Celebrity Baby Names
by Sophie Kihm
Celebrity baby names can sometimes seem bizarre, and yet celebrity namers are subject to the same sorts of pressures as the rest of us. For example, for everyone naming a first child can be a daunting task. It sets the framework for all your future children’s names, and there are simply so many options (although sometimes it feels like there aren’t enough). How does one begin to make a decision?
Many of our pregnant celebrities this month will be facing this challenge. Shay Mitchell’s first child is going to be a baby girl, Phillip Phillips will be naming a son, and Elijah Wood is also going to be a first-time dad. Still others will be tasked with naming their second or third children (which some say is even harder than naming a first child), including Dylan Dreyer and Jeremy Roloff.
So what will these expectant parents name their babies? I’ve made my predictions below, but I’d love to hear yours as well. Let’s chat about it in the comments!
Shay Mitchell and Matte Babel
Gender: girl
Siblings: none
Shay Mitchell and Matte Babel are expecting their first child—a daughter—later this year. They are a young, fashionable couple, so odds are that they’ll choose a stylish and maybe slightly surprising name for their little girl. I like the idea of Shay and Matte using an androgynous name—perhaps Bowie, Billie, or Elliott, or maybe a mini name, like Liv, Noa, or Jet.
Girl: Billie, Bowie, Elliott, Jet, Liv, Monroe, Noa, Simone, Stevie, Sutton
Update: Got the middle name—baby girl is Atlas Noa!
Dylan Dreyer and Brian Fichera
Gender: boy
Meteorologist Dylan Dreyer and her husband Brian Fichera welcomed their son Calvin in 2016, and now they are expecting another little boy, due January 2020. Calvin is a sweet, easy-going name that feels decidedly masculine. Other names in this category that would work well for Calvin Fichera’s brother include the following.
Boy: Asher, August, Dexter, Elliot, Everett, Henry, Jasper, Jude, Maxwell, Walker
Update: Hello, Oliver George!
Mette-Marie Kongsved and Elijah Wood
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Actor Elijah Wood and his partner, movie producer Mette–Marie Kongsved are having a baby! Mette–Marie is from Denmark, so I’m crossing my fingers for a Danish-American crossover name. There are plenty of great choices that are well-used in Scandinavia and the US, although I’d also love if they picked a more obscure name for their son or daughter (more babies named Pia, Magnus, and Juni, please!).
Girl: Alma, Astrid, Clara, Freya, Ida, Iris, Juni, Liv, Nora, Pia
Boy: Anton, Axel, Gunnar, Hugo, Felix, Magnus, Oscar, Oliver, Sebastian, Soren
Hannah Blackwell and Phillip Phillips
Gender: boy
Siblings: none
When you have a name like Phillip Phillips, what do you name your son? Possibly another alliterative name—I’ve included some F names should he and wife Hannah go that route. I could also see them using a modern name with a preppy cowboy vibe—such as Lane, Sawyer, or Tate—that many Southern singers seem to prefer.
Boy: Finnegan, Fletcher, Ford, Hunter, Jack, Lane, Sawyer, Tate, Walker, Wells
Update: Baby boy is Patch! Didn’t see that one coming.
Amanda Fuller and Matthew Bryan Feld
Gender: boy
Siblings: none
Amanda Fuller and Matthew Bryan Feld are a playful, colorful couple who aren’t afraid to be bold. Therefore, it’s likely that their son will have a name that packs a bit of a punch. I’m expecting strong consonant sounds—like Xs, Bs, or Rs—and a shorter name that’s no more than two syllables long.
Boy: Beck, Boden, Brody, Chase, Crew, Dax, Huxley, Link, Nash, Ryder
Audrey and Jeremy Roloff
Gender: unknown
Ember is a contemporary word name that has been rising continuously since it entered the Top 1000 in 2009. Audrey and Jeremy Roloff gave it to their daughter in 2017. In all likelihood, they’ll choose another name with an upward trajectory for baby number two. But will it be another word name? I’m not certain, but I do think Haven, Sage, or Nova would make pretty cute sister names for Ember Jean.
Girl: Arden, Finley, Harlow, Haven, Isla, Ivy, Maren, Nova, Sage, Willow
Boy: Asher, Baker, Greyson, Hayes, Landon, Levi, Oakley, Weston, Wilder, Wyatt
Update: It’s a boy—Bode James!
Danielle Brooks
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Actress Danielle Brooks is five months along with her first child, and I’m very curious to hear what his or her name will be. For girls, I’m thinking something feminine and fresh but with history. Etta would be darling, as would Willa. If her baby is a boy, something soft but boyish seems to be in order, like Adrian or Julian.
Girl: Alice, Bella, Elle, Etta, Gia, Juliet, Luna, Maya, Nina, Willa
Boy: Adrian, Benjamin, Hayden, Hudson, James, Julian, Kingston, Leo, Miles, Wesley
Update: Hello, Freeya Carel!
Sheila and Jackson Rathbone
Gender: boy
Siblings: Monroe Jackson IV, Presley Bowie (g)
Sheila and Jackson Rathbone gave their daughter a double-rock star name—Presley Bowie—and their son, although a fourth, goes by the on-trend surname name Monroe. I wouldn’t be surprised if they chose another rock-and-roll inspired name for their newest baby (after all, there are so many great choices), but there’s a good chance they’ll just go with a modern surname-style name, closer to Monroe. Perhaps one of the following.
Boy: Ace, Axel, Cruz, Hendrix, Jagger, Jett, Kingston, Maddox, Maverick, Pierce
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.