Celebrity Babies with Biblical Names

In the December 2006 issue of American Baby magazine, we asked readers which of these celebrities gave their child a biblical name: Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Damon, Elizabeth Vargas, or Edward Furlong.

"Moses Has Power Over Sea"

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, who is known for her dramatic roles in Sylvia and The Talented Mr. Ripley, welcomed her second child, a son, Moses Bruce Anthony Martin on April 8, 2006. Although she claims the inspiration for his name came from the Coldplay song "Moses" that her husband wrote for her, Moses shares a name with the Biblical Hebrew religious leader. Paltrow and her husband, Chris Martin, front man of the British rock group Coldplay, also have a daughter, Apple Blythe Alison Martin, who was born December 5, 2003. Paltrow's highest acting honor was winning both the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for her role as Viola De Lesseps in Shakespeare in Love.

News Flash

Elizabeth Vargas, 20/20 co-anchor and ABC News Specials anchor, gave birth to Samuel Wyatt Cohn on August 16, 2006. He was named after the important leader of ancient Israel, whose life is documented in the Book(s) of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible. She and her husband, Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Marc Cohn, best known for his song "Walking in Memphis," are also the proud parents of another son, Zachary Raphael Cohn, born January 31, 2003. Vargas holds the distinction of being the first woman to anchor an evening newscast in the U.S. since Connie Chung, and received an Emmy in 1999 for her coverage of the Elian Gonzalez story.

The Born Identity

Screenwriter and actor Matt Damon and his wife Luciana welcomed their first child together, daughter Isabella, on June 11, 2006. Although Isabella, a variant for Isabel, is not a biblical name, it is from the Old Spanish for "consecrated to God." Damon won acclaim, and the best screenplay Oscar at the 1997 Academy Awards, along with friend Ben Affleck, for their film Good Will Hunting, which they both starred in. Apart from his acting roles in other films such as Oceans Eleven, The Bourne Identity, and The Talented Mr. Ripley (alongside Gwyneth Paltrow), Damon supports ONE, a campaign fighting AIDS and poverty in Third World countries.

Two Actors and a Baby

Edward Furlong, born Edward Torres, who is best known for his role as John Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, welcomed a son, Ethan Page on September 21, 2006, with wife, and actress, Rachael Bella. Although Ethan is not a biblical name, it is Hebrew for "firm." Furlong has been awarded an MTV Movie Award and a Saturn Award for his Terminator role, and his part in American History X, which he starred in alongside Edward Norton. Rachael Bella is best known for her role in The Ring.

Originally published on AmericanBaby.com, December 2006.