Name Guru to the Stars: What will these Celebs Choose?
While I can’t actually see the future (don’t I wish), I can tell that 2020 is going to be an amazing year for celebrity baby names. Some major starbabies are going to be born this year—celebrities including Anne Hathaway, Richard Gere, and Jenna Dewan are all expecting little ones in 2020.
This month saw more notable announcements. America Ferrera and Ryan Piers Williams are going to welcome their second child this year, a sibling for Sebastian. Michelle Williams’ daughter Matilda is going to be a big sister, as is Ashley Hinshaw and Topher Grace’s daughter Mabel. And soccer star Hope Solo is expecting twins!
Will any of these starbaby names make the lists of the best or worst or craziest celebrity baby names of 2020? Of the decade? There are a couple I’m eyeing, but time will tell.
America Ferrera and Ryan Piers Williams
Gender: unknown
America Ferrera gave birth to her son Sebastian in 2018. His name is pretty perfect for his family—Sebastian is a well-loved choice throughout the world and is common among Latino families in the US. America has strong connections to her Latina roots, so it’s likely that Sebastian’s sister or brother will have a name with Latin ties as well. All the names below qualify:
Girl: Amaya, Camila, Catalina, Elena, Eliana, Luna, Mila, Natalia, Paloma, Sofia
Boy: Arlo, Diego, Dominic, Julian, Leonardo, Mateo, Nathaniel, Nico, Roman, Xavier
Michelle Williams and Thomas Kail
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Matilda (previous relationship)
Michelle Williams gave birth to her daughter Matilda in 2005, back when Matilda was considered a slightly frumpy choice reserved for hipsters only. It was on the outskirts of the Top 1000 back then, but now ranks at a respectable 489—making Matilda a familiar name, but not one you’ll hear in every classroom. My hope is that Michelle and Thomas choose something more like Matilda circa 2005—an unusual classic on the brink of cool.
Girl: Agnes, Bellamy, Georgina, Harriet, Marceline, Phoebe, Sylvie, Tabitha, Theodora, Zadie
Boy: Alistair, Ansel, Conrad, Edmund, Leopold, Lyle, Oskar, Otis, Phineas, Stanley
Ashley Hinshaw and Topher Grace
Gender: unknown
Lovely vintage Mabel is a celebrity classic and gaining steam among the mainstream as well. It’s got a little bit of sass and a whole lot of sweetness—a retro nickname like Elsie, Hattie, or Billy would pair well with Mabel, as would a more substantial name such as Flora or Walter.
Girl: Clementine, Dorothy, Edith, Eloise, Elsie, Flora, Greta, Hattie, Helena, Louisa
Boy: Bennett, Billy, Clark, Forrest, Jasper, Simon, Theo, Toby, Walter, Winston
Brittany Gonzales and Kellan Lutz
Gender: unknown
Siblings: girl
This is Brittany and Kellan Lutz’s first child, so I don’t have any sibling names to go off of to get a sense of their style. However, the couple are already parents to a dog, who they named Koda. This gives me a couple of clues about what they might name their baby girl—I’m thinking something on-trend with strong consonant sounds, particularly Ks, Ts, or Rs. We’ll find out this Spring!
Girl: Athena, Cali, Delaney, Everly, Harley, Haven, Kendall, Mia, Rylee, Tatum
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Ava Grace, Bodhi Brooks
For each of their children, Ava and Bodhi, Stacy Keibler and Jared Pobre have chosen hot names of the times. Ava was born in 2014 during an Ava upswing, and Bodhi was born in 2018 (along with a couple other starbabies named Bodhi). My best guess is that Stacy and Jared will choose a name for their son or daughter that will eventually feel like a very 2020 name. Take a look at the qualifiers:
Girl: Aurora, Ellie, Ember, Isla, Luna, Mila, Nova, Oakley, Remi, Skylar
Boy: Arlo, Asher, Axel, Crew, Enzo, Maverick, Nash, Onyx, Roman, Sawyer
Felicity Jones and Charles Guard
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
British actress Felicity Jones is expecting her first child with her husband Charles Guard. One of her middle names—and her mother’s maiden name—is Hadley, which I would love to see them use if they have a daughter. If not, I think an up-and-comer (with a hint of a British accent) could suit Felicity and Charles—something along the lines of Bonnie, Etta, or Kit.
Girl: Amelie, Aurelia, Beatrice, Bonnie, Cleo, Elodie, Etta, Hadley, Iris, Maisie
Boy: Arthur, Declan, Harris, Kit, Leon, Milo, Oliver, Ralph, Remy, Rhys
Hope Solo and Jerramy Stevens
Gender: girl/boy twins!
Siblings: none
It’s going to be twins for athletic couple Hope Solo and Jerramy Stevens! The former soccer and football players are expecting a little girl and boy later this year. I see them going the modern androgynous route for their children—nothing flowery or overly romantic for this pair. Some winning combos: Sloane and Easton, Harlow and Landon, Avery and Rylan.
Girl: Avery, Blake, Ellis, Emerson, Harlow, Lennox, Rowan, Skye, Sloane, Zara
Boy: Carter, Cruz, Easton, Hayes, Knox, Landon, Maximus, River, Rylan, Wyatt
Gender: boy
After David Bowie’s death in 2016, his surname skyrocketed in popularity, particularly for baby boys. One year later, Dane DeHaan and Anna Wood used it for their daughter Bowie Rose. Now they’re expecting a son, and I’m wondering if he’ll have a contemporary surname name as well. Add an S to Anna’s surname and you get Woods, which feels right on target. If they decide not to go the honor route, my top choices are Ford and Onyx.
Boy: Atlas, Axton, Creed, Decker, Ford, Maddox, Memphis, Onyx, Wilder, Woods