20 Names Invented by Celebrity Parents: Have They Or Will They Catch On?

Words generally used to describe celebrity baby names include “out there,” colorful, one-of-a-kind, and unique. Let’s face it no one does baby names like celebrity parents. Through the years we have been treated to many offbeat names chosen by some of the country’s most beloved stars. While some names like Jupiter (used by Ashley Tisdale and Ed Sheeran for their daughters) and Atlas (chosen by the late Anne Heche and Edward Norton for their sons) are being considered by new parents, we wonder about other celebrity baby names that seem as if they’ve been pulled from the ether and given to unsuspecting babies.

We’re talking names like Banks, Bluesy, and Wave that celebrity parents have chosen in recent years and seemingly coined a baby name when doing so. These interesting choices are up for debate among expecting parents who may be put off or attracted to the possibility of something. Let’s take a look at some odd celebrity baby names and discuss which ones will likely catch on and others that likely will not.

Banks

When Hilary Duff named her daughter Banks in 2018, parents took note, particularly parents of baby boys. The next year, it broke into the top 1000 for boys and more than tripled its use for girls. Today, Banks is one of the fastest-rising boy names in the US. Duff’s daughter’s nickname, Banksy, debuted on the charts for girls in 2020 and was used five times in 2021. We’d say that puts this name in the “caught on” category.

Bluesy

Musical couple Mia and Darren Criss created the name Bluesy for their daughter, born in April. It sounds similar to Susie which makes it feel somewhat established even though it is not. Further, this name appears to be chosen not for the color (like Beyonce and Jay-Z did for Blue Ivy) but instead for its connection to Blues music. It’s still too early to tell if this one will catch on. Considering that the name Blue has yet to land in the US top 1000 most popular baby names, it might spell bad luck for this name’s potential.

Bridgemont

Grace Gail and Adam Rodriguez chose the name Bridgemont for their son. While the name might sound like an actual place, it was completely fabricated by the celebrity couple. They explained that it is a compound name in which Bridge symbolizes connection while Mont honors a family name, Montalvo. Montalvo was Adam’s paternal grandfather’s last name prior to being adopted.

Chicago

No, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West (Ye) did not invent the name Chicago. The place name is derived from an indigenous term for a place to find “wild garlic.” As the land prior to the city’s establishment was a swamp, the name is fitting for it. Kardashian and West were the first parents ever recorded to use Chicago as a given name, however. Since 2018, only a handful of babies were given the name and that means we are not expecting this one to take off.

Daleyza

Stars of Larrymania! Larry Hernandez and Kenia Ontiveros went and did a thing when they named their daughter Daleyza. Seemingly out of nowhere in 2013, Delayza landed just outside the US top 500 most popular names for girls. Today, it is one of the most popular names for girls that starts with D! This celebrity-invented name definitely caught on and now we are just waiting for his other two daughters’ names to do the same. Expect Dalary and Dalett to also take off in the coming years!

Ice

Gucci Mane gave his son the cool name, Ice. This was a fitting choice as his son was born in winter. The musician was the first person to ever put Ice on a birth certificate in the US. The following year, about a dozen babies were given the name. So, not exactly a big success yet. However, other invented names like Icelynn and Icelyn have started to trend so perhaps Ice will follow.

Illusia

Musician and Magician, Criss Angel leaned into his love for magic with his youngest daughter’s name, Illusia. Illusia Angelina, to be exact. Illusia sounds like a real name but it is indeed invented. Angel was the first parent ever to choose the name for their child. In literature, there is a character with the name a fairy appearing in Pessi and Illusia. It’s been a little less than a year but we have not been hearing of parents tripping over themselves to give this name.

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Leafar

Celebrity parents Kat Von D and Rafael Reyes used Reyes’ name as inspiration for their own son’s appellation. They flipped the name Rafael to invent Leafar and Reyes to Seyer for his middle name. This couple was the first ever to choose the name Leafar in the US. In fact, their son’s full name is entirely colorful:  Leafar Von Drachenberg Reyes. What a name! We are thinking that Leafar might be too “out there” for most baby boys but we could be wrong!

