Padma Lakshmi Drops Hints About Baby’s Name

Padma Lakshmi is keeping a lot about her pregnancy secret, but she’s revealing that the baby, due this spring, will hold to at least one tradition.

“I am going to name the child an Indian name — I’m Indian,” the Top Chef host, 39, said Tuesday at Vermilion restaurant in New York City, at a dinner celebrating Indian women in the culinary arts.

Without divulging the sex of the baby, Padma says she has in mind is “not a fancy name, but a name that is close to my family. It will be after someone in my family.”

“So don’t expect to see an Anglicized name — it will be a classically Indian Sanskrit name,” said Padma, whose own first name means “lotus flower” in Sanskrit.

Pete Thompson

– Allison Adato

Comments

I believe she referred to the baby as she in her last interview about the baby becoming a chef. It could have been a red herring though.

- Cricket on January 14th, 2010

Yep, I checked. She definitely said ‘she’. BTW, what happened to her being on medical bedrest and her doctor making a one time exception for the event she attended on Saturday. Looks like someones a little stir crazy.

- Cricket on January 14th, 2010

After all her endometriosis problems that she’s dealt with in the past, I’m so happy for her!!!

- J on January 14th, 2010

Divya is a beautiful Indian name if it is a girl = )

- Kristi on January 14th, 2010

I like the fact that she’s planning to use an Indian name and that she talks about herself being Indian, rather than “of Indian heritage”.

- Mira on January 14th, 2010

There are some lovely Indian names. I love Priya or her own surname, Lakshmi, for a girl

- Ruthella on January 14th, 2010

I doubt her slip of referring to the baby as a “she” was a mishap. I think she knows the gender and literally slipped up and said it on the interview. Most people who don’t know the gender rarely refer to the baby as a “she” if they don’t know the sex. It’s really strange. I have a few friends who didn’t know the babies gender when they were pregnant but I had to keep questioning them about it because they would always say, “ohhhhh HE’S kicking today” or “I can’t wait to meet him” but they literally didn’t know. Both cases, they were surprised with beautiful little girls. I think it’s just a societal norm to lean towards saying “he” or “him” before “she” or “her” for some odd reason.

- Rye on January 14th, 2010

Whatever Padma names her baby (which i heard is a girl) I’m sure it will be beautiful. I’m thrilled for her.

- Luna on January 14th, 2010

Good for her! Indian names are so beautiful.

- mrsh on January 14th, 2010

I love Sanskrit names.They’re usually full of character and inspiring,lovely meanings.

- eva on January 14th, 2010

she also slipped and said “she” on late night with jimmy fallon and then said “oh, she/he i use them interchangeably” but it seemed like she was kind of blushing about it. this baby is going to be gorgeous, i love padma.

- Chloe on January 14th, 2010

i love the name Latika for a girl!

- Manal on January 14th, 2010

there are many nice names to choose from…divya, alisha, neha, [i don't like priya, being from india, i know it is VERY common, but the other names i mentioned are pretty common too, i must admit]. Sakshi, anya, pooja, aditi [which i personally like...its pronounced uh-dith-ee or ah-dee-tee] sanskriti – [its a name] whatever she names the baby, im sure she’s going to be beautiful!

- sara on January 15th, 2010