Kelly Clarkson dishes about her daughter’s name in the latest issue of People magazine, explaining how she and hubby Brandon Blackstock settled on River Rose. And while the celeb mama is modest about it, we think she totally rocked the baby-name game. The reason? River Rose exemplifies three of the hottest trends in baby names these days. Here’s why her pick is totally on trend:
• She chose a cool unisex name. River works for boys or girls (in fact, actor River Phoenix was the most famous bearer of the name)—but the middle name Rose adds just a little bit of a girly vibe. Kelly joins a long list of celebs who picked baby names that could have worked for a boy or a girl—everyone from Kim Kardashian’s North to Shakira’s son Sasha. (By the way, Kelly told People that she picked River because they live near a river—a nice little personal touch.)
• She honored a family member. I’m a big proponent of choosing baby names that are meaningful to you (both my daughters were named after beloved family members)—and Kelly told People she picked Rose in honor of her mother’s maiden name.
• She added a little alliteration. River Rose flows beautifully because of all those rs, offset by the sharper vs and zs. Alliteration has been popping up here and there, with celebrity baby names like Royal Reign (from Lil Kim), Vernon Vaughn (son of Vince Vaughn) and Bill Hader’s two daughters, Harper and Hannah Hader. Of course, alliteration is one of those baby name trends that tends to be pretty divisive—some people (like Kelly!) love it, and others think it’s way too cutesy.
Tell us: Did your baby name picks follow one of these trends? And what’s your take on alliteration—cool or cutesy?
If you’re looking for the perfect baby name, check out our Baby Name Finder, or email me at lamilbrand@gmail.com for advice. And don’t forget to like In Name Only on Facebook to keep up with the very latest in baby names!
Photo courtesy of Instagram/KellyClarkson
