“I got a real kick out of the fact that she’d been named after me.”
There’s a lot that goes into picking out a name before a baby is born. Inspiration can come from all around. Sometimes a name has a special family connection and other times it just feels right. In some cases parents are inspired by the names they see on the big screen or in the headlines — and end up naming their child after a celebrity. And sometimes, in a twist of fate, these children end up becoming famous one day too. With their Hollywood-inspired names, it’s clear they were destined for stardom!
Find out how these stars got their names…
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1. Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez has followed in the footsteps of her namesake, the late Selena Quintanilla. When she was born, her mom actually wanted to name her Priscilla but her dad insisted that she be named Selena.
“I’m actually named after Selena Quintanilla,” she explained on an episode of Selena + Chef. “It gives me goosebumps sometimes because I was obsessed with Selena. I knew everything about her. I was just such a fan. My real name was going to be Priscilla, and my dad said, ‘No. I want her name to be Selena.’”
2. Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift’s parents loved the music of James Taylor so much that they decided to name their daughter after him. Taylor was able to tell James herself during a benefit concert years before she became a superstar. He said he was incredibly flattered and thought it was a great connection.
“It’s hugely flattering and was a delightful surprise when she told me that. We did a benefit together…before Taylor really took off. But she was playing guitar and singing her songs and I knew how remarkable she was,” James shared with Stereogum. “She told me that her mom and dad had been really, deeply into my music and I got a real kick out of the fact that she’d been named after me. Obviously it wasn’t her choice, it was her mom and dad, but nonetheless a great connection, I think.”
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3. Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio was named after the famed artist Leonardo da Vinci. He says that when his mother was pregnant, she was visiting Florence with his father and they viewed da Vinci’s paintings. Even from the womb, Leo had a connection with his art.
“My father tells me that they were on their honeymoon at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, I believe. They were looking at a da Vinci painting, and allegedly I started kicking furiously while my mother was pregnant. And my father took that as a sign, and I suppose DiCaprio wasn’t that far from da Vinci. And so, my dad, being the artist that he is, said, ‘That’s our boy’s name,’” Leonardo told NPR.
4. Karlie Kloss
Karlie Kloss got her name from the musician Carly Simon. She says her parents really liked the name but changed it up slightly so it would go along with her sisters, who all have names that start with the letter K.
“I was named after Carly Simon because my parents really liked the name Carly, but they wanted to name me with a K because all my sisters’ names start with a K,” she said during a “Questions for Karlie” YouTube video.
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5. Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway was reportedly named after Shakespeare’s wife, who shares the same exact moniker. But that’s not the only connection she shares with the famed playwright. Many fans have noticed Anne’s husband Adam Shulman shares a striking resemblance to Shakespeare himself — and have theorized that he’s the reincarnation of the writer.
“It’s kinda nuts, right? It’s weird, right?” Anne said during an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show. “It would be great if it were true but even if it’s not it’s still kind of great.”
6. Cole Sprouse & Dylan Sprouse
Both Dylan and Cole Sprouse have names with famous origins. For Cole, his name was inspired by famed jazz singer and pianist Nat King Cole. Meanwhile, his twin brother Dylan was named after the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas.
“My mom wanted to create a narrative of artistry, so Nat King Cole worked for her,” Cole shared during an appearance on Popcorn With Peter Travers, jokingly adding, “Just a guy named Cole worked for my dad.”
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7. Marc Anthony
When Marc Anthony was born, his musician father gave him the name Marco Antonio Muñiz Rivera, after the famed ’60s singer Marco Antonio Muñiz. His shared name helped foster his love of singing, realizing as a little boy that his stutter went away when he sang. He eventually decided to pursue a career in entertainment — but decided to adopt a stage name so it wouldn’t get confusing.
8. Jordan Chiles
Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles was named after fellow Olympian Michael Jordan. She says her mom was completely obsessed with the basketball player and decided to pay tribute to him with her daughter’s name.
“So my mom had, I don’t want to say obsession, but like a liking to Michael Jordan. I think it was an obsession. So when I came along my dad was just like, ‘You can name her whatever’ so she was like ‘Jordan, that’s what she’s going to be named,’” she told Bleacher Report.
Michael later reached out to Jordan when she competed in the 2024 Olympics — although she didn’t share that she was named after him.
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9. Sebastian Stan
Sebastian Stan’s musician mother decided to name him after famed composer Johann Sebastian Bach. Reflecting on the decision, Sebastian joked that his mom didn’t know what would go well with the last name Stan before taking a liking to the name Sebastian. Although he didn’t like the name growing up because it was different from other American students, he’s grown to love it.
“I feel very lucky that my name is Sebastian and that it comes from Sebastian Bach,” Sebastian shared during an interview with EuropaFM.
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