What’s in a name?
In The Lion King, Pumba thought of changing his name. While we’re sure the kids on this list all smell like roses—to paraphrase the great William Shakespeare, would these celeb offspring by any other names still smell as sweet? Let’s check out some of the very unique names celebrities have given their children.
Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin: Apple
It was a huge story back in 2004 when Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin dared name their daughter Apple. But if you ask us, the name has held up well in the intervening decades.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z: Blue Ivy
The path to Blue Ivy goes like this: Initially, Beyoncé and Jay-Z thought about naming their daughter-to-be Brooklyn. Then, during one of their doctors’ appointments they referred to her as Blueberry. From Blueberry they got to Blue. But what about the Ivy?
Everett Collection, Shutterstock
Beyoncé and Jay-Z: Blue Ivy
Beyonce loves the number four. What does that have to do with Ivy you ask? Well, how is the number four represented in Roman numerals? IV! Mic drop!
Jason Lee and Beth Riesgraf: Pilot Inspektor
Quick, can you name the first track on the Grandaddy album, The Sophtware Slump? Do you know who can? Jason Lee’s son, Pilot Inspektor, because he was named after it: “He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s the Pilot.”
Amber Heard: Oonagh
Back in July of 2021 Amber Heard announced that she had had a baby. And while she did not reveal who the father was, she did tell the world that her daughter was born on April 8th and that her name was Oonagh.
Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Adrian Grenier and Jordan Roemmele: Seiko
Seiko, the Japanese watch company, was born in 1881. Seiko, the son of Adrian Grenier and Jordan Roemmele, was born in 2023.
Trisha Paytas and Moses Hacmon: Malibu Barbie
Youtuber Trisha Paytas had been told by doctors that she would not be able to naturally conceive a child. But she defied the odds, and in September of 2022 she gave birth to her first daughter. For all those who told her she wouldn’t be able to name her baby Malibu Barbie… Well, she defied those odds also.
Uma Thurman and Arpad Busson: Rosalind Arusha Arkadina Altalune Florence
You probably know Uma Thurman’s daughter as simply Luna. What you probably didn’t know is that her full name is actually Rosalind Arusha Arkadina Altalune Florence Thurman-Busson.
Busy Philipps and Marc Silverstein: Birdie
Busy Philipps and Marc Silverstein had two daughters during their almost 14 years together. They named their first born, Birdie. Question: do birds eat crickets?
Busy Philipps and Marc Silverstein: Cricket
We only ask because Philips and Silverstein named their second daughter Cricket—and if birds do eat crickets that seems to set up an awkward sibling power dynamic.
Benji Madden and Cameron Diaz: Raddix Chloe Wildflower
As a founding member of the band Good Charlotte, there are those who might’ve assumed Benji Madden would’ve tried to work Charlotte into his daughter’s name. But no. Instead, Benji and his wife Cameron Diaz took a much more unique route with Raddix Chloe Wildflower. But what about Benji’s brother?
Joel Madden and Nicole Richie: Sparrow James Midnight
Benji Madden’s twin brother, and bandmate, Joel Madden has two children with his wife Nicole Richie. After naming their first child Harlow Winter Kate they wanted their second child to have a name that complimented their sister’s. What they came up with was, Sparrow James Midnight.
Featureflash Photo Agency, Shutterstock
Usher and Jennifer Goicoechea: Sovereign Bo
Usher named his daughter Sovereign, as she is the “supreme ruler” of the household. As for the “Bo”—well, that’s because she is his “reign-bo”. OMG that’s sweet!
Samira Wiley and Lauren Morelli: George
We know what you’re thinking, George isn’t a very unique name. Well, it is when it’s the name of a girl—which is what Samira Wiley and Lauren Morelli named their daughter in 2021.
Sadie Robertson and Christian Huff: Honey
Yes, it’s a great Mariah Carey song—but former Duck Dynasty star Sadie Robertson wasn’t thinking about the pop diva when she named her daughter. She was thinking about Proverbs 16:24. "Gracious words are like HONEY, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”
Miles Bowles and Krystal Nielson: Andara
Miles Bowles and his reality star wife, Krystal Nielson, had a daughter in 2021 and announced it to the world on Instagram. Writing, “Introducing our beautiful angel, Andara Rose Bowles.”
Cherry Seaborn and Ed Sheeran: Lyra Antarctica
Singer Ed Sheeran was set on finding a one-of-a-kind name for his daughter, and we think he did quite well landing on Lyra. As for the “Antarctica”—that harkens back to a wonderful trip Sheeran and his wife Cherry Seaborn made to said continent not long before she got pregnant.
Harald Krichel, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz: Bronx Mowgli
Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz derived their son’s name from exactly what you would think when you hear it. Bronx comes from the New York borough. Then, from the concrete jungle we go to The Jungle Book for Mowgli.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West: North
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West (aka Ye) had four children during their time together, and each one has a very unique name. Starting with their oldest North—a name that actually comes from a Jay Leno joke.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West: Saint
This one was no joke. It was Kim who championed naming their second child Saint after the blessing that was the child, following her difficult pregnancy.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West: Chicago
Kim reportedly also championed the name Chicago for the couple’s third child. She did so as a way to celebrate her husband’s roots. Kanye, while he was born in Atlanta, was raised in Chicago.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West: Psalm
It only seems right that Kim’s mom Kris got in on the naming action. It has been reported that she was a big proponent of the name Psalm for the fourth child.
