Unique Celebrity Names
- Bela
Origin:
CzechMeaning:
"white"Description:
Despite the light, pretty sound of Bella for a girl, the boys' name Bela has dark and mysterious undertones, thanks to Dracula actor Bela Lugosi. Béla is also the first name of composer Bartók.
- Mahershala
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"swift to the plunder"Description:
Actor Mahershala Ali single-handedly put this Biblical name on the map. If you think it's difficult to pronounce and spell, consider that it's short for Maher-shalal-hash-baz, the longest name in the Bible which Ali actually used in its entirety as his stage name until 2010.
- Arsenio
Origin:
Spanish from GreekMeaning:
"virile, strong"Description:
Long considered Mr. Hall's exclusive property, it's now ready to be adopted by others.
- Forever
Origin:
Word nameMeaning:
"always, eternally, continually"Description:
A word name that parents might choose to reflect the eternal love they feel for their child, Forever is a bold choice, but grounded perhaps by the familiar ev sound heard in Everett and Evan and the for sound of Ford and Forest. Also used in a religious or spiritual sense, it feels akin to the likes of Heaven, Blessed, Chosen, Fable, and Seven.
- Judge
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
Eighties star Judge Reinhold (born Edward Jr. , he was given this nickname at the age of two weeks) made this possible, but it could cause a lot of confusion.
- Shaquille
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"well developed, handsome"Description:
No longer a one-person name, as a number of parents have been inspired by basketball great Shaquille O'Neal to adopt it for their own future athletes.
- Gal
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"wave"Description:
This unisex Israeli name, which rhymes with ball, is sure to receive more serious international attention now that actress Gal Gadot is the new Wonder Woman.
- Oprah
Origin:
Variation of Orpah, HebrewMeaning:
"fawn or gazelle"Description:
The misspelling that created an indelibly one-person name. And we mean that literally: Despite Oprah Winfrey's fame and appeal, there were no baby girls named Oprah last year, OR Orpah.
- Usain
Origin:
Arabic, possible variation of HusseinMeaning:
"beautiful"Description:
There will probably be lots of little namesakes after the fastest man in the world, Jamaican Olympic runner Usain Bolt--middle name St. Leo.
- Bjork
Origin:
IcelandicMeaning:
"birch tree"Description:
Associated with the mononymic Icelandic singer and her iconic swan dress.
- Kiawentiio
Origin:
MohawkMeaning:
"nice morning"Description:
A Mohawk name with a beautiful meaning, Kiawentiio is borne by First Nations actress and singer Kiawentiio Tarbell who has starred as Katara in the Netflix live-action remake of Avatar: The Last Airbender and Anne with an E.
- Ginnifer
Description:
Ginnifer is a modern feminine name that emerged as a phonetic respelling of Jennifer, which derives from the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar, meaning "fair and smooth." This variant spelling gained visibility through American actress Ginnifer Goodwin, helping to distinguish it from the extremely popular Jennifer that dominated birth records in the 1970s and 80s. The spelling reflects the actual pronunciation many use for Jennifer, with the soft 'G' sound. While much rarer than its traditional counterpart, Ginnifer offers a fresh twist on a familiar name, allowing for the nickname Ginny. It appeals to parents who appreciate the classic appeal of Jennifer but desire something more distinctive that still maintains recognizable roots.
- Fawnie
Origin:
English, RomaniMeaning:
"fawn, young deer"Description:
If you like Bambi but want something just a shade less cutesy, Fawnie might be the one for you. A nickname-y elaboration of Fawn, it means "young deer", and while it is still very sweet, it's sounds are similar enough to Fern, Bonnie, Marnie, and Franny that it feels more solid than its Disney counterpart.
