Unique Celebrity Names

  1. Drew
    • Origin:

      English diminutive of Andrew, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "strong and manly"
    • Description:

      Drew is an elegant formerly male-only alternative to Andy that joined the stylishly upscale Paige-Brooke-Blair sorority, thanks largely to Drew Barrymore. Barrymore comes by her first name legitimately: it was the maiden name of her paternal great-grandmother, Georgiana 'Georgie' Drew Barrymore, one of many esteemed actors in her family history.
  2. Iker
    • Origin:

      Basque
    • Meaning:

      "visitation"
    • Description:

      Long an extremely popular name in Spain, Iker (usually pronounced EE-kuhr in the English speaking world) is the rare Basque name that's starting to make it big in the States also, thanks to soccer player Iker Casillas. Indeed, it's been one of the fastest growing boys' names of the decade.
  3. Joaquin
    • Origin:

      Spanish variation of Joachim
    • Meaning:

      "God will judge"
    • Description:

      Actor Joaquin Phoenix (brother of River, Rain, Liberty and Summer) highlighted this one, then Kelly Ripa began talking about younger son Joaquin on her daily TV show, and presto—it's now one of the hottest and most appealing multicultural baby boy names.
  4. Macaulay
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "son of righteousness"
    • Description:

      Made famous by former child star Macaulay Culkin, one of the more popular Mac names.
  5. Elon
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "oak tree"
    • Description:

      The boys' name Elon is best known today as the name of Elon Musk, eccentric billionaire founder of Tesla and SpaceX. With Canadian singer Grimes, Elon Musk has a son with an even more unusual name, X Æ A-12.
  6. Anderson
    • Origin:

      English from Scandinavian
    • Meaning:

      "son of Anders"
    • Description:

      Rugged and tough, Anderson shot up quite a bit on the pop list in the 2000's, no doubt in large part due to the prominence of white-haired cable newsman Anderson Coopers, more recently, it has featured in the US Top 400, given to 943 boys in the latest count.
  7. Drake
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "dragon; or, male duck"
    • Description:

      A simple one-syllable name that has been on the popularity list since the mid-1980s, Drake is most associated today with the single-named rapper (born Aubrey). The name peaked at Number 197 in 2010 and has since been on a slow decline, but it still can be counted among the stylish contemporary boy names starting with D.
  8. Elvis
    • Origin:

      Meaning unknown
    • Description:

      When the King was alive, and for years afterwards, few people (except Declan McManus who became Elvis Costello) dared use his singular name, but now it's very much up for grabs.
  9. Romee
    • Origin:

      Variation of Romy, English, German, Dutch
    • Meaning:

      "rosemary"
    • Description:

      A variation of Romy often seen in the Netherlands. Dutch model Romee Strijd is a notable bearer.
  10. Chance
    • Origin:

      French variation of Chauncey
    • Description:

      Once a cavalier Mississippi gambler type name, Chance has entered the mainstream since being endorsed by such celebrity dads as Larry King and Paul Hogan. Chance the Rapper has also boosted the name's popularity.
  11. Vogue
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "fashionable"
    • Description:

      Vogue has been in rare use as a personal name, mostly since the last century. It doesn’t show up in current US data, but has been rising in the UK since 2013, influenced by Irish model Vogue Williams, whose grandmother suggested her name after an encounter with someone named Vogue.
  12. Bindi
    • Origin:

      Australian Aboriginal
    • Meaning:

      "butterfly"
    • Description:

      In the Noongar language of Western Australia, Bindi means butterfly. Bindi is usually seen as a girls' name, as seen in Bindi Irwin, daughter of the late Steve Irwin.
  13. Vin
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Vincent, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "conquering"
    • Description:

      Minimalist nickname via XXX star Diesel (born Mark Vincent).
  14. Denzel
    • Origin:

      Cornish
    • Meaning:

      "from the high stronghold"
    • Description:

      This old Cornish name took on a whole new identity via Denzel Washington, who has inspired several thousand namesakes. The actor was named after his father, who was named for a Dr. Denzel, who delivered him.
  15. Sade
    • Origin:

      Finnish, Nigerian and Yoruba, diminutive of Folashade
    • Meaning:

      "rain; honor bestows a crown"
    • Description:

      The one-named singer clarified the confusing pronunciation on this one (in her case, it's shah-DAY), but a number of parents have looked for more phonetic spellings. The Finnish version means "rain."
  16. Woody
    • Origin:

      Word name or diminutive of Woodrow, English
    • Meaning:

      "row of houses by a wood"
    • Description:

      While Woodrow is too forbidding, its nickname Woody is a bit cartoonish, as in Woody Woodpecker and the animated cowboy character in Toy Story. Woody also has a slang meaning that no teenage boy will thank you for. Woody Allen was born Allen.
  17. Solange
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "solemn"
    • Description:

      This is a soft, soignée French girls' namethat has become familiar here via singer Solange Knowles, younger sister of Beyonce.
  18. Sigourney
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "daring king"
    • Description:

      Actress Sigourney -- born Susan -- Weaver made this unusual name (which she found in The Great Gatsby) famous, if not popular.
  19. Rooney
    • Origin:

      English or Gaelic surname
    • Meaning:

      "descendent of the champion"
    • Description:

      Talented actress Rooney Mara (originally born Patricia Rooney) has single-handedly transformed this Gaelic surname into a wearable and elegant girls' name. Often said to mean "red-haired", the original surname, rendered as O' Ruanaidh, actually means "descendent of the champion". Trivia note: the most famous Rooney, Mickey Rooney, was originally born Joseph Yule.
  20. Alanis
    • Origin:

      Female variation of Alan
    • Meaning:

      "handsome, cheerful"
    • Description:

      Singer Alanis Morissette made this twist famous. She was named for her father Alan, who is said to have spotted this version in a Greek newspaper. So far it has been pretty much a one-person name, but could make a distinctive update of Alana — especially with s-ending names making a comeback. Alanis is a Top 100 choice in Puerto Rico.