Nancy O'Dell accidentally reveals daughter's name

While giving a tour of her nursery on tonight’s edition of Access Hollywood, host Nancy O’Dell announced — albeit by accident — that her baby girl, due in June, will be named Ashby Grace.  The slip-up occurred as Nancy showed viewers the slumber bear which is affixed to Ashby’s crib. 

It makes womb sounds, so that Ashby will still think … Oops!  I just said her name!  Shall I go ahead and reveal it?

Nancy chose the name in tribute to her grandfather, who was also named Ashby.  The name is dual-gender — meaning strength, like the ash tree — and comes complete with certain alphabetical perks, Nancy noted.

We figure that with an ‘A’ name, she will have a chance to be first in line for some things.  At least where they don’t go alphabetically by last name.

The name ‘Grace’ runs in husband Keith Zubchevich’s family "and we both said from when we first met each other that if we had a little girl we would want Grace as part of her name," Nancy said.

Source:  Access Hollywood — watch the video at the link.

Thanks to CBB reader Susan.

Comments

I really like it the name Ashby, but more for a boy.

- Heather on May 23rd, 2007

Ashby? Oy vey.

- Lola on May 23rd, 2007

Is it pronounced Ash-be or Ash-by? I kinda like it, but i agree Heather, more for a boy

- Emily on May 23rd, 2007

Ashby isn’t a terrible name. I do agree with the others that it does seem more for a boy, but paired with the ultra feminine middle name, Grace…I think it works! I love that she named the baby after her grandfather.

- Ashley P. on May 24th, 2007

I have never heard the name before but it sounds quite sweet. Defintely unusual – hopefully it suits the baby.

- Bella on May 24th, 2007

When do they *ever* go alphabetical by first name?

- Anna on May 24th, 2007

“rolling eyes” at such silly name…even if it does run in the family.

- Kristin on May 24th, 2007

I think the name Ashby fits nice for a little girl as it does for a boy. I really like how they came up with the baby’s name-Ashby Grace, sounds cute! Can’t wait till baby Ashby arrives. Wonder who she will look like most.

- J.J. on May 24th, 2007

I really could see her naming her daughter something like Gemma . I dont know why…lol.

- Callen on May 24th, 2007

Sweet she is naming the baby after her grandfather. Ashby Grace sounds cute. I’m happy for Nancy, she seems sweet.

- Gianna on May 24th, 2007

It’s not unisex. It’s male. I bet we’ll never see celebs or anyone else naming their sons Mary or Elisabeth after their Grandmothers.

- Rebecca on May 25th, 2007

Rebecca-Ashby may have started out as a male name, but now I think it is in fact becoming unisex (it even says in the post that it is multi-gender, and CBB is not a site to post lies). Remember, Leslie and Ashley also started out as male names, but now Leslie is unisex and Ashley has become mostly a girl’s name. And it’s not true that we’ve never seen celebs naming their daughters after their mothers or grandmothers. For example, Gwenyth Paltow’s daughters middle names, Blythe and Allison, are after her (Apple’s, that is) grandmothers.
All of that said, believe me, Ashby is actually one of the more normal names I have heard. There are people, for example, who give their child the mother’s maiden name or another surname as a first name (Anderson is one example). Anyway, what Nancy and Keith decided to name their child isn’t really our business, anyway!

- Annoynomus on May 25th, 2007

I really don’t see anything weird about Ashby. I don’t see anything accidental about the reveal either, it’s not like Jennifer Garner revealing the gender on Leno.

- stephanie on May 26th, 2007

Nancy O’Dell used a Marie Ricci letter and accent plaques for her nursery shown several times on Access Hollywood’s Baby News.

- marie ricci on May 28th, 2007

I really like the name. It sounds like a
variant of Ashley.

- Karen on May 31st, 2007