Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 7

Yannick Kalaydjian via Dribbble

Happy Friday everyone! I'm still on hiatus (it's been a busy quarter!), but here is a post I wrote for Nameberry in the meantime.

Some big celebrity broods are about to get bigger--Kelsey Grammer is going to be a dad to seven kids, and Mel Gibson's girlfriend is expecting his ninth! Predicting names for such huge families is a daunting task. People's naming styles tend to change over time, especially when they've been naming children for over a generation. That being said, sometimes name preference doesn't change! There are some large celebrity sibsets that go together really well--the Gibson family is a great example.

Besides the Gibsons and Grammers, there are plenty more exciting celebrity baby name predictions this month. Natalie Portman, Marion Cotillard, and Pharrell Williams are all going to be parents of two. I've made my predictions for them (and more!) below.

Vanessa and Nick Lachey
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Camden John, Brooklyn Elisabeth
Baby number three is on the way for the Lacheys! Both Camden and Brooklyn are well-liked names with androgynous sounds, so let's see if their brother or sister will have a name that follows the pattern.
Girl: Addison, Aubrey, Berkeley, Gracen, Harper, Kennedy, Noa, Quincy
Boy: Asher, Beckett, Declan, Easton, Everett, Hayden, Levi, Sawyer, Wyatt
*Update* Hello, Phoenix Robert!

Rosalind Ross and Mel Gibson
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Hannah, Christian, Milo, Lucia, Louis, Thomas, Edward, William (all from previous relationships)
For such a large celebrity family, Mel Gibson's children have surprisingly cohesive names. He definitely has a style--European royalty. I expect nothing less for his ninth baby.
Girl: Amelia, Caroline, Clara, Eleanor, Elizabeth, Emma, Katherine, Lydia, Mary, Rose
Boy: Andrew, Benjamin, Charles, Frederick, George, James, Oliver, Richard, Samuel
*Update* European indeed--Scandinavian to be exact. Welcome Lars Gerard!

Kayte and Kelsey Grammer
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Spencer, Greer, Mason Olivia, Jude Gordon (all from previous marriages), Faith Evangeline Elisa, Kelsey Gabriel Elias
Unlike the Gibson clan, Kelsey Grammer's sibset encompasses a wide range of styles. However, baby #7 has the same mom as Faith and Kelsey, so I think he or she will have a sensible and stylish first name with two fashionable middles.
Girl: Annabelle, Audrey, Elizabeth, Genevieve, Grace, Lily, Mia, Scarlett
Boy: Benjamin, Christian, Isaac, Levi, Nathaniel, Noah, Owen, Zachary
*Update* Welcome, Auden James Ellis!

Elizabeth Chambers and Armie Hammer
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Harper (g)
There are so many celebrity sibsets containing Harper: Harper and Gideon; Harper, Brooklyn, Romeo, and Cruz; Harper, Hayley, and Hannah; Harper and Weston--I could go on! There are many different directions in which the Hammers could go for their Harper's younger sibling, but I have a feeling it will be another tailored, on-trend choice.
Girl: Avery, Charlotte, Ellery, Emerson, Hazel, Lucy, Marlowe, Ruby, Vivian
Boy: Beckett, Ellis, Finn, Graham, Grayson, Jack, Liam, Rowan, Sawyer
*Update* It's a boy--Ford Douglas Armand!

Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Aleph
After choosing the wonderfully rare Hebrew name Aleph for her son, I cannot wait to hear what Natalie Portman picks for baby #2. There are so many fantastic, under-the-radar Hebrew names out there, it was hard to keep my predictions short!
Girl: Adalia, Adira, Bethel, Chava, Feya, Haviva, Leeza, Leora, Mehira, Niva, Raya, Zadie
Boy: Bram, Dovev, Eben, Eitan, Eliaz, Gavi, Israel, Lev, Lior, Nahir, Noam, Samson, Tal, Yael
*Update* Hello Amalia!

