little too out there for you, the middle is nice, too. 

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Duggar Baby No. 20

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Have you heard the news? Mega-family and reality TV stars the Duggars are expecting baby number twenty. Here are some of my predictions for the name of their latest arrival, sticking with the "J" theme.

Girls:
Safe: Jacelyn, Jacey, Jade, Jane, Janelle, Jemma, Jersey, Jessa, Julia, Juliette, June
Daring: Jacqueline, January, Jasmine, Jemima, Jenevieve, Jessamine, Jetta, Jocelyn, Jolie, Juno
Out-there: Jacinta, Jenesis, Joella, Juniper

Boys:
Safe: Jaden, Jareth/Jarett, Jasper, Jonah, Jonas, Jude, Julian, Julius
Daring: Jagger, Jarvis, Jensen, Jet, Justice
Out-there: Jabez, Jerusalem, Jethro, Journey

My top picks: Juliette for a girl and Jonah for a boy.

The Best Middle Names for Girls

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As I mentioned on Monday, the best middle names are those of which the second syllable is stressed. Some of the most popular nicknames for girls follow this pattern--think Marie, Nicole, Louise, Michelle, etc. This list contains all of the girl names I could think of that fit the description, though I'm sure I missed a few. Let me know your favorites (I'm partial to Marais).

Abril
Adele
Aldine
Aline
Amor
Anouk
Berlin
Bernice
Boheme
Brianne
Brielle
Calais
Camille
Capri
Caprice
Cecile
Celeste
Celine
Cerie
Cerise
Chanel
Chantel
Charlene
Charlize
Ciel
Citron
Clarice
Clotilde
Colette
Colleen
Danielle
Danit
Delphine
Deneb
Eileen
Elaine
Elise
Estelle
Faustine
Geneve
Georgette
Giselle
Harpreet
Helaine
Iman
Ione
Irene
Janelle
Joanne
Jolie
July
Justine
Kathleen
LaRue
LaSalle
LaShay
Leanne
Louise
Lourdes
LuAnn
Lucille
Maelys
Malone
Marais
Marie
Marin
Marine
Matisse
Maureen
Maxine
Michelle
Miel
Molloy
Monet
Monroe
Nanette
Nicole
Pauline
Quebec
Raquel
Renee
Rochelle
Roisin
Rosette
Sabine
Serene
Shalom
Shirin
Simone
Siobhan
Solange
Soleil
Tabit
Tamar
Therese
Unique

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 6

via Marion WD Tumblr

This month’s predictions features two exciting firsts for me: my first twin prediction, and my first Duggar prediction! I’ve been crossing my fingers for a Duggar pregnancy announcement since I started this series six months ago, and now here it is. But that’s not all the good news this month. Mick Jagger is going to be a dad again, as is Sam Worthington. Plus, Jenna Jameson is having her third baby. This means we’ve got a lot of stylish, alliterative, and probably zany birth announcements coming up. I’ve taken a stab at predicting them below.

Melanie Hamrick and Mick Jagger

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Georgia, James, Jade, Elizabeth, Lucas, Karis, Gabriel (all from previous relationships)

Even though the names of Mick Jagger’s children seem all over the place in terms of sibset cohesion, there’s one thing they all have in common: undeniably British style. I have a feeling baby number eight’s name will fit right in.

Girl: Bryony, Cressida, Gemma, Imogen, Isadora, Ivy, Poppy, Tabitha, Tallulah

Boy: Charlie, Lewis, Milo, Nico, Oliver, Sebastian, Simon, Spencer, Richie, Rex
*Update* Yep, they went British--baby boy is Devereaux Octavian Basil!

