2009 Celebrity Baby Names Roundup!

2009 Celebrity Baby Name Roundup

This was a year that saw fewer attention-seeking antics and more real creativity in celebrity parents’ choice of names. Celebrity parents are growing up and becoming more sophisticated in their taste in baby names, just as they did in their taste for fashion. Oscar gowns used to be gaudy, tasteless get-ups designed for maximum exposure of all kinds; now they’re evidence of real individual style. So too with celebrity baby names, many of which are starting to show genuine refined taste and discernment and seem designed to enhance the child’s life.

Some of the biggest trends: Names from the sky (and stars and planets); lovely names that start with the letter L; two middle names; and celebrity babies named after other celebrities, real and fictional.

Courtesy Nameberry

In addition to her work with nameberry.com, Pamela has co-authored ten baby-naming books with Linda Rosenkrantz. Their newest title, Beyond Ava & Aiden, is available now.

Click below for Pamela and Linda’s 2009 Celebrity Baby Name Roundup!

Babies Names After Heavenly Bodies, Objects, And/Or Beings:

This is one of the biggest new name trends, and it makes a lot of sense when the parents are stars!

SERAPHINA Rose Elizabeth – Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner
MARS Merkaba – Erykah Badu
LUNA Marie – Constance Marie
Stella LUNA – Ellen Pompeo
CIEL – Niki Taylor and Burney Lamar
Aven ANGELICA – Matthew Settle
Journey JETTE – Jenna Jameson and Tito Ortiz
JETT Hamilton – Jill Scott
Petal Blossom RAINBOW – Jamie Oliver

Animals:

BIRDIE West – Maura West
SPARROW James Midnight – Nicole Richie and Joel Madden
William WOLF – Sarah Shahi and William Howey

Flowers:

DAISY – Jon Cryer
PETAL BLOSSOM Rainbow – Jamie Oliver

Most Fashionable Letter – L:

LUCILLE – Maya Rudolph and Paul Thomas Anderson
LEILA Rey – Judy Reyes
LYLA Rose – Lisa Loeb
LOU Sulola – Heidi Klum and Seal
LILAH Grace – Erinn Hayes
LUCIANA Bella – Carnie Wilson
LAUREN Andrus – Lindsay Davenport
LUCIA Anne – Mel Gibson
LUCIA Rose – Rob and Amber Marino
LUKA Bodhi – Tom Collichio
LUNA Marie – Constance Marie

Most Common Names:

Boys – MAX

MAX – Charlie Sheen
MAX Aaron – Gilbert Gottfried
MAXWELL Edward – Lance Armstrong

Girls – ROSE

Seraphina ROSE Elizabeth – Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner
Madison ROSE – Maxine Bahns
Lucia ROSE – Rob and Amber Marino
Myla ROSE – Roger Federer
Lyla ROSE – Lisa Loeb

Most Outrageous Name:

Boy

IKHYD EDGAR ARULAR – M.I.A.

Girl

MARS MERKABA – Erykah Badu

Most Outrageously Common Name:

BOB – Charlie Sheen

Most Used Middle Names (besides Rose!):

Ray (in all variations)

Finley RAE – Daniel Baldwin
Everleigh RAY – Cam Gigandet
Blaise RAY – Amanda Beard
Leila REY – Judy Reyes
Louisanna RAY – Leelee Sobieski

And Grace

Blakesley GRACE – Ryan and Trista Sutter
Charlotte GRACE – Freddie and Sarah Michelle Gellar Prinze
Helena GRACE – Kelly Rutherford
Lilah GRACE – Erinn Hayes

Hottest Middle Name Trend:

Two middle names!

Ikhyd EDGAR ARULAR – M.I.A.
Petal BLOSSOM RAINBOW – Jamie Oliver
Holden PAUL TERRY – Mira Sorvino
Marion LORETTA ELWELL – Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick
Ella BETSI JANET – Ioan Gruffudd and Alice Evans
Sparrow JAMES MIDNIGHT – Nicole Richie and Joel Madden
Natalia SCOUT LEE – Michelle Stafford

Celebrity Babies Named After Other Famous People (Both Real and Fictional):

There’s been a Hollywood trend over the past several years of naming babies after other stars, such as Ava Gardner. But now that trend is extending to less obvious stars, surnames, fictional characters.

