Sophie B. Hawkins—the “Damn, Wish I Was Your Lover” singer—made headlines when she announced that she was expecting expecting her second baby at the age of 50. And now, her little girl is here! On July 7th, Sophie’s daughter, Esther Ballantine, joined big brother Dashiell.
Esther is a prominent Old Testament baby name, given to a queen who famously risked her life to save her people. It was also associated with synchronized swimming movie icon Esther Williams, a number of characters played by Judy Garland in classic movies (including Meet Me in St. Louis), a witchy character on Vampire Diaries, and as the fill-in lead character in Sylvia Plath’s Bell Jar. It’s been on a bit of an uptick since the turn of the 21st century, and currently ranks just outside the top 200. The name itself means “star,” and is following fellow starry names like Stella and Estella up the charts.
Ballantine is the same middle name as Sophie herself sports, and probably is a family name. (I kinda like the ring of Esther B. Hawkins to mirror her mom’s own name, don’t you?) And the name makes a nice sibling set with Dashiell, Sophie’s pick for her son.
Related: The 25 Best Vintage Baby Names for Girls
Tell us: What do you think of Sophie’s choice? Is Esther on your short list of baby names, or is it too old-fashioned for your taste? And would you give your daughter the same middle name that you have?
If you’re still looking for a great baby name, check out our Baby Name Finder or email me at lamilbrand@gmail.com. And don’t forget to like In Name Only on Facebook to keep up with the very latest in baby names.
Image of Hawkins via Shutterstock
