Celebrity Names · Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 4 pages
of 4
English, feminine variation of Charles
"free man"
A Caroline abbreviation that was wildly popular with Mom's generation...or Grandma's. At one time it was a name for baby girls born at Christmas . because of its association with Christmas carols.…
Word name
Like Silver, a shimmering metallic color name, that may lean too dazzling for some, but more grounded for others, thanks to its similarity of Alden, Auden, Elden and Gordon. Given to 100 babies in a…
Spelling variation of Star, word name
Starr today is more fashionably the plain-spoken Star or the more obscured Stella, Esther, or Estella.
Sunshine was seen as a quintessential hippie name of the 70s, reaching as high as Number 536 in 1975. Now such names are making a bit of a retro comeback, seen, for example, as a character on Glee .
At one time, Moon might have felt like a celebrity-only option, memorably chosen by Frank Zappa for his daughter Moon Unit. Now, with Sunny, Goldie, Wren, Star, Storm, Ocean, Onyx, and Scout in the…
Lizzy is a feminine name primarily used as an affectionate diminutive of Elizabeth, which has Hebrew origins meaning 'God is my oath' or 'pledged to God.' This friendly, approachable nickname gained…
English
"ridge farm"
Rigby is a rather stiff British surname, which might call to mind the Beatles "Eleanor Rigby" or, from the recent past, Cathy Rigby, the first American woman to win a medal in World Gymnastics…
"soul, spirit"
A charming addition to the ever-growing crop of virtue names, Soul is a warm yet mystical choice with links to spirituality, feelings, and music. While it is a bold word name, its similarity to Sol…
Color name
Blue suddenly came into the spotlight, as the unusual color name chosen by Beyonce and Jay-Z for their baby girl Blue Ivy. Blue is also a starbaby middle name du jour, used for both sexes in…
English, diminutive of William
"resolute protection"
Most Bills today are dads...or grandpas. The younger Williams are usually nicknamed Will, or called by their full names.
English word name or short form of Abigail
Abbey might sound exactly like the popular Abigail nickname Abby or Abbie, but spelled this way it is also a churchy word name with a Gothic feel. But hearing it, no one will know the difference.
Diminutive of Susan and Suzanne, English, French
"lily"
An energetic, charmingly retro nickname, Suzy and all her sisters are off their fashion peak but will rise again around the middle of this century. The Z forms, Suzy and Suzie, are usually short for…
English; diminutive of Adelaide
"noble"
You can't get much more feminine, sweet, and ladylike than Lady. Would make a cute nickname for up-and-coming Adelaide. Lady will also bring to mind the canine lover of the Tramp.
English nickname
The most outlandish Beatles-inspired name, if Lennon or McCartney are too tame for you. Ringo Starr is the stage name of drummer Richard Starkey, taken from his nickname Ringo (because he wore lots…
English, diminutive of Jo-beginning names
Sprightly and engaging nickname for human, full name for pet. Author Jojo Moyes and dancer/singer Jojo Sliwa have propelled the name into the public eye.
Variation of Claribel, English combination of Clara + -bel, Latin
"bright + beautiful"
All names bella have been popular in recent years, and though Clarabella suffers from its association with Clarabelle clown and cow, it may rise as those negative images fade.
Scottish surname
"son of Artan"
This highly recognizable surname means "son of Artan," an Irish derivative of the name Art. It's most closely tied to Beatle Paul McCartney — we'd be willing to bet that some of the parents who give…
Latin
"my lady"
There's only one. Okay, two.
Maggiemae is a compound feminine name combining two traditional nicknames: Maggie (from Margaret) and Mae (a variant of May). Margaret derives from Greek 'margarites' meaning 'pearl,' while Mae often…
Nature name
We once dismissed Bird as "too flighty", but with the rise of avian names from Lark to Robin to, well, Birdie, we don't see why Bird can't be a fine choice, especially as a middle name.
