Starbaby Predictions: First and middles
by Sophie Kihm
My latest starbaby predictions include some thoughts on middle names.
Celebrity baby middle names don’t get as much attention as first names, but they can be equally as exciting. Take Anne Hathaway’s son’s middle name, Rosebanks. It’s a portmanteau of two family names—a creative solution to honor multiple people at once. Lauren and Thomas Rhett Akins gave their daughters short, boyish middle names, as did Michael Sheen—although his daughter Lily’s middle name is the more unconventional Mo.
Will these celebrities stick to their systems for their upcoming babies? I can’t wait to find out. My predictions—for first names only—follow, but I’d love to hear yours as well. Let me know what you think in the comments.
Anne Hathaway and Adam Shulman
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Jonathan Rosebanks
Anne Hathaway and Adam Shulman named their son Jonathan Rosebanks—a classic first name with a creative middle. Rosebanks is a combination of Anne’s grandfather’s name, Roseline and Adam’s mother’s maiden name, Banks. I’m curious to see if they’ll follow this pattern with their second child‘s name. There are interesting names on both sides of the family tree that could make for cool middles, including McCauley and Jacqueline.
Girl: Abigail, Amelia, Claire, Eleanor, Elizabeth, Hannah, Katherine, Lilah, Sadie, Sarah
Boy: Benjamin, Charles, Edward, Elliot, Daniel, Henry, Isaac, Samuel, Simon, William
Update: It’s a boy—Jack!
Lauren Akins and Thomas Rhett
Gender: girl
Siblings: Willa Gray, Ada James
Three daughters! Lauren Akins and Thomas Rhett are going to welcome their third baby girl in 2020. They have a clear pattern for their daughters’ names—sweet, vintage, feminine firsts paired with single-syllable androgynous middles. For baby girl’s middle name, I could see them going with something like Jude, Lux, or Kit. As for her first, I like the idea of one of the following:
Girl: Cora, Elsie, Flora, Hazel, Iris, Mabel, Maisie, Maude, Ruthie, Thea
Natalie Imbruglia
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Singer Natalie Imbruglia is expecting her first child! She got pregnant via IVF and a sperm donor, meaning she won’t have to compromise when it comes to her baby’s name. We’ll get a sense of her true style once baby comes, but my starbaby prediction is that it’s going to be Exotic Lite—something glamorous and global, but not outrageous and unheard of. One of these would fit the bill:
Girl: Alessia, Anika, Fiona, Florence, Freya, Imogen, India, Livia, Paloma, Phoebe
Boy: Camilo, Eamon, Enzo, Finnian, Kieran, Lachlan, Leon, Luca, Rocco, Rohan
Update: It’s a boy—Max Valentine!
Anna Lundberg and Michael Sheen
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Lily Mo (previous relationship)
British actor Michael Sheen has a young-adult daughter named Lily from his previous relationship with Kate Beckinsale. Now he and his partner Anna Lundberg are expecting his second child. Anna is Swedish, so the name will have to be usable in Scandinavia, England, and the US. The names I chose for them are stylish in all three regions.
Girl: Agnes, Belle, Cleo, Edith, Greta, Ida, Livia, Mila, Nora, Stella
Boy: Axel, Elias, Henry, Jack, Leo, Lucas, Milo, Oscar, Otto, Theo
Update: Welcome, Lyra!
Ty Haney and Mark Wystrach
Gender: girl
Siblings: none
Mark Wystrach, the lead singer of the country band Midland, and Ty Haney, founder of the cult fitness apparel brand Outdoor Voices, are expecting a baby girl. The best way to describe their style would be country hipster—they live in Austin, spend a lot of time in nature, and he sports an ironic mustache. Therefore, their daughter’s name should have country hipster vibes as well. I think these all qualify:
Girl: Clover, Indigo, Juniper, Marigold, Marlowe, Martha, Polly, Scout, Tallulah, Wren
Update: Welcome, Sundance “Sunny” Leon! Country hipster vibes for sure.
Sophie Kihm has been writing for Nameberry since 2015. She has contributed stories on the top middle names of 2019, the top baby names in each state, and the hottest nickname names of 2018. Sophie is Nameberry’s resident Name Guru to the Stars, where she suggests names for celebrity babies. She also manages the Nameberry Instagram and Pinterest. You can follow her personally on Instagram or Pinterest, or contact her at sophie@nameberry.com. Sophie lives in Chicago.