Kate Winslet and Abel Smith: Bear Blaze
The nickname of one of Kate Winslet’s closest childhood friends was Bear—so she named her son after them. As for the “Blaze”—to quote the actress, “my husband and I met in a house fire, basically.”
Maggie, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Shannyn Sossamon and Dallas Clayton: Audio Science
If it sounds like Dallas Clayton just picked words out of the dictionary when he named his son Audio Science—well, you’re kinda right. Supposedly Clayton read through a dictionary over and over again until zeroing in on the name.
Gail Zappa and Frank Zappa: Moon Unit
You can’t have a list of unique celebrity baby names without talking about the Zappas. Frank Zappa was a musician and an anti-establishment icon and that against-the-grain, do-it-my-way mentality can be seen in much of the music he made throughout his life. As well as with the names of his four children. Beginning with his first daughter, Moon Unit, born in 1967.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
Gail Zappa and Frank Zappa: Dweezil
Zappa’s son Dweezil came next, although they had to put Ian Donald Calvin Euclid on the birth certificate because the hospital refused to certify the name Dweezil. However, when he turned five the boy asked to make Dweezil his legal name. And so it was done.
Gail Zappa and Frank Zappa: Ahmet
While unique in North America, the name Ahmet is not uncommon in Turkey. Zappa’s second son was named after Ahmet Ertegun—the co-founder of Atlantic Records.
Featureflash Photo Agency, Shutterstock
Gail Zappa and Frank Zappa: Diva
In honor of her being such a loud baby, the Zappas named their fourth child Diva. But not just Diva… Diva Thin Muffin Pigeen Zappa.
Ashley Tisdale and Christopher French: Jupiter
When it comes to baby names based on planets, there is really only one that a child should never be called. Ya, you know the one. Thankfully, Ashley Tisdale went with Jupiter.
Nicolas Cage and Alice Kim: Kal-El
Do you love Superman enough to name your child Kal-El (after Superman’s name on Krypton)? Nicolas Cage does!
nicolas genin, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick: Mason Dash and Penelope Scotland
Returning to the Kardashian clan—Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick went a little more traditional with their first two children, Mason Dash and Penelope Scotland. With those two the uniqueness was relegated to their middle names. That changed with their third child, though.
Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick: Reign Aston
With their third child—and second son—Kourtney and Scott chose the somewhat common Aston for his middle name, but went with Reign for his first name.
Bettina Cirone, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Romee Strijd and Laurens van Leeuwen: Mint
Victoria’s Secret model Romee Strijd named her first baby girl Mint. We so wish we could tell you that her middle name was “chocolate chip”—but alas no.
Brie Bella and Daniel Bryan: Buddy Dessert
For many “Buddy” is a nickname, but for the son of former WWE Superstars Brie Bella and Daniel Bryan it’s his first name. Throw in the middle name Dessert and we gotta say that’s pretty sweet. Dad joke alert!
Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons
Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott: Aire
Not to be outdone by her half-sisters, Kylie Jenner—along with her man Travis Scott—came up with some pretty original names for their two kids also. The first one being their first-born son, Aire, which supposedly means “Lion of God” in Hebrew.
Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott: Stormi
It’s hard to pinpoint a full and cohesive explanation as to the reason behind the name, but Kylie and Travis decided on Stormi for their second child.
Kailyn Lowry and Chris Lopez: Creed
The Rocky lover in us was hoping that Kailyn Lowry was a big fan of the film series. However, it turns out she named her fourth child Creed more so for its definition as “guiding principle” than because it was the name of Rocky’s enemy-turned-friend.
Grimes and Elon Musk: X
Twitter wasn’t Elon Musk’s first “X” baby. That honor actually belongs to the boy he and Grimes had in 2020. But as unique as X is, the child’s original name is even more so. Musk first announced the child’s name as X Æ A-12. That name didn’t quite align with California laws though, so officially—on the birth certificate—his first name is X and his middle name is AE A-XII.
Grimes explained that "X" stands for "the unknown variable," "Æ" represents both AI and love, "A-12" refers to their favorite non-violent aircraft, and "A" also signifies "Archangel," a favorite song of hers.
Exa Dark Sideræl
Musk and Grimes had a second child together at the end of 2021. It was a girl, and the couple named their daughter Exa Dark Sideræl Musk. But while that is her official name, Grimes announced to the world that they are calling her a question (referenced as either Y, Why, or ?). But wait, there’s more Musk.
Techno Mechanicus
In 2023 the couple announced yet another child had been born. They also revealed the name of their new son to be Techno Mechanicus, or “Tau” for short. Admit it, you thought his nickname was going to be “Z”.
Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost: Cosmo
No, Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost didn’t name their son after Kramer from Seinfeld. They just liked the name.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky: Riot Rose
While Rihanna and A$AP Rocky named their first son after Wu-Tang rapper RZA, they took a different route for their next little boy—announcing in 2023 that their newest son was called Riot Rose.
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