Celebrity-Inspired Baby Names

  1. Giada
    • Origin:

      Italian
    • Meaning:

      "jade"
    • Description:

      Giada is a fresh spin on Jade, which has been quietly and stylishly used in English-speaking countries for several years now. Popular cook Giada De Laurentiis made this a possibility, then semi-subtly self-referenced when she named her daughter Jade.
  2. Kylie
    • Origin:

      Noongar, Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "boomerang; narrow channel"
    • Description:

      Popular pop name, inspired by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It was at its height in Australia in the 1970s and early 80s; often cited as a Noongar name meaning "boomerang".
  3. Cameron
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "crooked nose"
    • Description:

      Camerson was once a rising star for boys only, but Cameron Diaz almost single-handedly transported it into the unisex camp.
  4. Miley
    • Origin:

      Modern invented name
    • Description:

      One-time overnight success name, thanks to Hannah Montana actress and singer Miley Cyrus, Miley fell just as quickly from her peak of Number 127 in 2008 as the star entered her rebellious era.
  5. Iker
    • Origin:

      Basque
    • Meaning:

      "visitation"
    • Description:

      Long an extremely popular name in Spain, Iker (usually pronounced EE-kuhr in the English speaking world) is the rare Basque name that's starting to make it big in the States also, thanks to soccer player Iker Casillas. Indeed, it's been one of the fastest growing boys' names of the decade.
  6. Charlize
    • Origin:

      Feminization of Charles
    • Meaning:

      "free man"
    • Description:

      Charlize is a name that owes its very life to a star: elegant blond South African actress Charlize Theron. She was named after her father, whose name was Charles. Charlize jumped onto the popularity lists in 2004, the year the actress won the Oscar for lead actress in Monster.
  7. Winslet
    • Origin:

      English surname and place-name
    • Meaning:

      "Wynn's channel or stream"
    • Description:

      Winslet is one of a legion of surnames newly considered fair game as first names. The inspiration may be British star Kate, but she's not the only reason parents are attracted to Winslet, one of those British girl names that sounds at once classy and winning. Yet be warned that if you choose this, people will forever assume you are major fans of the actress. Other Win- beginning names up for new consideration: Winslow, Winston, Wynton, Winifred and Winnie, along with just plain Win or Wyn or Wynn.
  8. Jada
    • Origin:

      Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "jade"
    • Description:

      Long used in Spanish-speaking countries, this strong but feminine name was jump-started here by the rise of actress Jada Pinkett Smith. The Italian Giada is a popular variation. In the Bible, the name Jada was borne by a man and has a different root and meaning: It's Hebrew and means "he knows".
  9. America
    • Origin:

      Place-name
    • Description:

      Given to children of both sexes as far back as colonial times, this carries a lot of baggage. However, parents continue to take the risk. Actress America Ferrera may be have inspired some families to choose the name. Ferrera's Honduras-born mother shares her unusual name.
  10. Jenson
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian
    • Meaning:

      "son of Jens"
    • Description:

      The surname name Jenson is in the British Top 100 thanks to champion race car driver Jenson Button. Jenson might be an honorific for an ancestral John, the English form of Jens or Johannes, or even Jen.
  11. Khloe
    • Origin:

      Variation of Chloe
    • Meaning:

      "young green shoot"
    • Description:

      Khloe's a variation of the popular Chloe, thanks to reality star Karshadian of the K-named family. Khloe jumped a whopping 101 places into 2009's Top 100 and peaked at 42 in 2010 but has declined in popularity in recent years.
  12. Audrina
    • Origin:

      Variation of Audrey
    • Meaning:

      "noble strength"
    • Description:

      Audrina is a name that owes its fame to overnight reality TV sensation Audrina Partridge, one of the original cast of the MTV reality series The Hills.
  13. Anniston
    • Origin:

      English surname and American place name
    • Meaning:

      "Anis' town"
    • Description:

      Actor couple Chyler Leigh and Nathan West added this one to the lexicon when they adapted the surname of actress Jennifer Aniston as their daughter's first name. Aniston, which theoretically might mean "Anis' town," (Anis is a medieval form of Agnes) was actually Anglicized from the Greek Anastasopoulos. With its similarity to both Addison and Anna and its relationship to the attractive star, Anniston is taking off a la Jolie.
  14. Lupita
    • Origin:

      Spanish, “little wolf”
    • Description:

      This lively pet name has recently been associated with Mexican-born Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong'o, acclaimed for her role in the 2013 film Twelve Years a Slave.

      The mother name Guadalupe, literally "valley of the wolves," relates to Our Lady of Guadalupe, revered in Latino culture as a protector of the Mexican people.

  15. Bristol
    • Origin:

      Place-name
    • Description:

      Bristol Palin, the daughter of former Alaska governor and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, grabbed her own share of headlines by having a baby out of wedlock and then appearing on Dancing With The Stars. She single-handedly propelled her distinctive name, inspired by a city in England, into the Top 1000 and up the charts. Bristol's ascent ended a few years back.
  16. Rihanna
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "sweet basil"
    • Description:

      Rihanna, the name of the Barbados-born singer, whose birth name was Robyn Rihanna, attracted a fair number of parents for several years, but has now dropped out of the Top 1000 again. It has generated several spelling variations, including Rihana, Rhianna and even the Brianna-inspired Brihanna.
  17. Gisele
    • Description:

      The French variation of Giselle was made famous by the spectacular Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen.
  18. Gable
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "triangular feature in architecture"
    • Description:

      The iconic Gone With the Wind star Clark's surname was brought into the first-name mix when Weeds' Kevin Nealon picked it for his son. Gable makes a strong and unusual possibility, a rhyming cousin to Abel and Mabel.
  19. Kimora
    • Origin:

      Modern name, meaning unknown
    • Description:

      Afro-Asian model, designer, and entrepreneur Kimora Lee Simmons brought this name into the public eye; it's a lot more fresh and feminine than the outdated Kim. But its star has risen and fallen with the visibility of the best-known Kimora, slipping hundreds of places from its zenith back in 2008.
  20. Freida
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "peace"
    • Description:

      This spelling of Frida or Frieda ranked as high as #141 back in the late 19th century. Its most famous bearers, with different spellings, are Indian actress Frieda Pinto, who starred in Slumdog Millionnaire, and Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.