The rise in boring celeb names & how it shows they’re choosing ‘stabilty’ and ‘tradition’ over the kooky craze
Read on to find out which celebrities chose traditional over outlandish when naming their children
BEAR, Apple and even X Æ A-Xii – celebrities have chosen some rather bizarre names for their children.
So when a couple break from the norm and settle on a solid name like Jack for their newborn, it comes as a huge surprise to fans.
In a sweet Instagram post megastar singer Justin Bieber shared a picture of his son’s tiny foot, with the caption: “Welcome home, Jack Blues Bieber.”
And according to Emily Bray, baby name expert at , we’re seeing a distinct shift amongst the celebrity parenting pack who are choosing traditional over outlandish when it comes to naming their newborn tots.
Emily reveals how it reflects a “yearning for stability, calm, and familiarity” and says:
“People are increasingly looking for grounding and reassurance, often found in more conventional choices, including baby names.
“Names like Jack, Olivia, or George carry a sense of timelessness, representing values of stability and tradition.
“As society becomes more fatigued by the constant drive for external validation, many are turning inward for a sense of calm and identity, which is now being mirrored in the names celebrities are choosing for their children.”
That wasn’t the case for business mogul Elon Musk and partner Grimes, whose real name is Claire Boucher, who caused mass confusion in 2020 when they named their child X Æ A-Xii.
Explaining the meaning behind the letters Grimes said: “X” stands for “the unknown variable”. Meanwhile, “Æ” is the Elven spelling of AI, which is shorthand for artificial intelligence and the word for “love” in several languages, such as Japanese.”
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and actress Gwyneth Paltrow received backlash when they named their daughter Apple, now 18, whilst Kim Kardashian and Kanye West raised fans’ eyebrows when they chose to name their firstborn daughter North West, who is 11.
Emily says that celebrities’ tendency to go for unique names comes from a desire for “individuality” and “distinctness”.
She says: “Celebrities live in a world where standing out is crucial, and naming their child something unconventional was a way to further their personal brand and create a sense of uniqueness.
“As Andy Warhol famously said, ‘In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.’
“With the rise of social media, where attention is currency, having a name that stands out became one way to ensure a lasting impression.
“A unique baby name added to a child’s sense of individuality and personality from birth, giving them a head start in the attention-driven world of celebrity culture.”
When Justin, 30 and his wife Hailey, 27 announced the birth of their son, many had expected them to call him something outlandish like Riot Rose Mayers (son of Rihanna and ASAP Rocky) or Bear Payne (son of Cheryl and Liam Payne).
The name Jack originated in medieval England as a nickname for John, and has consistently been one of the most popular names since then. In 2023, it was the tenth most popular boys name in the UK, and the 15th most popular name overall.
The boy’s full name, Jack Blues Bieber, also follows a tradition in the Bieber family of JB names. Justin’s dad is named Jeremy Bieber – whose middle name is Jack – and two of Justin’s siblings are named Jazmyn and Jaxon.
Are Unique Baby Names Worth The Hassle?
YOU may think having a unique name helps you to stand out, but is it all it's cracked up to be?
Fabulous’ Deputy Editor Josie Griffiths reveals the turmoil she faced with her own name while growing up.
When I was a child, all I wanted was one of those personalised keyrings with my name on it.
But no joy, the closest I could find was Rosie, Joseph (not great for a little girl) and Joanne.
Josie is short for Josephine, which is a French name, and I managed to reach my 20s without ever meeting anyone who shared it.
When I try to introduce myself to people, I get all sorts of random things – like Tracey and Stacey – which can be pretty annoying.
Although I have come into contact with a couple of Josies over the last year – there seems to be a few of us around my age – it’s still a much rarer name than most of my friends have.
On the whole I don’t mind it, at least it’s not rude or crazily spelt.
And it means I can get away with ‘doing a Cheryl’ and just referring to myself as Josie.
I’m getting married this year and some friends are shocked that I’m changing my surname, as it’s not seen as very cool or feminist to do so these days, but I explain to them that I’m not that attached to Griffiths as I’d always just say ‘hi it’s Josie’ when ringing a mate up.
I think it’s nice to be unique and I’ll definitely try and replicate this when naming my own kids.
It’s the rude names you’ve got to watch out for, so after nine years as a lifestyle journalist I’ll definitely be avoiding those.
And Justin and Hailey aren’t the only celebrities to ditch the trend of giving their children unique names.
Sort Your Life Out presenter Stacey Solomon‘s youngest daughters are called Rose and Belle, whilst former Coronation Street actress Helen Flanagan‘s has a son named Charlie.
Meanwhile singer Katy Perry and actor Orlando Bloom opted to name their daughter Daisy.
Also choosing to stick to more traditional names are Inbetweener’s star Emily Attack, who has a son named Barney and ex-Love Islander Laura Anderson, who called her daughter Bonnie.
Emily says the traditional baby name trend is sticking amongst the rest of us too.
“Celebrity culture often sets the tone for wider societal trends, but in this case, it seems that both celebrities and the general public are moving in the same direction,” she explains,
“While unusual names will never fully disappear, the preference for stability and tradition is likely to continue influencing baby name choices in the years to come.”
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