Unusual Names for Celebrity Babies

Giving Babies ununusal names has always been the perogative of the stars. When Cher and Sunny Bono named their first baby Blue thirty years ago., it made headlines. Now it is common place for the stars to name their babies with unconventional names. Gweneth Paltrow was one of the first stars to bestow an unusual name on her new baby. She named herApple. Of course the brood in Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's household comes to mind also, with boldly unusual names Maddox, Zahara, Pax and Shiloh.

For the well-heeled and the well-known, creating a splashy and inventive baby name is not just a birthright but a tradition. Witness the recent crop of baby names to adorn celebrity offspring: Pirate (Korn frontman Jonathan Davis' son), Moxie Crimefighter (the daughter of Penn and Teller magician Penn Jillette) and Lola (Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards' newborn). They're in good company: Chris Rock, Madonna, Carnie Wilson, and Jennie Garth also call their little girls Lola, whether it's on the birth certificate or not (in Madonna's case, Lola is a nickname for Lourdes).

Even veteran Live 8 musician-activist Bob Geldof has a full house, flowering with daughters Fifi Trixibelle, Peaches Honeyblossom, and Pixie, and their half-sister Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily.

Note to Britney Spears and Kevin Federline: There's a method to the madness, and plenty of room to grow. Just check out the playful and friendly categories below.

So Traditional and Retro, They're Hip Again

If you don't fancy calling your tyke Orlando or Bloom, don't despair. This trend toward sensible names is actually quite popular. Yes, Julia Roberts hit the mother lode with twins Hazel Patricia and Phinnaeas Walter, but she's not alone. Many celebrities have stuck to sensible, even normal names, fit for a regular Joe. Look at what Jon Stewart named his little guy: Nathan. Former teen heartthrob and NYPD Blue star Mark-Paul Gosselaar welcomed a boy, Michael Charles. Jennifer Connelly named her little girl Agnes.

Who's Done It: Plenty of people have, including Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick and their son, James Wilkie, Mary-Louise Parker and Billy Crudup and their son, William Atticus.

The Latest Twist: Use a nickname properly; ideally the shorter and friendlier the better. That's what worked for Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards' daughter, Sam J., and one of news anchor Soledad O'Brien's twins, Charlie