On-Trend Celebrity Babies: Nova, Cy, and Etta
By Abby Sandel, Appellation Mountain
Do you remember those fifteen trend predictions for 2015 posted about a month ago? And the trend-spotting from the UK, courtesy of Elea?
It’s only been a few weeks, but it feels like high profile parents are following along. Recent birth announcements all reflect the kinds of baby names we expect to hear throughout 2015.
Even if you aren’t crazy about the individual names, there’s some good news here. Parents seem to be losing their fear of giving a “girl” name to a boy. Is it possible that names like Kelly will once again be wearable for our sons?
The rise of short, simple names is another one that will please parents eager to avoid nicknames. Welcome to the world, Tom-not-Thomas, Tess-not-Theresa, and this week’s celebrity entry in the category, Cy, not Cyrus or Cyril or Silas.
The nine most trend-setting baby names in the news are:
Genesis – The first book of the Bible comes from the Greek word meaning “birth” – a nicely meaningful choice for a girl or a boy. Maybe it’s the Gen– sound that has made Genesis feel feminine – an alternative to Genevieve, a successor to Jennifer. Whatever the reason, Genesis has been a Top 100 name for girls since 2008. But that didn’t stop Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz from giving the name to their new arrival, Genesis Ali. Genesis joins big brother Egypt and proves that parents are willing to reclaim names from the girls for their sons.
Nova – The popularity of the letter V is nothing new, and celestial names are an on-going trend, too. Take Luna and Stella, stir in a healthy dose of Vivienne and Ava, and you’ll arrive at Nova. Catelynn Lowell, of MTV’s Teen Mom, and partner Tyler Baltierra have just given this name to their new arrival. Since Nova is from the Latin for new, it’s a very appropriate name for a baby born at the new year.
Reign – No sooner did we finish talking about Kourtney Kardashian’s son, Reign Aston, than Teen Mom’s Catelynn and Tyler gave the middle name to their daughter, Nova Reign. Reign definitely fits in with the Defining Names trend. Will the kindergarten class of 2021 be packed with kids called Prince, Queenie, and Royal?
Cy – We finally learned the names of Zoe Saldana’s twins! Zoe and her artist husband Marco Perego welcomed their sons in late October, and shared their names just a few days ago. Cy definitely feels like one of those short, simple names that have been so popular in Europe. It’s a sharp departure from elaborate picks like Jeremiah and Sebastian, but one-syllable names could be the next big thing in the US.
Bowie – Did Zoe and Marco name their younger son after David Bowie? Zoe tweeted lyrics from David Bowie’s “Heroes” just days before their boys arrived. Whether Bowie is a hero name or not, it’s one we’re hearing more and more, along with Bowen and Beau.
Aridio – While she was expecting, Zoe mentioned that her family was suggesting names that reflected all of her and husband Marco’s heritages – including Italian, Dominican, and Puerto Rican. For their sons’ middles, the couple chose a pair of unusual names that reflect their family ties. Aridio is an obscure choice, probably related to the Roman Aridius, but there’s no mystery behind Saldana’s reason for using the name – Aridio is Zoe’s late father.
Ezio – Cy Aridio’s younger brother is Bowie Ezio. It’s an unexpected combination that honors Marco’s dad. Ezio is the Italian form of the Latin Aetius, the name of a Roman general who faced off against Attila the Hun – and won!
Artie – Let’s head to England for the last two names, from another set of high profile twins. Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson is a grandfather, thanks to his daughter Holly and her husband Fred. The couple recently welcomed a son, Artie. Artie’s name picks up on the sound identified by Elea as the hottest sound of the year – ar.
Etta – Artie’s twin sister is Etta. It’s a swingy, retro choice we’ve heard in the US – Carson Daly and Siri Pinter are the parents of Jackson, Etta, and London. Elea’s British Name Trends report also highlighted “vintage choices with prevalent vowel sounds” for girls. Exactly!
What do you think of the 2015 trends? Are there any names on this list that you hope to hear more of in the coming year?