Sweeter than a box of chocolates, a Valentine’s Day-inspired baby name can put love in the air year round.
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Why a Lovey-Dovey Name?
Got a little lovebug on the way this month? Consider a romantic baby name! Names that convey love, beauty, and sweetness — or those inspired by memorable cinematic affairs — will warm your heart long after the last truffle has disappeared from its heart-shaped box.
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Will You Be My Valentine?
Okay, let’s call it the obvious but still romantic choice. Both model Adriana Lima and and actress Salma Hayek named their daughters Valentina. And in a slightly more unusual selection, British musician Robbie Williams picked “Valentine” as a middle name for his son: Charlton Valentine Williams.
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Roses by the Dozen
Seemingly just as popular as the traditional symbol of romance is around Valentine’s Day, the name Rose is experiencing something of a vintage-cool resurgence. Most recently, actress Scarlett Johansson picked it for her baby daughter, Rose Dorothy.
It’s a popular middle name choice, too: Australian actress Rachel Griffiths and husband, artist Andrew Taylor, named their daughter Adelaide Rose. Soleil Moon Frye and husband Jason Goldberg named their first child Poet Sienna Rose. And Daily Show host Jon Stewart and wife Tracey named their daughter Maggie Rose.
Kaysh Shinn
Love on the Big Screen
If romance movies are your ticket to a good time, you might find inspiration at your local movie theater (or on your couch with a classic DVD). Think Gone with the Wind with Clark Gable as Rhett Butler and Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara. Although many of these names have since gone out of style, radio shock-jock Howard Stern and then-wife Alison Berns named one of their daughters Ashley Jade; and Warren Beatty and Annette Bening also bestowed the name on one of their daughters: Isabel Ira Ashley.
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Kaysh Shinn
Shakespeare in Modern Times
Some parents have chosen to keep the flames of love burning through the choice of Shakespearean romantic tragedy-inspired names. For example, British soccer star David Beckham and wife Victoria named their second son Romeo. Singer Jon Bon Jovi and wife Dorothea Hurley also love the name — their youngest son is Romeo Jon. And while we’re talking about Shakespeare, how about a sonnet or two? Forest Whitaker and wife, Keisha, have a daughter, Sonnet.
Sarah Kehoe
Not Just for the Bees
Although many folks use the word honey as a term of endearment, some parents love it so much that they want everyone to call their child “Honey.” Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and his wife Jools picked it as a middle name for one of their daughters, Poppy Honey, as did actress Kate Winslet and then-husband James Threapleton who named their daughter Mia Honey.
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I Just Want to Be Loved
To sprinkle some love in a name, you don’t have to do it blatantly. Sure, you can go with the in your face method (example: Ruby Sweetheart Maguire, actor Tobey Maguire’s daughter), but you can also chose a name that means “lovable” or “beloved” and convey the same message. The girls’ names Adora, Aiko, Amanda, Amy, Daryl, Desiree, Suki, Taffy, and Trudy all mean “beloved.” For boys, you might consider Alvin, David, Kevin, or Leif.
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Life Is Belle
Belle, the French word for beautiful, is a popular middle name for the gorgeous children of celebrities. Demi Moore and Bruce Willis named a daughter Tallulah Belle, and actress Lisa Rinna chose the name Delilah Belle for her first daughter.
The name Beau, which is the masculine counterpart to belle, also has some celebrity fans: Jamie-Lynn Sigler named her son Beau Kyle, and former Spice Girl Emma Bunton named a son Beau Lee. But it’s also a choice for some celebrity baby girls, too, including Ving Rhames’ daughter Reign Beau and actress Sarah Jane Morris’ daughter Beau Katherine.
Kaysh Shinn
More Beautiful Names
There are plenty of other names that mean beautiful. Try Adara or Adonia, both Greek for beautiful. Calista means “most beautiful.” Alana also means beautiful, along with Farrah, Kyla, Kylie, and Linda.
There’s also the option of the ever-popular Bella, which is Italian for beautiful. Among the many celebrities who favor the name are actors Peter Facinelli and Jennie Garth who named their first daughter Luca Bella, actress Leah Remini, who named her daughter Sofia Bella, actor Mark Ruffalo and wife Sunrise Coigney who named their daughter Bella.
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