What's in a Name? Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart's Daughter, Billie Beatrice
Credit: Jordan Strauss/WireImage.com
Nameberry.com editors Pamela Satran and Linda Rosenkrantz -- who penned the books Baby Name Bible and Beyond Ava & Aiden-- are blogging for UsMagazine.com about why celebs choose the names they do, and what they mean.
When Rebecca Gayheart and Eric Dane named their baby girl (born March 3) Billie Beatrice, they joined the growing group of celebs who give their baby girls boyish "nickname names," often followed by a more feminine classic.
The name Billie, which started as a nickname for Wilhelmina, Wilma or Willa, reached its heyday around 1930, when it was No. 79 on the most popular list. This was a time when Willie, Bobbie, Johnnie, Jimmie, Tommie, Frankie and Freddie also appeared on the girls' list. During this period it had something of a showgirl image, represented by Ziegfeld Girl Billie Burke -- who played Glinda the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz (her birth name was Mary William Ethelbert). Billie has been in the Social Security's list of Top 1000 girls' names every year since 1889; it's currently ranked No. 927.
Other notable namesakes include singer Billie Holiday (born Eleanora), tennis champ Billie Jean King and actress Billie Piper (born Leian Paul), as well as the iconic Michael Jackson song "Billie Jean." Celebs who have used the name for their daughters include Carrie Fisher and My Name is Earl star Ethan Suplee.
Possible playmates for Billie Dane with similarly boyish-nickname-style names: Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell's Charlie, Denise Richards' and Elin and Tiger Woods' Sam, Melissa Etheridge's Johnnie and Amanda Peet's daughter Frances, who is nicknamed Frankie.
Billie's middle name, Beatrice, which means "blessed" in Latin, has a long literary (Shakespeare, Dante) and royal (Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's daughter) history. After being stored in the attic for several generations, it is slowing coming back into favor, along with such other classics as Frances, Eleanor and Alice. Paul McCartney and soap star Emma Samms both have daughters named Beatrice. It reached its peak of popularity in 1910, around the year Aunt Bee of The Andy Griffith Show was born.
Tell Us What You Think
10it's their choice to have named their daughter this and we can't begrudge them that. nobody is perfect and besides both names are pretty common in the entertainment world. examples being singer Billie Holiday and comedian/actress Bea Arthur. or the mother Beatrice Honsdorfer in the Paul Zindel Play The Effect Gamma Rays On Man In The Moon Marigolds which was made in to an award winning film staring oscar winner Joanne Woodward
so what is her nickname going to be B.B. shotgun for short
as I said previously I perfer Beatrice due to a pulitzer prize winning Paul Zindel play that was later made into a golden palm for best actress film at cannes in may 1973 so what at least the baby came out healthy
What about how the New Mommy was SMOKING while pregnant...loser!
I can't even stand to look at them after their porn movie and I didn't even see it.
Here's what's in the name "BILLIE" from 2 parents with very normal names.. 1- Stripper, 2- Porn Star, 3- White Trash, 4- Trailor. Now will lardass eating a stick of butter please hurry up and say "I LOVE THE NAME!! GO KENDRA!" Losers
This is to toga that was cold , but youve got a point?!
Wouldn't "Crystal" have been more appropriate?
I can't even IMAGINE them being good parents after the threesome vid with the former beauty queen...
you mean she's not run this kid over with a car yet? thats wild.