Posts Tagged ‘
celebrity baby names ’
Sunday, April 14th, 2013
The former First Family has a new addition! Jenna Bush Hager and husband Henry Hager welcomed George W. Bush’s first granddaughter, who was given the names of her two grandmothers—Margaret Laura. She’ll be called Mila.
Mila is usually shorthand for Milena, and means “love.” Margaret is one of my favorite names (it’s my youngest daughter’s), and it’s a Greek name meaning pearl. There’s a slew of noteworthy Margarets in the past, including queens, England’s former prime minister, and an array of authors and actors.
Laura is the former First Lady’s name, and another classic. It means “laurel,” and it’s still a top 300 name, though it’s on a bit of a decline from its last peak in the 1980s. Laura Ingalls Wilder, the author of the Little House on the Prairie series, is perhaps the other lady of fame associated with the name.
In all, Jenna and Henry chose a lovely, classic name that’s full of meaning for the family, and a sweet nickname that pays homage to both grandmothers.
What do you think of Mila—or Margaret Laura? Are any of those names on your short list?
If you’re having trouble coming up with a great baby name, feel free to send me an e-mail at lamilbrand@gmail.com. I’d love to help you solve your baby-name dilemmas!
Image: Jenna Bush Hager, a White House photo by Shealah Craighead
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Baby Name News, Celebrity Baby Names, In Name Only, Must Read
Wednesday, April 10th, 2013
I’ve been thinking about the latest spate of celebrity baby names, and I’ve noticed a trend—the celebs who have more unique names themselves gave their kids very traditional names (i.e. actress Shiri Appleby and her daughter, Natalie), while ones who have more common names themselves went offbeat for their babies (see Holly Madison and her daughter, Rainbow Aurora, and Kristen Bell and her daughter, Lincoln Bell Shepard).
So are we all looking to give our kids the names we wish we had? I know I didn’t like that my name was super popular and had no nickname possibilities, and so I gave my girls names that weren’t super common (Katharine and Margaret), and came with a slew of nickname possibilities. And I’ve seen that with some of my friends—one who loathed the fact that her name, Katherine, was always shortened to a nickname, gave her sons names that can’t really be shortened. Another who disliked the offbeat spelling of her name gave her kids names with classic spellings.
I think it’s only natural that we’d want to give our kids names in the style we wish we’d been named. But does that mean that my daughters are going to pick short and sweet names for their kids? Or that all the Olivias and Jacobs from this generation are going to rebel and give their kids offbeat names like Wheat and Amaryllis?
Let me know if my theory’s totally bunk! In the comments, let me know what you would have changed about your own name—and if you picked names for your kids don’t have that particular issue.
Image: Babies by Nejron Photo/Shutterstock.com
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Monday, April 8th, 2013
I was inspired when I found out that Kerri Walsh-Jennings, one half of the massively talented U.S. women’s beach volleyball team, scored a gold for the U.S. while secretly pregnant. And now, we finally got the scoop on the baby name: Scout Margery. She joins big brothers Joseph Michael and Sundance Thomas—an eclectic collection of names, to be sure!
Scout is a word name that gives the sense that your kiddo will be curious and adventurous. Its most famous association is with the lead character from Harper Lee’s opus, To Kill a Mockingbird. Bruce Willis and Demi Moore also gave it to one of their daughters. It’s a name that can be used for either girls or boys, but I love it on a girl.
Margery was my pick for cool name of the week last week, based on the cool, conniving princess on Game of Thrones. It’s a variant of Margaret, and means pearl. Maybe now that it has a celebrity’s seal of approval, it’ll be on its way to regaining popularity.
I love the name she chose—it’s a happy medium between the ubertraditional Joseph she chose for her her oldest son, and the more creative Sundance for her second son.
What do you think of the baby name Scout Margery? Do you see anything there you’d love for your own daughter? Don’t forget to like In Name Only on Facebook, to keep up with the latest in baby names!
Image: Kerri Walsh-Jennings by Christopher Halloran / Shutterstock.com
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Tuesday, April 2nd, 2013
The former Seventh Heaven actress Beverley Mitchell and husband Michael Cameron have a new bundle of joy—a brand new daughter. The name they gave her? Kenzie Lynne.
Kenzie began as a boy’s name, and it means light-skinned. But these days, it’s more commonly used as a girls’ name, where it’s currently on its way into the top 300 baby names on a huge upswing. (Consider it an alternative to the top 75 baby name Mackenzie.)
Lynne, of course, has been a middle-name staple for decades. Lynne means “lake,” and it’s currently fallen out of favor as a first name (it hasn’t been in the top 1000 baby names for more than 30 years). More people seem to go for the literal “Lake” as a middle name now than the Lynn/Lynne option.
The name is cute, and flows nicely (I like the zingy “z” in the middle of Kenzie).
What do you think of Kenzie Lynne? Are these names that you’d consider for your daughter? Don’t forget to like In Name Only on Facebook to keep up with the latest in baby names.
Image: Beverley Mitchell by s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
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Thursday, March 28th, 2013
It’s a girl for Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard—and with an offbeat name that tends more toward dad Dax (a French place name that’s near the bottom of the top 1000 for boys) than mom’s conventional Kristen (currently number 661, after a long run in the top 10 baby names for girls). Their new daughter? Welcome Lincoln Bell Shepard.
Lincoln has Presidential links, thanks to the Great Emancipator himself (perhaps the couple loved the recent flick). But it’s a name that’s almost always been used for boys—and I’ve never seen it mentioned for a girl. It’s currently on an upswing for boys, in the top 200 baby names, and given the recent movie, I don’t expect to see it take a downturn any time soon. Which means that this girly Lincoln may just have a boyfriend with the same name one day.
Lincoln is usually shortened to “Linc,” but for a girl, I’d go with Lin or Callie as a nickname. Or perhaps even Libby—Kristen appears to go by “KB” with her friends, as evidenced by the recent Veronica Mars Kickstarter campaign. Maybe they planned the name so little Lincoln can go by her initials as well.
Bell is obviously her mom’s surname, but it’s also been relatively popular for girls—especially in that middle spot.
I love the name if they’d have a son, but I’m not so convinced that Lincoln works for a girl. (Of course, that all depends on what kind of girl she is—and if she’s as funny and sassy as her mom, perhaps it really will work for her.) Still I expected something offbeat and cool from this duo, and they definitely delivered.
What do you think? Does Lincoln work for the ladies? Or is it a boys’ only name? Don’t forget to like In Name Only on Facebook to keep up with the latest in baby names.
Image: Kristen Bell by Featureflash / Shutterstock.com
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