EVERLEIGH Ray (Everly Brothers) – Cam Gigandet
ANNISTON Kae (Jennifer Aniston) – Chyler Leigh
KENZO Lee (Japanese designer) – Djimon Hounsou and Kimora Lee Simmons
HOLDEN Paul Terry (Holden Caulfield, from Catcher in the Rye) – Mira Sorvino
BARDOT Vita (Brigitte Bardot) – David Boreanaz
WALKER Nathaniel (Alice Walker) – Taye Diggs and Idina Menzel
GOLDIE Priya (Goldie Hawn) – Ben Lee and Ione Skye

What were your favorite names and trends of 2009? What would you like to see change in 2010?

Comments

Favorite celeb baby names of this year:

Satyana Marie Denisof
Charlotte Grace Prinze
Stella Luna Pompeo Ivery
Seraphina Rose Elizabeth Affleck
Nancy Leigh (Naleigh) Kelley.
Sparrow James Midnight Madden

I hope for some more normal names in 2010. We got a lot more than I expected this year, so I hope the trend continues.

- Lynn on December 30th, 2009

In the last category, “Babies named after other people,” let’s not forget Stella Luna Ivery, who was obviously named after the popular children’s book, Stellaluna.

- Sharon on December 30th, 2009

My favorite names of the year :
Sparrow James Midnight
Everleigh Ray

- R on December 30th, 2009

I thought I remember Chyler Leigh saying that she did not name her baby after Jennifer Aniston…that her and her husband don’t even know her and they just liked the name.

- Kristi on December 30th, 2009

i disagree with the most outrageous girl name. mars isn’t as bad as bandit lee? sorry, that’s just outrageous for a girl in my book.

- lyla on December 30th, 2009

My fav names of 2009 from this list are:

Luna Marie
Stella Luna
Ciel
Leila Rey
Kenzo Lee
Ella Betsi (flows better without 2nd middle name IMO, however no doubt has special meaning for her parents of course)

Least fav:

All the ‘animal’ names listed above, along with the flowery Petal Blossom Rainbow, Blakesley Grace, Mars, and the singer MIA son’s names – just being lazy, lol.

Don’t hate it, but the flow of Holden Backus – not sure if they said that one out loud as a tester, lol.

Good to see some normal names this year, to reiterate what another poster said, yay!

Happy New Year everyone! (it’s also our daughter’s 2nd b’day tomorrow, so is now an extra special day and more a birthday celebration in our household!)

wow, a lot of Grace or Roses as middle names, which is why we DIDN’T do that with our daughter – her middle name’s Isabelle instead! I know there’s a reason, but a bit overdone IMHO.

‘L’ initial names sure are popular, lol.

- Sam and Freya's mum on December 30th, 2009

they may have thought of the name stella luna if you think of it and i just love the name it doesnt matter if it was the name of a childrens book or not i also like seraphina its so angelic

- lolade ibrahim on December 30th, 2009

I am not too keen on Natalia Scout Lee. I like all three names, but the Lea and Lee are basically the same name to me so why use it again?

My favorite is Seraphina or Lucia. Both so pretty and normal

- LucyMarie on December 30th, 2009

I really liked Charlotte Grace Prinze, but for a ridiculous one, what about Gunnar Flowers (Brandon Flowers son) also I’m pretty sure anything that Jamie Oliver names a child is pretty odd.

- liea on December 30th, 2009

Thanks Lyla for mentioning it, ITA, that reminded me. Am also surprised it wasn’t listed. Not the child’s fault and is subjective, but is certainly out-there, esp for a girl – poor Bandit (although some will be fans of it). I think that tops worst girls’ name. Not a fan of Birdie either but prefer it to Bandit! With a name like hers she’s bound to be a character though when older, lol.

