The most influential celeb baby names have been unveiled, including some young Royals.
William and Kate’s children’s names have had mixed results in terms of influencing trends(Image: Oli Scarff – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Parents thinking about what to name their children may turn to many sources for ideas. Films, holiday destinations, precious gemstones, or names that run in their family may be considerations.
But what about celeb baby names? Hollywood stars undoubtedly have a lot of influence over areas like fashion and beauty, but it turns out the rich and famous are the first port of call for many when it comes to inspiring trends – and baby names are no exception.
It comes as new research by Irish Casino Sites analysed Office for National Statistics data to track rises and drops in baby registrations that share their name with a celebrity’s baby. And the Royal Family fared very well.
Prince Louis, the youngest of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s three children, was born on April 23, 2018. His name dramatically rose in popularity in the year after his birth, with a 56 per cent increase in registrations.
This means that in 2019, the name Louis more than doubled, showing a hold over UK parents. However, even the royals can’t guarantee naming success. The Prince and Princess of Wales’ other choices had mixed results.
When the couple named their first child – and future king – George in July 2013, the following year saw a slight two per cent dip in use. It is unclear what that might be down to, considering the nation’s excitement over the birth.
The Prince and Princess of Wales with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis (front)(Image: 2024 Samir Hussein)
Meanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s son Archie had no real impact on British naming patterns. There was virtually no change in popularity despite the global attention.
Elsewhere, the study shows that Jennifer Lopez’s daughter had the biggest influence on baby names in the UK, with 1,075 per cent more babies called Emme in the year after her birth.
Parents in the UK opted for the name Emme after J-Lo and Marc Anthony welcomed their twin babies in 2008. The name shot up from just four registrations the year before to 47 in the following year.
Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony’s baby girl Emme saw a 1,075 per cent rise in UK babies given the same name(Image: 2025 Patricia Schlein/Star Max)
Janet Jackson is the second most influential celebrity parent. When she named her son Eissa in 2017, the name saw a 400 per cent rise from three registrations the year before to 15 the following year.
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner triggered a similar 390 per cent surge with daughter Violet’s birth in 2005, with the name attached to 50 registrations the year before the birth, then rising to 245 the year after.
But while some choices inspired expecting parents, others put them off. Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick’s choice of Marion saw registrations drop by 77 per cent, from 13 registrations the previous year to just three in the following year.
Matthew Broderick, Tabitha Hodge Broderick, Marion Loretta Elwell Broderick, and Sarah Jessica Parker (Image: 2025 Penske Media)
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson also appeared in the bottom 10, with his daughter Tiana’s name dropping by 27 per cent in use.
“Parents appear more likely to choose a celebrity-inspired name when it’s an unusual choice like Emme or Eissa, as these are more clearly linked to a specific celebrity parent,” Mark Knight from Irish Casino Sites said. “Old-school names like George don’t get the same boost as they have many associations beyond a single celebrity baby.
“It’ll be very telling to see how recent celebrity arrivals inspire naming trends this time next year, like Elon Musk’s ‘Seldon’ or Princess Beatrice’s ‘Athena’. We’d expect names to fluctuate based on the popularity of the celeb parent as well as the individuality of the name, as you often can’t separate one from the other.”
Ten celebrity baby names that prompted the biggest rise in use
Baby Name
Celebrity Parents
Registrations Year Before the Birth
Registrations Year After the Birth
Percentage Rise in Popularity
1
Emme
Jennifer Lopez
Marc Anthony
4
47
1,075%
2
Eissa
Janet Jackson
Wissam Al Mana
3
15
400%
3
Violet
Ben Affleck
Jennifer Garner
50
245
390%
4
Camden
Kristin Cavallari
Jay Cutler
14
37
164%
5
Jaxon
Kristin Cavallari
Jay Cutler
402
837
108%
6
Hayes
Jessica Alba
Cash Warren
5
10
100%
7
River
Kelly Clarkson
Brandon Blackstock
58
110
90%
8
Jett
Shawn Johnson East
Andrew East
50
85
70%
9
Seraphina
Ben Affleck
Jennifer Garner
11
18
64%
10=
August
Mandy Moore
Taylor Goldsmith
62
97
56%
10=
Louis
Prince William
Kate Middleton
819
1,274
56%
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