Naming a baby is an exciting yet challenging task for many parents. While some may opt for traditional names, others are looking for something unique and unconventional. One trend that has been increasingly popular in recent years is gender-neutral baby names. These names provide an alternative to the traditional binary system of naming and allow parents to choose a name that does not conform to traditional gender norms.
Celebrities have been at the forefront of this trend, with many choosing gender-neutral names for their children. From Beyonce and Jay-Z‘s daughter Blue Ivy to Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard‘s daughter Lincoln, Hollywood has seen a surge in gender-neutral names. In this blog post, we’ll explore the 20 best gender-neutral baby names chosen by celebrities, providing inspiration for anyone looking for a non-traditional name for their little one.
Bingham
Kate Hudson and Matt Bellamy chose the unusual name Bingham for their son, who goes by Bing for short. The only reference we know for the name is the late crooner Bing Crosby. Bingham is a British surname-name that means “homestead hollow.” As in, a property near a hollow. This name has never been widely popular in the US, but that could surely change!
Destry
Steven Spielberg chose the name Destry for his daughter born in 1996. It’s a gender-neutral name that’s of French origins and means “warhorse.” Destry was once popular in the 1960s for baby boys thanks to a TV western series that aired at the time. Since then, the name has not appeared on the top 1000 baby names list. It’s one of the celebrity baby names that’s poised for a comeback!
Tennessee
Moms are following Reese Witherspoon‘s lead after she named her son Tennessee James after the iconic playwright Tennessee Williams. Tennessee, the state, gets its name from a Cherokee town that means “meeting place.” An evocative choice for sure, we find Tennessee energetic and enduring.
Sonnet
Forest Whitaker is a fearless baby-namer! He has a son named Ocean and a daughter named Sonnet. We think he’s got a talent for discovering amazing words to turn into names. Sonnet comes from Italian roots that mean “little song.” We think this name is perfect for poetry-loving parents who want to turn to prose for inspiration.
Ocean
Ocean King PenaVega is the son of actors Carlos and Alexa PenaVega. Ocean is a delightful natural, water name that could bring a little brightness to your child’s moniker. Ocean has yet to become as widespread as similar names Brooke and River, but we think it will be very trendy soon enough. This marks the second time we’ve brought up the name Ocean on this list which makes it one of the truly trendy celebrity baby names today.
Memphis
Memphis has Greek and Coptic origins that mean “enduring” and “beautiful.” Memphis is a much more common appellation for boys than girls, but it was given to at least one notable celebrity child. Bono and Ali Hewson chose the name Memphis Eve Sunny Day Hewson after her birth in 1991. Memphis makes the top 1000 most popular names for boys but not girls today.
Shiloh
As promised, Brad and Angelina’s baby’s name, Shiloh, makes the list. This attractive Hebrew name means “tranquil.” The name was virtually unheard of in the US until the celebrity couple helped garner attention for it. Today, Shiloh is a top 500 name which makes it one of the most popular celebrity baby names for everyday parents.
Exton
Robert Downey, Jr., and Susan Downey chose the name Exton for their baby boy. Exton has English and Celtic origins and means “town on the River Exe” or simply “near the water.” Exton is a highly unusual pick and not one of the most celebrity baby names on this list. We hope that changes because Exton is a very handsome option.
Blaze
We turn to Kate Winslet for the first time, but not the last, as she chose Blaze as a middle name for her son. Actor Jennifer Gareis and Bobby Ghassemieh chose it as the first name for their son born in 2010. Blaze is given about twenty times more often to baby boys than girls, but it is still a unisex option. Blaze means “fire” and we expect to light a fire to the top 1000 baby names in the US in coming years!
Sparrow
Nicole Richie and another Joel Madden named their son Sparrow James Midnight. However, they are not the only celebs to choose it. Singer Tony Lucca named his daughter Sparrow Jane. We love a good bird baby name , so this one is most welcome on the list. This name is not remotely popular in the US today, which means it’s still one of the celebrity baby names that’s obscure.
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Cricket
We look to Busy Philipps for the first time on this list for inspiration as she has named her daughter Cricket Pearl. Cricket is a distinct nature baby name that parents have not fully adopted yet, but that could certainly change in the coming years. We think this appellation would be a winner for a little boy or a little girl.
Rogue
Son of director Robert Rodriguez, Rogue Rodriquez, has one of the most unique celebrity baby names. Rogue, a character from X-Men, proves a great name that means “rascal.” Rogue will not be for everyone, as evident in the US top 1000 baby names in which this name has never ranked.
Blue
Blue is a popular unisex baby name among many celebrity parents. Blue Ivy is of course the name of Beyonce and Jay-Z‘s talented daughter. Blue is a color name that is often used as a middle name as well. Adele‘s middle name is Blue. Elijah Blue Allman is the son of Cher. Needless to say, this name is wildly popular among celebs but has not completely caught on with the rest of the population.
Sunday
Sunday is one of those celebrity baby names that sounds attractively vintage yet completely approachable. Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban thought so as they named their daughter Sunday Rose Kidman Urban for their baby girl born in 2008. Mike Myers followed suit 6 years later giving the name to one of his daughters.
Raddix
Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden turned heads after they named their daughter Raddix Chloe Wildflower Madden after her birth in 2020. This most novel of celebrity baby names comes from Latin origins and means “root.” Raddix seems “rad” for both boys and girls to us!
Rhodes
Emma Roberts and Garrett Hedlund announced the birth of their son a couple of years ago. They chose the name Rhodes Robert and we think Rhodes was a wise choice. Rhodes is a posh baby name with Greek origins that means “where roses grow.” It has never appeared in the US top 1000 most popular baby names, making it a distinct option!
Satchel
Iconic filmmaker Spike Lee and his wife Tonya Lewis Lee have a daughter named Satchel. There has got to be a story behind this unique name. Could it be inspired by Leroy Robert “Satchel” Paige who was an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Negro league baseball and Major League Baseball? We imagine many of these celebrity baby names would make perfect sense if the parents explained them.
Harley
Director Kevin Smith and actor Jennifer Schwalbach Smith named their daughter after a comic book character. Kevin and Jennifer are parents to 20-year-old Harley Quinn Smith who’s an actor and musician. A name like Harley Quinn is made for showbusiness which makes it one of the quintessential celebrity baby names. Harley is an English name that means “hare meadow.”
Banks
You can take this one to the banks! Actor Hilary Duff and musician Matthew Koma have a 1-year-old daughter that they named Banks Violet Bair. Banks not only name financial institutions! Banks is an established English topographical surname that means “from the river’s edge.” Banks could be one of the celebrity baby names that really takes off in the coming years.
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Reign
Actor of stage and screen Ving Rhames named his daughter Reign Beau when she was born in 2000. This creative name allows you to name a child Rainbow without actually naming them Rainbow. The name Reign means “little king.” The name has been trending since 2016 for both boys and girls!
Lincoln
Lincoln Bell Shepard, daughter of actors Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard, sure got a great name. Traditionally, this appellation has gone to baby boys, but we think Bell just made it a completely accessible, gender-neutral option. Lincoln originated in English and means “town by the pool.”
Gender-neutral baby names have become increasingly popular in recent years, and celebrities have certainly helped bring this trend into the mainstream. With so many unique and non-traditional options to choose from, it’s no surprise that more and more parents are embracing this trend and opting for gender-neutral names for their children. Whether you’re looking for a name that defies traditional gender norms or simply want something different, these 20 celebrity-chosen gender-neutral names are sure to provide inspiration for your little bundle of joy.
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