- Sam and Freya's mum on December 30th, 2009

I like Lila, Seraphina and Lucia!

- Erika on December 30th, 2009

So many “L” names!

- Jane on December 30th, 2009

Charlotte Grace is beautiful

- Milla on December 30th, 2009

My favourite names of the year are Seraphina Rose Elizabeth, Stella Luna, Aven Angelica, Lucia Rose (I didn’t hear about that one until I read it just then, but I love it), Maxwell Edward, Finley Rae and Everleigh Ray (although I prefer the spelling Everly/Everley).
Can’t say I’m a fan of Ikhyd, Mars, Wolf (Apparently that’s what William Wolf’s parents refer to him as), Luciana Bella (It’s very “pretty”-sounding, but that just doesn’t do it for me), Bob, Louisianna, Blakesley (too much of a mouthful), Holden, Marion, Ella, Natalia, Bardot or Goldie.

- Sophia on December 30th, 2009

My favourites of the year are…

Everleigh Ray and Bandit Lee = think i might be the only one to love this name

- Clair on December 30th, 2009

Not a fan of Birdie or Golden either (not to sound too negative, but forgot these two names earlier).

- Sam and Freya's mum on December 30th, 2009

My favorites of the year were Sophia (Jude Law and Samantha Burke’s daughter) and Charlotte Grace. I love those classic, very feminine names.

- alice jane on December 30th, 2009

Clair, you aren’t the only one who likes Bandit I think it’s great!

- Fergette on December 30th, 2009

aw our eldest daughter’s middle name is also Everly after the Everly brothers. but it wasn’t something we copied from cam as she is 5 years old.

some really bad names, i just cannot get used to Birdie or Gunnar, Birdie just sounds so common and Gunnar, i still don’t get why you would want something so strongly associated with a weapon in your child’s name.
i have never liked Grace as a middle name either, urgh, so boring.

but some lovely names this year i like Seraphina as long as it is shortened to Sera, lila, lucia and luka are quite cute. daisy, ella and myla are nice.

some are really ridiculous, Blakesley? really? bardot? louisianna??

- JM on December 30th, 2009

Regarding M.I.A.’s son’s name… How is it pronounced? I’ve always thought of it as sounding like “Ik-heed” but I’m not sure. And I would have thought that it’s a name from M.I.A.’s culture, so I’m not sure why it would be considered so outrageous.

- alice jane on December 30th, 2009

I always thought it would be cute if Seraphina Affleck’s name would have been cute if her name was Seraphina Elizabeth Rose Affleck. SO her initials were SERA…

- Kacie on December 30th, 2009

I love bandit as well!

- Isabella on December 30th, 2009

Alice Jane its pronounced Ik-heed, you’re right.

Honestly, seeing this list it just seems to me that some people never stop craving attention. Such silly, childish attempts at creativity from supposedly creative people. My favorite names are on the list are Helena, Charlotte-(grace is a dull, dull name as is rose), Luka Bodhi and Ikhyd(which is a “real” name) Edward Arular. Blakesley and Bardot are pretty bad..and I kinda like Mars.

and JM- Gunnar is not an English name so it has no connection to the word gun.

- electra camille on December 30th, 2009

I’m surprised more people haven’t mentioned that they like(in my case love) the name Aven. I’d never heard of it before she was born to Matthew Settle and his wife. Also love Seraphina Rose Elizabeth, Satyana Marie Denisof, Nancy Leigh (Naleigh) Kelley, Blakesley Grace, Everleigh Ray,and Aniston Kae.

- H on December 30th, 2009

just realized i didn’t make sense! guess its bedtime!

- Kacie on December 30th, 2009

They left out Busy Philips. She named her daughter Birdie Leigh Silverstein.

—

This roundup is only in regards to babies born in 2009.