Qirin

Actor Terrence Howard and his wife Miranda created the name Qirin for their son, inspired by the Chinese mythological creature called the Qilin. It is a good omen predicting the arrival of a sage or ruler. The couple pronounces the name the same as Kieran. Given that Kieran, an Irish name, has been on the rise in the US since the 1990s, there might be space for Qirin as an alternative spelling.

Raddix

Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden welcomed their daughter Raddix Chloe Wildflower in December of 2019. Raddix has special meaning to the couple, who love the word “rad” and claim that “raddix” translates to “new beginning,” which reflects the couple’s journey to parenthood. There is a Latin word, radix that means “root” which could also be a connection. Diaz’s Raddix was the first baby to ever receive this celebrity-invented name.

Rumble

Lucky Blue Smith is one of the most adventurous celebrity baby namers out there. He has daughters named Gravity Blue and Rumble Honey, and a son, Slim Easy. Now, we could have chosen any one of these given names but to us, Rumble takes the cake. His baby girl Rumble was the first and so far the only girl to receive this name. We don’t see it catching on but we could be proven wrong. How do you feel about the name Rumble?

Wave

Cardi B and Offset chose a not-so-subtle nature name for their baby born in 2021. Wave has historically been used as a nickname for Waverly but this celebrity couple was among the first to use it as a given name. Choosing the name Wave follows the couple inventing a name for their first child, Kulture.

X Æ A-XII

The most infamous celebrity baby name to date comes courtesy of Elon Musk and Grimes who chose the name X Æ A-XII for their first child together. Yes, they really gave their child an impossible name and it all felt like a publicity stunt at the time. The problematic name taught these parents a bit of a lesson as evident in the name they chose for their second child, Exa Dark Sideræl. A-hem!

Zillion

Is anyone else exhausted yet? Okay, Nick Cannon has been on a fathering children kick for a few years now. In addition to being incredibly fertile, Cannon also happens to be a very prolific baby name inventor. The celebrity has twins with Abby De La Rosa and their names are some of the most offbeat. Zillion Heir and Zion Mixolydian don’t exactly roll off the tongue. In recent years, names like Million and Billion have been used but Cannon was the first parent to ever go with Zillion. Will this one catch on? It’s actually possible. Thanks to the popularity of number names today, it could be fair game.

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Zissou

Zissou is a rather cute celebrity-invented name. It rhymes with the French word for kiss, bisous. This name was chosen by Kieran Culkin and Jazz Charton. Technically, it is a nickname for their daughter, Kinsey Sioux. But, this nickname is so appealing we expect it to actually become a trendy name. You might disagree but it has a zesty appeal that we believe new parents will be attracted to.

There you have them! What did you think of these celebrity-invented baby names? We hope you found them as strange and interesting as we did. If you’d like to learn even more about the odd names celebrities have given their children, keep reading!

Celebrity parents are notorious for choosing offbeat baby names for their children. Some baby names like Shiloh, chosen by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, really take off while others like Moxie Crimefighter never take hold. After Emily Ratajkowski chose the name, Sylvester Apollo Bear, we were inspired to take a look at other unique baby names that celebrities have saddled their children with.

Now, many of these celebrity baby names are unusual but that does not mean that we, mere mortals, cannot use them for our own children. We took a deep dive into the celebrity baby name genre to discover what appellations will appeal to most parents. These unique baby names offer variety and inspiration for expecting parents who want to think outside of the box and find an appealing, rare baby name. Here are 25 rare celebrity baby names that you should consider adopting your baby.

25. Rhodes

Emma Roberts and Garrett Hedlund announced the birth of their son early this year. 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!

24. 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 baby names comes from Latin origins and means “root.” Raddix seems suitable for both boys and girls to us!

23. Lyra

Lyra is a musical baby name that comes from Greek and means “lyre.” It was a very appropriate choice for Ed Sheeran and Cherry Seaborn (as well as Sophie Dahl and Jamie Cullum). Lyra has long been a popular baby name for girls in England, and it finally debuted in the top 1000 here in the US in 2015. Sheeran chose the middle name Antarctica, but you most certainly do not.

