Unique Celebrity Names

Associated with the mononymic Icelandic singer and her iconic swan dress.

We all know that Chaka really means disco.

Ambika is one of the names of the mother goddesses of Hinduism. She is worshipped under other names as well, including Chandi, said to be the power of Ambika, who rides a lion.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Normani is a name made famous by the person it was invented for, singer Normani, whose birth name is Normani Kordei Hamilton. An unlikely combination of the operatic grandma name Norma and the designer surname Armani, Normani was given to more than 50 baby girls in the US last year.

Might suggest speed, excitement, even danger, were it not for its best-known bearer, conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh.

Bethenny is the spelling introduced to the world by and closely associated with Real Housewife of New York Bethenny Frankel. While the name has a bit of charm, we recommend sticking with the original Bethany spelling.

One Fergie was an aberration. But two women with that nickname -- the duchess and the Black Eyed Pea -- might make a trend.

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, its sounds are similar enough to Fern, Bonnie, Marnie, and Franny that it feels more solid than its Disney counterpart.

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.