- CBB Staff

- Christine on December 30th, 2009

Babies names after other people – Taye Digg’s son Walker (named after Alice Walker)

- Kaylie on December 30th, 2009

Gunnar is a really popular boys name in Scandinavian countries. So I agree with Electra Camille. It has nothing to do with the word gun in the English language.

- Molly on December 30th, 2009

Kristi- Chyler did say that. I remember reading that interview. So techinally, Anniston Kae is not named after Jennifer Aniston.

One of my favorite celeb baby names of 2009 is Lou Sulola. I actually think Lou is adorable for a girl (I know a lot of people consider it a boys’ name), and it goes well with her siblings’ names. I also like Seraphina Rose Elizabeth (speaking of whom, I can’t believe she’s going to be 1 next week!).

- CelebBabyLover on December 31st, 2009

Didn’t Idina name her son after Alice Walker? And dude what is up with Jamie Oliver and his obsession with rainbows?

- Erin on December 31st, 2009

favorite celebrity baby name of this year : Satyana Marie

favorite baby name of 2009: my daughters name! Giulia

- sil on December 31st, 2009

Yes, the name Gunnar is Scandinavian and the meaning of it is battle warrior. But that wouldn’t necessarily give it a connection with war. Many ancient northern european names have a connection of some form with warriors, weapons and things like that, because in those days the believe was that a strong name would give the child strength as well.

- Mariasha on December 31st, 2009

My fav baby names of 2009 are:
Everleigh Ray, Blaise, Lucille and Lyla/Lila.

Don’t like Seraphina, Max and Bob.

- courtney on December 31st, 2009

Gunnar is a Scandinavian name and has no relationship with gunners, I much prefer the ‘normal’ sensible names such as Charlotte Grace- she’ll be the one thanking her parents in years to come unlike the Sparrows, Birdies and Bandits.
I didn’t think 2 middle names was that odd, everyone in my family has 2 except one of my uncles who has 3. My children all have 2 as well, finding 6 names we could agree on each time was a bit of a trial but it did make it easier in one sense because they all have 1 Welsh and 1 Scottish middle name.

- Elby on December 31st, 2009

Quite surprised with the amount of names I started off initially disliking, but eventually have grown on me.
I love Luna Marie and Stella Luna.

Also, Sam and Freya’s Mum:
Very happy birthday to little Freya, hope you all have a wonderful day.

- skipsie on December 31st, 2009

Ever since Milla Jovovich (sorry if I butchered that!) named her daughter Ever I’ve grown to love that! So I’m really enjoying Everleigh (I like the way Cam and girlfriend spelled it, too).

Some of the crazy ones are just annoying, you know if these people weren’t famous they would never consider that for their child.

Best advice I’ve ever gotten was to go to a busy playground and call out the name you’re thinking of using for your kid. If you sound or feel silly, then you’d better think twice!! (I really wish all those people who thought “Hunter” was a good idea would have tried this exercise.)

- aea on December 31st, 2009

My favorite celeb baby names of this year are:

Jasper Warren
Mason Dash
Maxwell Edward
Tobin Jack
Gunnar
William Wolf
Everleigh Ray
Aven Angelica
Seraphina
Lilah Grace

I tend to like traditional names for boys so whoever named their sons things like James, John, Aaron, Sebastian etc. did a good job.

My least favorite:

Bandit Lee Way (poor girl!)
Petal Blossom Rainbow
Sparrow James Midnight
Bardot Vita
Blakesley Grace
Mars Merkaba
Dreavyn Kingslee (not a fan of kree8yv spellings)
Kaydnz Kodah
Huckleberry Edward Jocelyn

I also don’t care much for Harper, Lou, Otis, Helena, Charlotte, Bob, Max, Finley, Kelley etc…

- Sara on December 31st, 2009

Sil, I love you baby’s name Giulia!!! Do you pronounce it Julia like Juliana is spelled Giuliana in Italian?

- Molly on December 31st, 2009

Some new names sound contrived. Like parents spilled Scrabble tiles and put parts of names together. Blakesley? To each his own.