22. Pilot

Son of actor Jason Lee received the name Pilot Inspektor Riesgraf Lee after his birth in 2003. Pilot is an occupational name for an individual who takes the steering wheel. Pilot works well as a baby name for boys and girls and would be an offbeat option for adventurous parents. As the Sheeran, you do not need to follow Lee in choosing the middle name. Inspektor is a bit much.

21. Sunday

Sunday is one of those 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.

20. Aleph

Natalie Portman and  Benjamin Millepied named their son Aleph. The ancient name refers to the origins of the universe in the Kabbalah. It also refers to the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Aleph has Hebrew origins and means “chief” or “number one.”

19. Rumer

Demi Moore and Bruce Willis caused a splash when they named their now-grown firstborn after novelist Rumer Godden. Rumer Glenn Willis might have received the attractive name in 1988 but few others can say the same. This is still a very rare baby name. Rumer comes from an English surname that means “fame.”

18. 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.

17. Birdie

Busy Philipps named her baby Birdie (after First Lady Lady Bird Johnson), as did soap star Maura West. Birdie was last popular as a given name in the US in 1948. This name has typically gone to baby girls but we think it works as a unisex baby name owing to its natural meaning. We would love for this adorable name to make comeback.

16. Bear

Bear debuted in the US top 1000 for the first time last year. However, it only barely made it onto the list. That means there is still plenty of room for Bear to grow. Bear typically goes to little boys as it did for Alicia Silverstone‘s son Bear Blu Jarecki and Kate Winslet‘s Bear Blaze Winslet.

15. Rogue

Son of director Robert Rodriguez, Rogue Rodriquez, has a one of the most unique 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.

14. Cricket

We look to Busy Philipps once more for inspiration as she has named her other 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.

13. Sparrow

Nicole Richie and another Madden, 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.

12. Titan

Titan has emerged as a top 1000 baby name over the last several years. Singer Kelly Rowland & Tim Weatherspoon named one of their sons Titan Jewell after his birth in 2014. Titan has roots in Greek mythology as immortal giants called Titans. Titan means “defender.”

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11. Blaze

We turn to Kate Winslet once more 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 and unisex option. Blaze means “fire” and we expect to light a fire to the top 1000 baby names in the US in coming years but it’s not there yet!

10. Exton

Robert Downey, Jr., and Susan Downey chose the name Exton for their baby boy’s name. 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 popular baby names on this list. We hope that changes because Exton is a very handsome moniker.

9. Esmeralda

Esmeralda has been climbing the top 1000 list since the 1950s and it enjoyed its most popular year ever in the US last year. Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling named their first daughter Esmeralda. The name is popular with Hispanic parents and non-Spanish speakers alike. The name has Spanish and Portuguese origins meaning “emerald.”

8. Suri

Suri, a once unknown, exotic name, made headlines after it was chosen by Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise for their daughter in 2007. Popular in a number of naming traditions, Suri means “the sun” in Sanskrit, “rose” in Persian. Most notably, it’s a form of the Hebrew name Sara which means “princess.”

7. 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 in the US until the celebrity couple helped garner attention for it. Today, Shiloh is a top 500 name!

6. 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 for boys but not girls.

5. Ocean

Ocean King PenaVega is son of actors Carlos and Alexa PenaVega. Ocean is a delightful nature, water name that could bring a little brightness to your child’s moniker. Ocean has yet to becomes as widespread as similar names Brooke and River, but we think it will be very trendy soon enough.

4. Sonnet

Forest Whitaker is an adventurous baby-namer as he has a son named Ocean and a daughter named Sonnet. We think he’s got a knack 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 looking for plenty of inspiration.

3. 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 offbeat choice for sure, we find it energetic and enduring.

2. Destry

Steven Spielberg chose the name Destry for his daughter born in 1996. It’s a gender-neutral name that comes from French origins that mean “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.

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1. Bingham

Kate Hudson and Matt Bellamy chose the polarizing name Bingham for their son who goes by “Bing.” 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 popular in the US, but that could surely change!

There you go! What did you think of these rare celebrity baby names? Would you use one for your child? We think celebs tend to choose names on the forefront making them good people to look to for baby name inspiration. We hope you feel inspired by these famous baby names and will consider using one for your baby boy or girl. Whatever you decide, happy baby name hunting! And, congrats!