Name Guru to the Stars: Kit Harington, Meghan Trainor, and more!
People always ask me if being the Name Guru to the Stars is the best job ever, and the answer is yes! Because I get to predict celebrities like Kit Harington’s baby names.
At least, that’s who’s up this month, along with other big names like Meghan Trainor, Katharine McPhee, and Jeremy Allen White.
But the real fun happens on Instagram, where I host our weekly celebrity baby name contest. Each Tuesday I choose a celebrity from this column, dole out my advice, and then you get to share your predictions. The best part is that if my guesses are off, the first person who correctly guessed the name gets at least $100. If no one gets it right, $100 gets added to the pot, which resets after an accurate prediction. The pot is currently valued at $100 because, yes, we have our very first contest winner!
Huge congratulations to Lisa (known on the forums as @LK86)! She correctly predicted the name of Abby Elliott and Billy Kennedy‘s daughter Edith and won $300. Hooray!
Make sure to check Instagram and enter our contests, but in the meantime, see my predictions for the most notable celebrity pregnancy announcements this month before they hit Instagram.
Rose Leslie & Kit Harington
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Rose and Kit, you both come from distinguished UK families and have dignified full names to match — Rose Eleanor Arbuthnot-Leslie and Christopher Catesby Harington. Will you carry on such tradition with your first-born child? I see you going with a historic, but perhaps shorter name for this baby. Maybe something with French influence, since Rose is fluent in the language. For you, I like Esmé or Iris for a girl and Arthur or Ralph for a boy.
Girl: Amelie, Esmé, Eve, Faye, Felicity, Iris, Pearl, Sybil, Sylvie, Wren
Boy: Arthur, Frederick, Jude, Laith, Louis, Milo, Percy, Rafferty, Ralph, Theodore
Meghan Trainor & Daryl Sabara
Gender: boy
Siblings: none
Meghan Trainor, my money is on a vintage name for this son of yours. Your upbeat pop music is full of retro influences, which makes me think a punchy, old-fashioned nickname is right up your alley. Something with oomph and attitude — try Ozzy or Rudy.
Boy: Freddie, Gus, Jules, Otis, Otto, Ozzy, Quincy, Roscoe, Rudy, Rufus
Katharine McPhee & David Foster
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Allison, Amy, Sara, Erin, Jordan (previous relationships)
Your daughters are all grown up (with children of their own!), David, and each has a name very conventional for her generation. Katharine, will you push him in a different direction for this child’s name? Honestly, I don’t think you two are going to use anything crazy for your son or daughter’s name. Older parents tend to like more traditional names and shy away from both new-fangled and recently resurrected choices. It’ll definitely have style though — my top picks for a girl are Juliette and Genevieve, and Henry and Reid for a boy.
Girl: Amelia, Audrey, Eloise, Evelyn, Genevieve, Juliette, Madeleine, Nora, Rosalie, Vivian
Boy: Andrew, Benjamin, Charlie, Declan, Elliott, Henry, Miles, Reid, Theodore, Wesley
Addison Timlin & Jeremy Allen White
Gender: unknown
Ezer is a rare, traditionally masculine Hebrew name from the same root as Ezra. It was a one-of-a-kind (yet very stylish!) choice, Addison and Jeremy, and I’m very intrigued about the name of your next child. I think it’ll be similarly rare, with ancient roots and a modern sound. Like Ezer, Joah is a Hebrew name typically used for boys, but it would work well on a daughter. I also like Cato, which is seen as a girl name in the Netherlands. Boaz would be a good match for Ezer as a brother name, with its Hebrew roots and strong Z. Another top consideration would be Ludo, which has that same rare-but-familiar feeling. And even though I don’t predict middle names, I’m wondering if Buddy is on your list— since Billie is for your nickname, Addison, it would be sweet if this one was Jeremy’s.
Girl: Cato, Cyra, Joah, Lior, Maro, Olwen, Pax, Puck, Romy, Valo
Boy: Boaz, Bram, Haskell, Ludo, Merce, Oz, Quay, Roone, Torben, Ziv
Kelly Rowland & Tim Weatherspoon
Gender: unknown
Titan was an excellent choice for your son, Kelly and Tim. It’s a cool modern name, but one that’s connected to history and Greek mythology. It’s a great route to go when you want to split the difference between contemporary style and traditional roots. Names with the same sort of vibe include Milan and Nixie for a girl, Onyx and Cairo for a boy.
Girl: Alaia, Alani, Cleo, Demi, Emerald, Gaia, Haven, Milan, Nova, Nixie
Boy: Axel, Cairo, Creed, Krew, Lux, Noble, Onyx, Reign, Renzo, Stone
Paige Price & Frankie Muniz
Gender: boy
Siblings: none
Frankie, your full name is actually Francisco Muniz IV, and given that you’re expecting a son, there’s a strong chance we’re going to see Francisco Muniz V. How about the nickname Cisco? But if the tradition stops with you, I think you and Paige will choose a trendier name for your son. I like Logan or Micah for you, and Ryder would be a nod to your racing career.
Boy: Carter, Francisco, Logan, Luca, Micah, Noah, Nolan, Ryder, Sawyer, Walker
Bethany Hamilton & Adam Dirks
Gender: unknown
Bethany and Adam, your sons have the soft-but-masculine names Tobias and Wesley. If baby number three is another boy, I think I’ve got your style down. Calvin and Simon are my top choices. Both are classic, non-aggressive names that have a different ending sound than Tobias and Wesley — ideal! I’m less confident about my picks for a daughter, but it’s definitely going to be a traditional name. I’m thinking Lydia or Eleanor.
Girl: Abigail, Diana, Eleanor, Elizabeth, Eloise, Isabel, Lucy, Lydia, Nina, Phoebe
Boy: Calvin, Elijah, Ezra, Griffin, Isaiah, Jonah, Malcolm, Marcus, Nathaniel, Simon
London and Nathan Kress
Gender: girl
Rosie is a deceptively rare baby name, ranking below the Top 500 but feeling very familiar. London and Nathan, I don’t necessarily think you’ll choose another uncommon name for your second daughter — it’s more likely to match Rosie’s sweetness and likability. If you want another nickname name, Gracie or Maisie would be a great fit. Otherwise, Lyla or Scarlett work well with Rosie.
Girl: Bella, Elsie, Gemma, Gracie, Lyla, Maisie, Millie, Sadie, Scarlett, Willa
What are your top choices? Enter our contests on Instagram!