Parents have the privilege of choosing any name they want for their child. They could select something that honors family tradition, or a moniker that has ties to a cultural heritage. Many people come up with new spellings or a spin on a classic name to stand out from the crowd. Celebrities often take this to the extreme and use it as an opportunity to express their individuality. Amid the sea of Sophias and Liams (the top baby names in 2020) in your kid’s preschool class, there might be a Kal-El — actor Nicolas Cage and Alice Kim’s tribute to Superman.
Here, we take a look at some of the more unusual names that celebrities have bestowed upon their children. They might not show up on any “Most Popular Baby Name” lists, but they display great creativity. Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet, and Diva Thin Muffin
Psychedelic guitarist and rock star Frank Zappa might have kicked off the unique celebrity naming trend with his brood, beginning with Moon Unit, born in 1967. Second-born Dweezil’s moniker was apparently a pet name for Zappa’s wife Gail’s pinky toe, and the hospital wouldn’t put the name on the birth certificate. The baby was forced to bear the name Ian Donald Calvin Euclid until it was legally changed to Dweezil five years later. Ahmet and Diva Thin Muffin completed the family unit.
Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine and model Behati Prinsloo named their daughter Dusty Rose. Far from being a flower in need of cleaning, dusty rose is a color in the shade of a muted light pink. It’s a whimsical choice for a baby name.
Singer Alanis Morissette and rapper Mario “Souleye” Treadway named their daughter Onyx Solace. Onyx is a dark-colored mineral that often has white streaks, while solace is a state of peace — an escape from chaos. It seems the pair chose a name with intentions for a deeper meaning.
The name Jonathan is a familiar one — it means “gift from God,” which has kept it a popular baby name over the years. However, actress Anne Hathaway and husband Adam Shulman put their heads together to coin Rosebanks. Hathaway’s grandfather was named Roseline, while Shulman’s mother’s maiden name was Banks. Put those together, and presto, they have a new middle name.
Blue Ivy became one of the most famous babies in the world the moment she was born — a natural result of having Beyoncé and Jay-Z for parents. Although Ivy remains unexplained by the duo, Queen Bey herself posted an excerpt from a book on her Tumblr (now taken down) that may explain Blue. The passage from A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit explores how scattered light from the sun colors our skies and oceans blue.
It’s not one of the most outlandish names on this list, but it does have artistic inspiration. John Legend and Chrissy Teigen named their daughter Luna Simone, after the moon and the soul singer and civil rights activist Nina Simone. Apple
The “what” for this appellation is pretty obvious, but the “why” is another story. When a question about the reason for the name was posed to actress Gwyneth Paltrow, she gave credit to Apple’s father, Coldplay singer Chris Martin. What is Martin’s affinity for apples? We may never know. Apple’s younger brother is Moses, a traditional name from the Bible, but one that doesn’t receive a lot of use these days in the United States.
Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell’s oldest daughter is named Lincoln, a nod not to the 16th president, but to Shepard’s love of classic cars. When Bell was pregnant with their second daughter, a friend jokingly suggested Delta Force for the new baby’s name. The joke turned into reality with baby Delta, proving that with celebrity baby names, anything is fair game.
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