Coming Attractions: Latest starbaby predictions

Coming Attractions: Latest starbaby predictions

By Sophie Kihm

New year, new celebrity pregnancy announcements! And boy did we start off with a bang. Zooey Deschanel, who is often credited with giving us the best baby name of 2015 (Elsie Otter!) is going to be a mom for the second time. Jill Duggar is also pregnant with her second child. With her oldest son named Israel, I can’t wait to see what name she chooses next. There also are quite a few first-time moms on this month’s list, including actresses Lily Rabe, Laura Prepon, and lifestyle guru Lauren Conrad. So far 2017 is shaping up to be a great year for celebrity pregnancy announcements. Let’s keep that momentum going into February!

Zooey Deschanel and Jacob Pechenik

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Elsie Otter

Elsie Otter was one of the cutest celebrity baby names of 2015, so I have high hopes for Zooey Deschanel’s next baby. I think it would be so sweet if he or she also had an unexpected animal name for the middle, but that’s a whole other set of predictions (maybe something like Lynx or Fawn?)

Girl: Clementine, Josie, Lottie, Minnie, Pearl, Phoebe, Ruthie, Sylvie, Tess, Tilly

Boy: Amos, Gus, Frankie, Fritz, Henry, Ira, Lester, Louie, Otto, Richie, Theo

*Update* I was right about their naming formula—welcome, Charlie Wolf!

Lake Bell and Scott Campbell

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Nova

Nova is a strong word name with a connection to the stars. I have a feeling Lake Bell and Scott Campbell are not going to go with a night sky themed sibset, but I included some subtle options that fit the bill just in case.

Girl: Alpha, Echo, Electra, Lark, Lotus, Maxima, Vesper, Winter, Wren

Boy: Alistair, Axel, Flynn, Lex, Loyal, Marvel, Oz, Rio, Sky, Zephyr

*Update* Welcome, Ozgood, “Ozzy”!

Jill Duggar and Derrick Dillard

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Israel David

Rumor has it that if the Dillards’ first-born was a girl, he would have been named Selah. That makes Selah my number one guess for a daughter–but who knows? As long as it’s biblical, anything goes.

Girl: Aviva, Dania, Dinah, Elyse, Eve, Galilee, Lilah, Raya, Selah, Shalom, Talia

Boy: Asa, Elijah, Ezra, Gideon, Hosea, Judah, Samson, Simeon, Solomon, Tobias

*Update* It’s another boy—Samuel Scott!

Lauren Conrad and William Tell

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

Celebrity lifestyle blogger Lauren Conrad hinted at some of her favorite baby names earlier this month, but something tells me that she wouldn’t reveal her baby’s name that soon. It did provide plenty of inspiration though–traditional modern names seem to strike her fancy.

Girl: Blair, Cecilia, Elsie, Evangeline, Juliette, Luna, Ruby, Scarlett, Sloane, Violet

Boy: Camden, Charles, Eli, Everett, Harrison, Jameson, Nathan, Owen, Reid, Walker

*Update* Hello, Liam James!

Emilie Livingston and Jeff Goldblum

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Charlie Ocean (b)

The name Charlie has a friendly, casual vibe–even more so when paired with a calming middle like Ocean. I expect the Goldblums to choose another unfussy name with great style for their newest son or daughter. If they use a subtle nature theme, that’s even better.

Girl: Amelia, Hazel, Ivy, Lena, Lily, Lydia, Nora, Romy, Sadie Stella, Zoey

Boy: Archie, Ben, Calvin, Felix, Henry, Jack, Jude, Luke, Max, Milo, Rudy

*Update* Another water-themed name—River Joe!

Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Lucinda Rose (half sibling)

It’s hard to imagine a name more romantic than Lucinda Rose. It has a sweet vintage spirit and sophisticated elegance that I sought to replicate in my top picks for their latest arrival.

Girl: Amelie, Antonia, Beatrice, Cornelia, Isadora, Magnolia, Sabina, Valerie

Boy: Adrian, Anton, Benjamin, Edmund, Hugh, Jasper, Marcel, Oliver, Samuel

Laura Prepon and Ben Foster

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

Laura Prepon is expecting her first child with Ben Foster. I have a hunch they’ll either go with a tailored, modern name, or something with personal significance. Time will tell.

Girl: Aurora, Arbor, Celia, Jersey, Liv, Maren, Nora, Penelope, Vivian

Boy: Bram, Clay, Colin, Finn, Fletcher, Ford, Gabriel, Jacob, Jett, Michael

*Update* It’s a girl—Ella!

Dana Vollmer and Andy Grant

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Arlen Jackson

Olympic swimmer Dana Vollmer and her husband Andy Grant gave their son the unusual-but-not-unheard-of name Arlen. It’s an English surname that feels preppy, but still quite modern. I chose names along the same lines for my predictions for their second child’s name.

Girl: Darby, Harper, Marlowe, Payton, Piper, Quinn, Reagan, Riley, Teagan

Boy: Connor, Gardner, Gavin, Jude, Liam, Nolan, Rhys, Rory, Rowan, Tate

*Update* It’s a boy—Ryker Alexander!

About the Author

Sophie Kihm

Sophie Kihm

Sophie Kihm has been writing for Nameberry since 2015. She has contributed stories on the top 2020s names, Gen Z names, and cottagecore baby names. Sophie is Nameberry’s resident Name Guru to the Stars, where she suggests names for celebrity babies. She also manages the Nameberry Instagram and Pinterest.

Sophie Kihm's articles on names have run on People, Today, The Huffington Post, and more. She has been quoted as a name expert by The Washington Post, People, The Huffington Post, and more. You can follow her personally on Instagram or Pinterest, or contact her at sophie@nameberry.com. Sophie lives in Chicago.