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The Most Popular Celebrity Baby Names, From Maddox To Matilda
On top of Namberry’s boys’ list is Kingston, which has risen to number 214 in popularity (you’ll recall that Gwen Stefani used it on her son in 2006), and Ryder, which has more than tripled since Kate Hudson chose it for her oldest son in 2004. Perhaps more surprising is Maddox, which entered the Top 1000 in 2003 and has since grown to number 180 (leave it to Brangelina).
Girls’ names on the list prove that everything old is new again. Ava, for example, jumped to number 5 last year, thanks in large part to Reese Witherspoon, who used it for her daughter in 1999. Matilda has also become a “hipster favorite,” as Nameberry calls it, thanks to Michelle Williams and the late Heath Ledger. And two distinct V names are also back in fashion: Violet (now closing in on the Top 10o) and Valentina (number 152). Also rising in popularity are Willow (number 290) – Pink chose that name for her daughter this summer, though Will and Jada Pinkett Smith used it back in 2000 – and Emerson, which has become more popular for girls than boys (Teri Hatcher was one of the first celebs to use it back in 1997).
Namberry also lists Clementine (Ethan Hawke), Romy (Sofia Coppola) and Story (Jenna Elfman) as celebrity baby names destined to be influential – but too recent to make the Top 1000 list. (Time will tell, though I’m having a hard time imaging people not flinching over Story.)
Of course, there’s a slew of celebrity baby names that attracted lots of attention but never really caught on in the mainstream. Here’s a list from Nameberry:
Apple – Gwyneth Paltrow & Chris Martin
Bronx—Ashlee Simpson & Pete Wentz
Egypt—Alicia Keys & Swizz Beatz
Huckleberry—Bear GryllsIgnatius—Cate Blanchet
Monroe for girl—Mariah Carey & Nick Cannon
Moroccan—Mariah Carey & Nick CannonMoxie—Penn Jillette
Ptolemy—Gretchen Mol
Sparrow—Nicole Richie and Joel MaddenSunday—Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban
Suri—Katie Holmes & Tom Cruise
(Photo: JDH/WENN.com)