Celebrity Names · Name Image
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 13 pages
of 13
American invented name
Kikkan Randall, the American cross-country skier who won a Gold Medal at the 2018 Olympics, made her invented name famous. The name Kikkan was a compromise between Megan and Kikki, the name her…
French
"to wash"
Could be used as a hero tribute by tennis fans to honor Australian champ Rod, considered by many to be the greatest male player of all time.
"brown-haired one"
The best-known bearer of this name by far is basketball superstar LeBron James. While LeBron James is a great athlete and American hero, only 19 baby boys were named LeBron or Lebron in 2021.
Scottish
"hound of the promontory"
Scottish and Irish Mac and Mc surnames are definitely up for consideration, and this one has sports cred via its link to tennis champ John. It was one of the fastest-rising names on Nameberry in…
Hebrew
"his kingdom, his counselor"
Dominican-born New York Yankees outfielder Melky Cabrera has brought this name into the spotlight. Many parents might find it too milky--in fact, Cabrera's nickname is "Leche"--Spanish for "milk."
Chinese
"shining bright"
A common Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean unisex name, and the name of a culturally rich Chinese Dynastic period. Yao Ming is the seven and a half foot Shanghai-born basketball star. Trivia tidbit: His…
Word name
Peerless Price may be a football great, but his name would exert undue pressure. Substitute idea: Peer.
Athlete name
The name of the Brazilian-born soccer great (whose name at birth was Edson) is popular in France and could make it here too.
Native American
"silver creek"
Olympic skier Picabo Street was allowed to choose her name at the age of three, and picked it possibly (a) after a nearby Idaho town or (b) because she loved to play peekaboo. No longer a…
Latin
"peaceful"
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Plaxico Burress brought this name, which was inherited from an uncle, into the mix, adding to the category of names with peaceful meanings.
American spelling of Hungarian Szabo
"a tailor"
A possible last-name-first name represented by former first baseman Chris Sabo.
Japanese
"strong as bamboo"
Well used in Japan, appreciated for its powerful meaning.
English
"farm, village"
Brusque and charmless, two things you don't want your son to be.
Norse
"defended by Thor"
Found as a first name primarily in baseball books giving the stats on the late New York Yankee Thurman Munson.
Arabic, possible variation of Hussein
"beautiful"
There will probably be lots of little namesakes after the fastest man in the world, Jamaican Olympic runner Usain Bolt--middle name St. Leo.
Diminutive of Wilton, English
"place by a stream"
Basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain (born Wilton) lends a sort of mythic quality to his name. Few have ventured to use it since it is so tied to the famed Chamberlain, but it could make an inspired…
Zelmo Beaty was a noted basketball player in the 1960s and 1970s; his name has an offbeat tickle-me-Zelmo feel.
Variation of Ivana
Variation of Ivana.
Japanese, Hawaian, Native American
"mind, heart + peach; to enter"
A zippy, multicultural name, Kokomo is also the name of cities in Indiana, Arkansas, Hawaii, and Texas, a song by The Beach Boys, and a blues musician (Kokomo James Arnold). When used as a Japanese…