Allison Pill and Joshua Leonard
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Allison Pill and her husband Joshua live low-key lives outside of the spotlight. That leads me to believe that when it comes to baby names, they aren't going to choose something eccentric or outlandish. However, I do think their son or daughter will have a name with style--maybe one of the following:
Girl: Cecilia, Cora, Eleanor, Eva, Genevieve, Isabel, Lucy, Madeleine, Margaret, Phoebe
Boy: Andrew, August, Charlie, Elliott, Gabriel, Gavin, Henry, Julian, Max, Miles, Theo
*Update* It's a girl--Wilder Grace!

Marion Cotillard and Guillaume Canet
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Marcel
Ooh-la-la, let's talk French names! French couple Marion Cotillard and Guillaume Canet chose handsome Marcel for their son five years ago. Now that they're expecting a second child, I'm sure the fashionable duo will choose another stylish French appellation.
Girl: Anais, Colette, Elodie, Eulalie, Isabeau, Lilou, Maelys, Ophelie, Ottilie, Silvie, Simone
Boy: Claude, Clemence, Gable, Harvey, Henri, Lionel, Lucien, Maurice, Pascal, Remy
*Update* A girl--Louise!

Helen Lasichanh and Pharrell Williams
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Rocket Ayer
What do you name a sibling for Rocket? That's what Pharrell Williams and Helen Lasichanh have to figure out. I like the idea of another whimsical word name--especially one with a subtle theme (Zephyr or Zeppelin!).
Girl: Boheme, Domino, Eden, Jette, Moon, Poet, Rhapsody, Solstice, Story, Temple
Boy: Arrow, Axel, Indigo, Noble, Onyx, Rollo, True, Wilder, Zephyr, Zeppelin, Ziggy

10 English Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

Image Credit

This new series has gotten a great response so far. I'm glad you all like it as much as I do. Today we're on English names for boys--there's one for every comfort zone.

Auberon- Auberon is a nice option for parents looking for a more delicate, not hyper-masculine name. He derives from Aubrey, so he has potential to be an honor name as well. 

Benton- Yes, there are many ways to get to Ben. But Benton is one of the most attractive of the bunch. Plus, he's easy to pronounce and spell, so there'd be little to no confusion. 

Hobson- Hobson has a delightfully British sound, but I think he'd do well in America. He comes from Robert, and hasn't been in the top 1000 since 1900. As a bonus, the nickname Hobbes has a innocent and playful feel, thanks to Bill Watterson's comic books. 

Hyde- Has Hyde given up his Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde association? My first thought is the Chicago neighborhood Hyde Park, but I am a native Chicagoan. I like Hyde's short simplicity and surname feel. He'd be wonderful as a middle, and perhaps as a first name if you're undeterred. 

Jem- What do you guys think of Jem? Personally, I see him as a lovely nickname for James, Jeremy, and the like. But I worry he sounds too feminine for American ears. I would LOVE to see someone use Jem on a son--please tell me if you do. 

Ogden- I talked about Ogden in my O Names post back in December. He's still one of my favorites--wouldn't the nickname Oggie be so cute?

Palmer- I always find it interesting which names gain favor, and which ones are left behind. Palmer is definitely one of the latter, though similar names like Parker and Porter have had major success. The palm association makes him ideal for an Easter or summertime baby. 

Shaw- Shaw is another name I wonder about all the time. He's uncomplicated, neat, and a surname name. Why haven't people discovered him? With the Seans, Shauns, and Shawns of the world preparing to become parents, maybe Shaw will see a resurgance. 

St. John- Quite possibly the best baby name trivia question ever: How do you pronounce St. John? Ask anyone on the street, and they'll give you a funny look and say (SAINT-JON). Anyone who's thoroughly examined a baby name book will tell you, nope, it's SIN-jin. How's that for confusing? Fortunately, if you named your baby St. John, you could pronounce it however you please--there aren't enough of them in America for it to be "wrong." If you did choose to pronounce it the traditional way, be prepared for a lot of correcting. 

Tad- Let's end on a more usable one. Tad is nickname for Theodore (originally Thaddeus), which is great if you love it, but can't get behind Theo or Teddy. People seem to have trouble finding ways to honor Todds, but his similarity to Tad makes me think that this could work.