Kirsten and Jon Heder

Gender: girl

Siblings: Evan Jane(g), Philip, Timothy

Even though Jon Heder is known for playing a character named Napoleon, his personal naming style is much tamer. His sons have very traditional names, while his daughter has an uncommon, but on-trend unisex name—Evan. Using that as my guide, I made picks for the Heders that would be perfect for their sibset. 
Girl: Anna, Brenna, Claire, Grace, Harper, Kate, Leah, Maggie, Nora, Paige, Piper

Grace Gail and Adam Rodriguez

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Frankie Elle(g)

Frankie is definitely having a moment right now. It’s cute and not-so-serious, and makes a great nickname for some terrific longer names. Frankie Rodriguez is just Frankie though, so I have a hunch Grace and Adam might choose another nickname-y name for baby number two. 
Girl: Clara, Etta, Evie, Georgia, Ivy, Josie, Lena, Libby, Liza, Lucy, Nellie, Rosie

Boy: Arlo, Ben, Gus, Jamie, Jonathan, Julian, Leo, Louie, Milo, Nico, Rudy, Sammy

Molly Sims and Scott Stuber

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Brooks Alan, Scarlett May

The Stuber sibset is preppy as can be, with a healthy dose of Southern charm. If they stick with that theme, I bet their third child will have one of the following names.

Girl: Adelaide, Audrey, Evelyn, Harlow, Laurel, Sadie, Savannah, Stella, Vivienne

Boy: Beau, Clayton, Dean, Hayes, Preston, Reid, Spencer, Tate, Tucker, Waylon
*Update* A boy--Grey Douglas!

Danneel Harris and Jensen Ackles

Gender: boy girl twins!

Siblings: Justice Jay "JJ" (g)

Double trouble--a boy and a girl are on the way for the Ackles family. Twins can be tricky to name. You want the pair to be cohesive on its own, but also fit in with the larger sibset. I’m excited to hear Jensen and Danneel’s choices, especially since their daughter has such a fun name.

Girl: Alexis, Brynn, Eden, Grace, Harper, Quinn, Payton, Rain, Rowan, Skye

Boy: Alex, Beckett, Brave, Hayden, Jude, Phoenix, Rocky, Sawyer, Tristan, Zion
*Update* The twins are here! Baby girl is Arrow Rhodes, and baby boy is Zeppelin Bram. 

Jenna Jameson and Lior Britton

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Jesse Jameson, Journey Jette (both from a previous relationship)

Something tells me this baby is going to have another double J name. Jenna Jameson’s twin sons’ names aren’t a complete match stylistically, so it’s a total toss up in terms of her approach for baby number three. Will she go with a more traditional and well-liked name a la Jesse? Or choose a trendy unisex name like Journey?

Girl: Jacy, Jade, Jasmine, Jayla, Jersey, Jewel, Jezebel, Jolie, Jubilee, Jules, Juliette

Boy: Jace, Jack, Jagger, Jamie, Jaxon, Jayden, Jenson, Jethro, Jude, Judson, Justice
*Update* Not a J name--a girl named Batel Lu!

Lara Bingle and Sam Worthington

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Rocket Zot

Rocket Zot is the craziest celebrity baby name you've never heard of. This Australian couple gave their son a very unique combination of names, and I have no doubt that they’re going to do it again. The only question is, what combo will it be this time?

Girl: Ember, Fable, Moxie, Mystery, Pixie, Rebel, Rumor, Story, Spirit

Boy: Blaze, Breaker, Diesel, Dragon, Legend, Neon, Noble, Storm
*Update* Welcome Racer!

Jessa and Ben Seewald

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Spurgeon Elliot

The Duggars are known for their baby name choices, but Jessa and Ben have promised not to do a letter theme. Instead, it seems as if they are naming their babies after famous Christians. The Seewalds are not afraid to go bold with baby names, so I didn’t hold back when making my predictions. I wouldn’t hold it past them to name a daughter Pink (which I’m secretly rooting for)!

Girl: Annie, Carey, Hedley, Isobel, Lottie, Piper, Pink, Ryle, Susanna, Teresa

Boy: Baxter, Benjamin, Lawson, Leland, Luther, Owen, Paul, Tozer, Washer, Wells

*Update* It's a boy—Henry Wilberforce!