Last of the 2016 Celebrity Baby Names
By Abby Sandel
It happens every year! We press publish on our Best of Celebrity Baby Names story, only to have a whole bunch of beautifully named babies arrive in December.
If we’d waited until this week to write our round-up for the year, at least a few of these might have unseated some of our 2016 favorites. Or not. It’s been a good year for baby names, names that hit the different-but-not-_too-_different sweet spot.
Let’s take a look at the end-of-year arrivals, and the stylish names that might prove every bit as influential as those born earlier in 2016.
Anna Carina – Marcela Valladolid stars on Emmy-nominated Food Network show The Kitchen and is also a cookbook author. The chef is now mom to three – older son Fausto, and with her fiancé Philip Button, son David and new daughter Anna Carina. Classic Anna is gorgeous paired with the romantic and unexpected Carina, a rarity with a global pedigree.
Bianka Bella – Kobe Bryant and wife Vanessa have opted for Italian-leaning names for their three daughters: Natalia, Gianna, and now Bianka Bella (shown in illustration). Kobe lived in Italy as a child, while his dad played professional basketball in the Italian leagues, and speaks the language fluently. The more traditional spelling, Bianca, peaked in the late 1980s but remains in steady use.
Ines – Just when we thought we’d never learn the name of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ younger daughter, the couple revealed that her name is Ines. The Spanish language version of Agnes feels completely unexpected. Inez, however, had a good run in the US in the early 1900s. Is it part of a new wave of revival names? We’ll have to wait and see, but no question Ines would have made our Most Influential list.
Deveraux – Mick Jagger’s eighth son is Deveraux Octavian Basil, a grand name befitting rock and roll royalty. Mom is American ballerina Melanie Hamrick. Not only is Jagger a new dad, but he’s also grandfather to five, and a great-grandfather, too. But Deveraux would make headlines even if his father wasn’t so famous. The great ‘v’ sound and the upbeat ‘o’ ending make this a name to watch in 2017.
Dimitri – Mila Kunis payed homage to her Slavic roots with Dimitri, the name she and Ashton Kutcher chose for Wyatt’s little brother. A form of Demetrius, it’s always been rare in the US – just 237 boys were given the name last year. But with such a high profile couple embracing the name, other parents might take note.
Eli Christopher – Ellen Pompeo is now mom to three: daughters Stella Luna, Sienna May, and now son Eli Christopher, with husband Chris Ivery. The Grey’s Anatomy star tends to choose mainstream favorites for her children. Eli fits right in with Stella and Sienna. As for Christopher, that appears to be a family name inspired by dad.
Forest Sage – Actors Teresa Palmer and Mark Webber welcomed a son with a nature-inspired name in December. The family also includes an older son, Bodhi. More commonly spelled Forrest, it’s a name both buttoned-up and outdoorsy. As for the middle name choice, Sage combines ties to the natural world, color name associations, and a certain virtue vibe, too.
Jameson Moon – Pink – born Alecia Beth Moore – and husband Carey Hart are parents to daughter Willow Sage and newborn son Jameson Moon. Jameson has rocketed up the US popularity charts in recent years. It fits right in with other popular surname names, like Harrison and Jackson. With a high profile birth announcement, it’s easy to imagine we’ll hear even more of this name.
Ocean King – Alex Vega and Carlos Pena welcomed their first son together, and it’s like they read our 2017 trend report. They went with an O name for their son with ties to the water – two trends we see accelerating in the new year. But it’s also a great name, familiar but unexpected, with just enough history to make it feel substantial.
What were your favorite late 2016 celebrity baby names? Did I miss any that you would have included?