Weird Baby Names: Not Just A New Celebrity Trend

The Huffington Post Canada  |  By Posted: 05/04/2012 4:08 pm Updated: 05/04/2012 8:47 pm

Maxwell Drew Johnson may only be a few days old, but the baby is making headlines for a reason other than being Jessica Simpson's child -- people can't believe it's a girl's name.

The newborn daughter of singer Simpson and her fiancé, Eric Johnson, was born Tuesday, joining a growing group of uniquely-named next-generation celebrities, like Blue Ivy Carter, and Moses and Apple Martin.

But according to data from Ancestry.ca, a website for users looking to trace their lineage, Canadians have been giving their children unique names since the 1840s. The names are inspired by everything from royalty, religion and even romance.

  • Church Blessed - born in Quebec in 1880 (from Quebec Vital and Church Records/Drouin Collection, 1621-1967)
  • Queen Brittain - born in 1900 in Brant County, Queen grew up in a house with seven siblings, none of whom were named after royal titles and who no doubt felt aggrieved (from Ontario, Canada Births, 1869-1909 and 1901 Census of Canada)
  • Horse Love - this 17-year old worked, perhaps predictably, as a farm labourer, earning a meagre $180 in 1910 (from 1911 Census of Canada)
  • Happy Newyear Kerwenyee - born on New Year’s Day in 1877 to John, a farmer, and his wife Louisa (from Ontario, Canada Births, 1869-1909)
  • Myholy Cupid - a 24-year-old recent Polish immigrant to Canada, working 40-plus hour work weeks as a street labourer, sharing a lodge with other Polish immigrants (from 1911 Census of Canada)

According to US Weekly, Maxwell Drew Johnson's different name draws on both sides of her family. It turns out Maxwell is Johnson's middle name, as well as his grandfather's surname.

Baby Johnson's middle name, on the other hand, comes from her mother's maternal grandmother, Tina Simpson -- whose maiden name is Drew.

Below are some of Hollywood's more... original baby names. Let us know which names stand out the most in the comment section below or by Twitter @HuffPostLivCa.

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  • Blue Ivy, daughter of Beyonce and Jay-Z

  • Bardot Vita, daughter of David Boreanaz

  • Audio Science, son of Shannyn Sossamon

  • Satchel, daughter of Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee

  • Kyd, son of David Duchovny and Tea Leoni

  • Jermajesty, son of Jermaine Jackson

  • Arpad Flynn Alexander, son of Elle MacPherson and Arpad Busson

  • Moon Unit Zappa, daughter of Frank Zappa

  • Pilot Inspektor, son of Jason Lee

  • Sage Moonblood, son of Sylvester Stallone

  • Blue Angel, daughter of The Edge

  • Kal-El Coppola, son of Nicolas Cage and Alice Kim

  • Bluebell Madonna, daughter of Geri Halliwell

  • Diezel, son of Toni Braxton

  • Tu Morrow, daughter of Rob Morrow

  • Bronx Mowgli, son of Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz

  • Moxie Crimefighter, daughter of Penn Jillette

  • Prince Michael II (Blanket), son of Michael Jackson

  • Ocean, daughter of Forest and Keisha Whitaker

  • Poet Sienna Rose, daughter of Soleil Moon Frye and Jason Goldberg

  • Rocket, son of Robert Rodriguez

  • Memphis Eve, daughter of Bono

  • Suri, daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes

  • Hermes, son of Kelly Rutherford

  • Calico Dashiell, daughter of Alice Cooper

  • Destry, daughter of Steven Spielberg

  • Shiloh Nouvel, daughter of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

  • Apple

    Daughter of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin

  • Coco, daughter of Courteney Cox and David Arquette

Related on HuffPost:

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Maxwell Drew Johnson may only be a few days old, but the baby is making headlines for a reason other than being Jessica Simpson's child -- people can't believe it's a girl's name. The newborn daugh...
Maxwell Drew Johnson may only be a few days old, but the baby is making headlines for a reason other than being Jessica Simpson's child -- people can't believe it's a girl's name. The newborn daugh...
 
 
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07:02 AM on 05/07/2012
. . I blame Frank Zappa and David Bowie . . Moonunit, Dweeble, Zowie, and the rest of the names they gave their children. These names were not just 'unusual', they were actually designed to have no precedent . . for example, if you go to Hungary, you'll find plenty of Attila's and if you go to Greece, you'll find plenty of Hercules's. That's to be expected - they are particular to those nationalities. I believe Moonunit is now 'Robert', or something . .
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Ian Llangan
Your Invisible Sky Friend Is Morally Abhorrent
03:55 PM on 05/05/2012
None of these names areas insipid or offensive as today's current crop of Kaylas, Britneys, Stones, Montanas Haydens, Ambers, Lakeishas,Jaysons, Jadens or Moooohammuds.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Mindy Czech
Cindy's wife for life.
02:41 AM on 05/05/2012
I'm not sure if I'm glad or horrified this isn't a recent trend. I guess the oddest in my family was that my great, great grandparents who were immigrants from Poland had the last name of Pierog- the singular form of the delicious polish dumpling often just called "pierogi."
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Whistlejackett
Hey stop doing that
09:13 PM on 05/05/2012
That name is in my family also :)
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waldopepper
I'd tell you all about me if you were my friend.
02:20 AM on 05/05/2012
Hercules. No Kidding. In my families past (over a hundred years ago) is a fella named Hercules.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
see-ellen2001
09:20 PM on 05/04/2012
I was researching my London born grandmother but knew it would be tough with a first name Margaret and a common last name. I was very happy to learn that her middle name was Josephine, an UNCOMMON name...not. I had no idea so many UK girls in the 1890's had this as a second name. (luckily did find records tho)
cdnman
Still a free spirit...
08:36 PM on 05/04/2012
My Mom's side of the family were from Scotland and often used surnames...my fave Aunt was Jean Mary Burns Cunningham Rankin Clark, the last being her married name...quite a mouthful, eh?
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
nanaofmysky
Adopt from a rescue or shelter.
05:22 PM on 05/04/2012
Some of these names would be purfect for a cat or dog. One or two even a bird. But children,for most, what were they thinking?