Sarah Jessica Parker

Choose Unusual Baby Names



Just when I thought the world of celebrity baby names was getting a tad boring, Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick chose a pair of unusual baby names for their twin daughters, who arrived via surrogate in Ohio on June 21.

Joining big brother James Wilke are twins Marion Loretta Elwell and Tabitha Hodge. Bit of a mouthful. Let’s dig deeper.

According to a report in People, the names “Elwell” and “Hodge” are both family names on Parker’s side of the fence. Thank goodness. I thought for a moment Parker and Broderick had made them up.

That leaves Marion Loretta and Tabitha. Where did they come from? Marion is sort of a unisex name — think Maid Marion of Robin Hood fame, versus John Wayne’s real name, Marion Robert Morrison. (You didn’t know that?).

Loretta — well, I have to believe either Parker or Broderick or both is a big fan of Loretta Lynn, because that’s the most obvious association. (And the best name of the three, IMO).

And finally, Tabitha. Another name loaded with association. Never mind that it means “gazelle” in Aramaic. This name says “Bewitched” to anyone who remembers 60’s TV, and even if you don’t, there was a TV spinoff named Tabitha in the 70’s. I don’t recall Tabitha in the 2005 Nora Ephron flop.

Whatever the origins, it’s a pretty unusual group of names. And it’s definitely not boring! Drop a comment if you know any more about where the names came from.

-zimbio.com-