One day years from now, it will be common to have childish, misspelled names and no one will think twice about forty-year-olds named Jaydyn Jaymz and Luna Stella Bella Ella.

To all the babies, celeb and otherwise, blessing and love.

- M on December 31st, 2009

Nice to hear that some normal names are making a comeback, nothing wrong with the classics!

My favorite name of 2009 would have to be my daughter’s, Amelia Rose

- GEAUX SAINTS on December 31st, 2009

Fave baby names of ’09 for me:

Willow Rose (daughter of UK TV presenter Amanda Lamb)
Maggie Dylan (daughter of Leah Wood – Rolling Stone Ronnie’s daughter)
Daisy Mae (daughter of Coronation Street’s Alison King, and has special meaning to me as Daisy was my late grandmother’s name)
Mariah Leilani (daughter of the Portland Trailblazers’ Brandon Roy)
Georgia March (daughter of Y&R stars Thad Luckinbill and Amelia Heinle)

Charlie Axel (Tiger & Elin’s son)
William Wolf (Sarah Shahi and Steve Howey’s son – also love that they call him Wolf…my cousin has a son named Wolfgang “Wolfie” and it’s such a perfect name for him so I love the connection)
Luka Bodhi (Tom Colicchio’s son)
Jackson Robert (Marcy Rylan’s son – not enough celeb babies with Robert in their names these days, but noy do I hate Bob!)
Asher Liam (Campbell Brown’s son)

Least faves include:
Alondra Cecilia (Chris Gorham’s daughter)
Kit Valentine (Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s son – name’s bad all around, but especially rough for a boy)
Ikhyd Edgar (MIA’s son)
Atlas (Anne Heche’s son)
Bob Carlos Ma (Charlie Sheen’s son)
Journey Jette (Jenna Jameson’s son)
Kelley James (Holly Marie Combs’ son – HATE Kelley/Kelly for a boy!)
Charlene Riva (Roger Federer’s daughter)
Enoch Daniel (Ashly DelGrosso Costa’s son)
Isaiah Timothy (Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s son)
Navyi Caiann (Knicks’ star Nate Robinson’s daughter)
Hugo Bernard (Jeffrey Tambor’s son)
Francis Jonathan (Ashley Jensen’s son)
Neal (Lil’ Wayne & Nivea’s son)
Ludovic Herbert Richard (UK TV star Ben Fogle’s son – especially don’t like that they’re calling him “Ludo” yuck!)

- Abby on December 31st, 2009

Also, major props to the commenter who pointed out that Mira Sorvino’s son is named Holden Backus – the unfortunateness of that name never occurred to me until now!)

- Abby on December 31st, 2009

GEAUX SAINTS, your daughter’s name is gorgeous! I love it
I also forgot to mention I like Otis Tobias Maguire, Harper
Willow Grohl, Francis “Frankie” Jonathan Beesley, Satyana Marie
Denisof, Mason Dash Disick and Tobin Jack Drury.
I don’t know whose baby “Kaydnz Kodah” is, but that name is
just revolting. Wait, is it the child of that man whose other
children are called Muzyk and… something else horrible? Lyriq?
Even though Gunnar isn’t technically associated with guns, it
still sounds very similar and so would create unpleasant
connotations. I’m also not a fan of that name because it reminds
me of when people say gunna instead of going to, which I think
sounds kind of tacky. But to each their own!

- Sophia on December 31st, 2009

I’m not sure I agree with the inclusion of that last category – heaven forbid that the parents of these children simply like the names, as opposed to intentionally gave monikers that were once used by others. I mean, Holden? Walker? Goldie? Common enough to assume that they were not named for specific people. If I was a parent of one of these children, and CBB was insinuating – nay, accusing – that my motivations for my child’s choice of name were derived from some kind of twisted hero-worship rather than careful consideration over several months, I would be outraged.

