For celebrity parents, there is a good chance that their children will enjoy a lot of advantages that come with having a famous last name. But having a well-known last name doesn’t mean that they don’t still want to make a thoughtful and meaningful choice when it comes to the first and middle names for their baby. We think almost every parent wants to have a name that comes with a special meaning, story, or inspiration, even if they are famous.
While some celebs will opt for a name that honors a relative or a loved one who has died, some might find inspiration in their own work or even in honor of a former coworker. From singers to reality stars to major movie stars, we are intrigued by all the special places celebs found baby naming inspiration.
We’ve rounded up 15 stories of celebs who chose special names for their kids — and it turns out that they are just as sentimental when it comes to naming as any other parent. Stars really are just like the rest of us, even if sometimes the baby names they choose are awfully unique compared to what a regular couple might choose (yes, Elon Musk and Grimes, we are talking about you!)
Bindi Irwin
Joaquin Phoenix
Joaquin Phoenix and his partner, Rooney Mara, are one of the most low-key and under-the-radar celeb couples, so we don’t get a lot of glimpses into their life, especially now that they are parents of a toddler. But it’s pretty clear that a special family connection was the inspiration for their son’s name, River. River was, of course, the name of Joaquin’s brother who tragically died in 1993 at the age of 23.
Grimes & Elon Musk
Singer Grimes and tech-bro Elon Musk share two children together. Their first child is now named X AE A-XII, which is an update on the original name of X Æ A-12. When the original was announced to widespread reactions of “Huh?” Grimes shared the inspiration for the name on Twitter, and it was a whole weird mix of music, technology, and science fiction. Sounds about right.
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin (her husband at the time) got a lot of flak for naming their daughter Apple. Since then, Gwyneth shared with Oprah Winfrey that the name was Chris’ idea — and he easily got her onboard. “It sounded so sweet, and it conjured such a lovely picture for me, you know. Apples are so sweet and they’re wholesome, and it’s biblical.”
Amy Schumer
Funny mama Amy Schumer was inspired by a fellow comic when she and her husband chose their son’s name. Their little boy, now 3, was originally named Gene Attell, with the middle name serving as a tribute to comic Dave Attell. Amy has since changed the name to Gene David after she realized that Gene Attell sounded like “genital.” (Oops!) She noted in the podcast 3 Girls, 1 Keith that David is also her father’s middle name, so she can honor another important man in her life with that choice.
Khloé Kardashian
Khloé Kardashian still hasn’t spilled the beans on what she named her son, but we know all about the inspiration for daughter True’s name. It’s actually a family name, as mom Kris Jenner shared on Twitter: “FUN FACT … my grandfather’s name on my dad’s side was True Otis Houghton … my real dad’s name was Robert True Houghton … so I am so excited Khloé named her daughter True!”
Kim Kardashian
It’s pretty obvious from the names of her four children that Kim Kardashian was never going to pick anything common or classic, but some people might be surprised to learn that eldest daughter North’s name actually started as a joke. “I got it from Jay Leno, who made that as a joke. I was like, ‘No way, I would never name my daughter that.’ Like, I said that on his show,” Kim told sister Kylie in a YouTube video. The joke eventually stopped seeming funny, and Kim realized she actually loved the name.
