Celebrities like to do things a bit differently than normal people. Take baby names, for instance. The rock singer Frank Zappa named his daughters Diva Muffin and Moon Unit, while Jermaine Jackson, brother of the late Michael Jackson, named his son Jermajesty. The trend continues into the 21st century, with actors and pop singers alike choosing off-the-beaten-path names for their offspring.
Gwyneth Paltrow
When actress Gwyneth Paltrow had a daughter with husband Chris Martin, of the band Coldplay, in 2004, she named the baby Apple. According to the Internet Movie Database, Paltrow claims she chose the name because apples are “whole, sweet and crisp.” Paltrow and Martin chose more conventional names for the baby’s middle name, choosing the names of their mothers, Blythe and Alison.
Ashlee Simpson
When pop stars Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz had their son in November of 2008, they named him Bronx Mowgli Wentz. Mowgli was the name of the main character in the book and film “The Jungle Book.” The couple apparently chose the name Bronx because it could work for either a senator or a rock star, according to E! online.
Angelina Jolie
Actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have six children, three of whom were adopted and three biological children. Their oldest son has the name Maddox, while their oldest daughter is named Zahara. Shiloh, the first name of the couple’s first biological child, means “messiah” in Hebrew. It’s also the site of a battle during the American Civil War. Her parents chose Nouvel as her middle after the French architect Jean Nouvel. Their other son is named Pax, while their twins are named Knox and Vivienne.
Lisa Bonet
Actress Lisa Bonet, perhaps best known for her role on “The Cosby Show,” named her third child, a boy, Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha. Nakoa-Wolf was born in January 2009. Bonet changed her own name to Lilakoi Moon in 1995. Her other two children, both daughters, fared a bit better in the name department. Her first daughter, with rocker Lenny Kravitz, has the name Zoe. Her other daughter, with boyfriend Jason Momoa, is named Lola.
Nicolas Cage
Superman fans will recognize the name Kal-El as Clark Kent’s real name from the Superman comics. and it’s also the name Nicolas Cage chose for his son. Cage is known for playing eccentric, offbeat characters, so it seems fitting that he would give his son, born in 2005, an eccentric name.