- Margot on December 31st, 2009

skipsie, thanks! Had a nice day outdoors with extended family, & at local animal farm, being our animal-mad girl & she was in her element (will do a party once she’s 3 or 4 years and can understand more that it’s actually her special day etc), being our summer season (Dec-March). Tired her and big brother out, and very spoilt, did the usual songs, cake etc and lots of outdoor fun, trying out her new toys. Don’t know where the 2 years went. Happy New Year to those countries/folks who’ve recently (or about to) hit midnight!

- Sam and Freya's mum on January 1st, 2010

My favourite had to be SMG’s Charlotte Grace or Nikki Taylor’s Ciel and Bandit Lee Way was the worst! But hands down, the most wonderful baby name of 2009 was my daughter Hadley Elissa Rose.

- Mary-Helen on January 1st, 2010

I like the comeback of oldfashioned names like Rose and Grace and (other) flowernames. And the rise of “laidback, easy going” names like Max.

- Laura on January 1st, 2010

I love the name Grace, but i guess i am a bit partial (my middle name and one of my daughter’s.) I usually don’t like repeat sounds in a name but i love Aven Angelica. I love most names with Grace (the exception being Blakesly Grace Sutter) and Rose, I love Luna Marie and Lilah Grace. I think M.I.A’s son’s name is awful and all three of Erykah Badu’s kids have bad names. I didn’t like Bandit Lee Way. I love the comeback of Max. Otis Tobias is just awful too but I adore Mason Disick. Happy New Year CBB bloggers!
Sam and Freya’s mum: Happy second birthday to Freya and many more blessed years to come.

- Luna on January 1st, 2010

Also on the subject of the name Gunnar: I realize it isn’t English but to me, the name Gunnar Flowers sounds like Gun her flowers to me in English. Brandon Flowers should have followed aea’s advice which btw i loled at.

- Luna on January 1st, 2010

Mary-Helen, Hadley is one of my absolute favorite names for a little girl! I like that it’s really uncommon (I know one young girl named Hadley) but not outrageous in any way.

- alice jane on January 2nd, 2010

thanks Molly
Yes it is pronounce like Julia, but the G has a stronger sound.
I have always loved the name Julia (fan of Julia Roberts lol) so we chose the italian version ’cause my husband and my girls are italian.

- sil on January 2nd, 2010

I love Charlotte Grace, Goldie Priya, Everleigh Ray, Hugo Bernard, Kenzo Lee, Satyana Marie, Marion Loretta Elwell, Tabitha Hodge, Mason Dash, Jasper Warren, and Kelley James.

- ZBP on January 2nd, 2010

oh i forgot Cheyenne Genevieve. it is so beautiful.

- ZBP on January 2nd, 2010

i looove charotte grace, but i love smg so i think im a little biased.
i LOVE everleigh i think its gorgeous, and i think satyana is gorgeous.. well the baby, not soo keen on the name x

- sazzy on January 3rd, 2010

I Love the name Sparrow James Midnight Madden didnt like Heidi Klum’s name choice Lou Sulola

- Shirelle on January 3rd, 2010

Thank you so much Alice Jane! Our two elder daughters are Sydney & Addison and we wanted something similar.

- Mary-Helen on January 3rd, 2010

Iyla,

Why is Bandit more outrageous for a girl than a boy? I don’t particularly like the name, but it seems sexist (and offensive to both males and females) to say that it’s outrageous because it belongs to a girl.

- Tilaal on January 4th, 2010

Bandit is ridiculous period. It reminds me of a raccoon, not a child and IMO Gerard Way named his child this so people would think him cool and edgy.
I’m loving the shift to traditional, normal sounding celeb baby names. It’s nice to read a birth announcement and not pity the child because their future involves playground bullying and beatdowns.

- Mary-Helen on January 4th, 2010

My favourite baby names of 2009 are:

Names that started with L.
Names that were flowers and some of the Heavenly names that was used like Seraphina, Luna Marie, Stella Luna and Aven Angelica.

I did not like the names that started with animals. I wouldn’t mind if animals was used as a nickname or a middle name.

- Komal on January 5th, 2010