Classic Celebrity Baby Names
We love to make lists of outlandish celebrity baby names, from Apple to X Æ A-12. But how about the countless celebrities who stick to the classic baby names? We're not just talking about Will and Kate, either. Stars including Katy Perry, Andy Cohen, and Keira Knightley have chosen names such as Daisy, Benjamin, and Delilah for their children.
Along with Benjamin and Delilah, other classic celebrity baby names in the US Top 100 include Amelia, Elijah, Henry, Jack, Leo, Olivia, Sadie, and Violet. Old-fashioned classic names chosen by celebrities that are currently rare include Betty, Frida, Hal, and Minnie.
These classic baby names have appeared in first place on high profile birth announcements in the last few years, surprising and delighting us with their traditional take on naming a 21st century celebrity kid.
This list of classic celebrity baby names is ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.
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- Finn
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"fair or white"Description:
Finn is a name with enormous energy and charm, that of the greatest hero of Irish mythology, Finn MacCool (aka Fionn mac Cuumhaill), an intrepid warrior with mystical supernatural powers, noted as well for his wisdom and generosity.
- Theodore
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
As unlikely as it may seem, Theodore is a hot new hit name, vaulting into the Top 10 in 2021 for the first time ever and rising three more points last year to rank at Number 7.
- Violet
Origin:
English from LatinMeaning:
"purple"Description:
Violet is soft and sweet, yet with a vivacious edge. Today, Violet is the top flower name for girls, outranking Lily and Iris in the Top 100, and the second most popular color name for girls after Scarlett.
- August
Origin:
German form of Latin AugustusMeaning:
"great, magnificent"Description:
The name August is at its highest point since the 1890s, when it ranked among the Top 100 boy names in the US. And deservedly so, given its great meaning, historic roots, and cool nicknames.
- Charlotte
Origin:
French, feminine diminutive of CharlesMeaning:
"free man"Description:
Charlotte, the name of the young Princess of Cambridge, is the latest classic name to join Sophia, Emma, Olivia, and Isabella at the top of the popularity list. It is now among the most popular girl names in many English-speaking and European countries.
- Hazel
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"the hazelnut tree"Description:
Hazel has a pleasantly hazy, brownish-green-eyed, old-fashioned image that more and more parents are choosing to share. Former Old Lady name Hazel reentered the popularity lists in 1998 and now is near the top of the charts.
- Henry
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"estate ruler"Description:
Henry is back. The classic Henry climbed back onto the Top 10 in the US in 2021 for the first time in over a century, and now stands at Number 8.
- Jude
Origin:
Latin diminutive of JudahMeaning:
"praised"Description:
Jude is a modern star, maintaining a steady level of popularity -- but not TOO much popularity -- for more than a decade now. Thank Jude Law and the great Lennon-McCartney song "Hey Jude", double-handedly responsible for propelling Jude up the charts.
- Oliver
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"olive tree or elf army"Description:
Oliver is an international star, ranking near the top of the charts in the US and throughout the English-speaking world, along with a host of European and Latin American countries, from Norway to Chile, Slovenia to Switzerland.
- Freya
Origin:
NorseMeaning:
"a noble woman"Description:
Freya has long been popular in the U.K. but has only taken off in the US in the last decade, along with the entire category of mythological names. Derived from the Old Norse name Freyja, meaning "Lady, noble woman", Freya is the name of the Norse goddess of love, beauty, and fertility.
- James
Origin:
English variation of Jacob, HebrewMeaning:
"supplanter"Description:
James is one of the classic Anglo-Saxon names, a stalwart through the ages that is more popular—and yes, stylish—than ever today. It recently came out Number 1 in a poll of America's favorite boys' baby names, and is the most common male name, counting people of all ages, in the US.
- Olivia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"olive tree"Description:
Olivia, a lovely Shakespearean name with an admirable balance of strength and femininity, is the Number 1 name for baby girls in the US and one of the top girls' names around the world.
- Ava
Origin:
Hebrew, Latin or GermanicMeaning:
"life; bird; water, island"Description:
Ava is one of the prime examples of a modern classic name, rising thought the course of a generation into the Top 10, where it has lingered for nearly 20 years.
- Liam
Origin:
Irish short form of WilliamMeaning:
"resolute protection"Description:
Liam is the top boys' name in the US, holding the Number 1 spot for the past seven years and also ranking as one of the most popular boys' names around the western world.
- Arthur
Origin:
CelticMeaning:
" bear"Description:
Arthur, once the shining head of the Knights of the Round Table, is, after decades of neglect, now being polished up and restored by stylish parents, inspired perhaps by the new generation of royals. Arthur has led the list of possible names for the young British princes, chosen as a middle name for Prince Louis, son of William and Catherine, Prince and Princess of Wales.
- Alice
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"noble"Description:
Alice is a classic literary name that's both strong and sweet, ranking in the US Top 100 and popular throughout the western world. Alice is derived from the Old French name Aalis, a diminutive of Adelais that itself came from the Germanic name Adalhaidis, which is composed of the Proto-Germanic elements aþala, meaning "noble," and haidu, "kind, appearance, type."
- Oscar
Origin:
English or IrishMeaning:
"God spear, or deer-lover or champion warrior"Description:
Oscar is one of the most stylish Old Man Names of our era. While it's softened slightly in popularity over the past 20 years, that may be considered a very good thing.
- Lucy
Origin:
English variation of Lucia, LatinMeaning:
"light"Description:
A versatile classic, Lucy is both sweet and solid, a saint's name, and the heroine of several great novels. First fashionable in England and Wales, Lucy is now a popular choice in the US, The Netherlands, and New Zealand.
- Amelia
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"work"Description:
Amelia is one of the hottest girls' names, a successor to the megapopular Emma and Emily. Amelia, which spent several years at Number 1 in England, is now comfortably ensconced in the US Top 10.
- Mabel
Origin:
Diminutive of Amabel, LatinMeaning:
"lovable"Description:
Mabel is a saucy Victorian favorite rising in popularity in the US over the past decade, after a 50-year nap If you love offbeat old-fashioned names like Violet or Josephine, only sassier, Mabel is one for you to consider.