Nicole Richie Reveals Her Daughter, 18, Now Goes By Different Name

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Names aren’t quite so simple—just ask Nicole Richie.

Nicole Richie shared that her and Joel Madden’s daughter, Harlow Madden, is now using one of her middle names on social media. She revealed this while celebrating Harlow’s 18th birthday on January 12th.

Nicole shared a series of photos on Instagram celebrating her oldest child, Kate, who turned 18. She also mentioned her 16-year-old son, Sparrow Madden, whom she shares with her husband, writing, “18 years of you @katemaddennn.”

Joel added in the comments section, “That’s my girl.”

The couple’s daughter is named Harlow Winter Kate Madden. But how did they choose such a long and unique name?

Nicole and Joel had different ideas for their child’s name. Nicole wanted something associated with the hippie movement, while Joel preferred a name with biblical origins. Joel shared in a 2008 interview with People that he admired actress Jean Harlow, and Nicole was a fan of model Shalom Harlow.

The Good Charlotte rocker continued, “Harlow’s cool because it feels like a classic name.”

Joel explained that he and Nicole, parents of two children before their 2010 wedding, selected ‘Winter’ as a middle name because they find the season peaceful and calm.

Nicole said she’d always thought Kate was a pretty name, but she didn’t want to use it for her child because she felt it was too simple.

The reality star was so fond of the name Harlow that she also chose it for her jewelry line, House of Harlow, which launched in 2008. She revisited her daughter’s names again in 2010, creating a clothing brand called Winter Kate.

 

Nicole shared with People magazine in 2012 that her daughter is unaware two product lines are named after her. Nicole also said she focuses on letting her daughter enjoy her childhood.

But these days, the mother-daughter duo often bond over fashion.

Nicole told TopMob News in May that her daughter is welcome to borrow anything from her wardrobe. She explained that her own mother allowed her to do the same when she was growing up, and she’s continuing that tradition with her daughter.

For more celebrity kids with unique names, keep reading…

 
 

Nicole shared with People magazine in 2012 that her daughter is unaware two product lines are named after her. Nicole also explained she wants to allow her daughter to enjoy her childhood.

But these days, the mother-daughter duo often bond over fashion.

Nicole told TopMob News in May that her daughter is welcome to borrow anything from her wardrobe. She explained this comes from her own childhood, as her mother always allowed her to wear whatever she wanted from her closet, and she wants to offer her daughter the same freedom.

For more celebrity kids with unique names, keep reading…

Gwyneth Paltrow shared with Oprah Winfrey that her daughter’s unique name, Apple, was actually chosen by Chris Martin. Paltrow explained that when they found out they were having a girl, Martin suggested the name, and she loved it. She felt ‘Apple’ sounded sweet and created a beautiful image, reminding her of the fruit’s wholesome qualities and its biblical connections.

As a huge fan, I was so excited when Elon Musk and Grimes announced their son’s name – X Æ A-12 – on Twitter back in May 2020! It was definitely a unique choice. They had to make a slight change, though, to make it official in California. Apparently, the state only allows English letters in names, so they updated it to X Æ A-Xii. Still cool and memorable, right?

Grimes explained the meaning behind her child’s unique name on Twitter. ‘X’ represents the unknown variable, while ‘Æ’ is her elven-inspired way of spelling ‘AI,’ short for love and/or Artificial Intelligence. ‘A-12’ refers to a predecessor of the SR-17 aircraft, her favorite plane. She emphasized that it’s about speed, not weaponry, and is powerful in a battle setting but ultimately non-violent.

Grimes revealed that her favorite song is called “Archangel,” adding a rat and sword emoji and simply stating, “Metal rat.”

In March 2022, she announced they had welcomed daughter Exa Dark Sideræl Musk via surrograte.

She explained that ‘Exa’ comes from the term ‘exaFLOPS,’ which describes a computer’s ability to perform an incredibly high number of calculations – one quintillion per second. As for ‘Dark,’ she said it represents the unknown, something people often fear, but it’s actually just the lack of light. Dark matter, she added, is one of the most fascinating mysteries in the universe.

Sideræl, pronounced “sigh-deer-ee-el,” represents universal time – the time of stars and deep space – rather than time as we experience it on Earth. The name also pays tribute to Galadriel, a character from The Lord of the Rings, who chooses to give up the One Ring.

Cardi B and Offset welcomed their daughter in 2018. 

The rapper behind “Bodak Yellow” explained her daughter’s name, Kulture, saying she couldn’t have chosen anything else because it would have been too ordinary. Interestingly, her daughter’s middle name, Kiari, is the first name of rapper Offset from the group Migos.

Shay Mitchell described how she thought she’d experienced a lot in her 32 years – seen places, met people, and felt love – but everything changed when her daughter arrived. She realized she was capable of a love she hadn’t known before, sharing this sentiment while talking about choosing a name for her and Matte Babel’s first child.

Daughter Rome filled out their roster in 2022. 

Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling welcomed their daughter, Esmeralda Amada, in 2014. Eva explained in an interview with The Violet Files that they chose the name Esmeralda because they both admired the character from Victor Hugo’s novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, finding it a beautiful name. Amada was her grandmother’s name, and it means ‘beloved’ in Spanish.

Mendes and Gosling continued the tradition of using Spanish names when they had their second daughter, Amada Lee Gosling, in 2016.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m always thrilled to hear about new arrivals, and Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden’s little one is no exception! They recently welcomed their daughter, and Cameron shared the wonderful news on Instagram, describing her as ‘really, really cute’ – and even went so far as to say she’s ‘RAD’! It’s such a fun, energetic way to introduce a new baby, and I just love it.

Equally as awesome: Son Cardinal, who joined the party in 2024.

Zooey Deschanel shared that her daughter with ex-husband Jacob Pechenik is named Elsie Otter, explaining that otters are “really sweet, smart, and even use tools! Plus, they’re adorable because they hold hands when they sleep.”

Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott named their daughter Stormi when she was born in 2018. Kylie explained that she started calling her ‘Stormie’ while she was pregnant, and the name simply felt like a perfect fit.

After struggling to find the perfect name, the couple finally revealed their son’s name, Aire, a year after he was born in 2022.

Actors Alexa and Carlos PenaVega chose the name Ocean King for their first child, inspired by their religious beliefs. Carlos explained that the name comes from a passage in the Bible where God creates land and seas, and that ‘King’ represents God. They felt the name had a beautiful and meaningful connection to their faith.

The name Steph and Ayesha Curry chose for their third child means both “officiant of the church” and “young wolf.”

Diplo decided to name his second son after his electronic dance music trio, Major Lazer. 

John Legend and Chrissy Teigen welcomed their daughter, Luna Simone, in 2016. Chrissy shared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that they named her after a stunning blood moon that appeared shortly before her birth. She remembered it being a beautiful night with a large, bright red moon, describing it as ‘gorgeous’.

Bachelor in Paradise stars Krystal Nielson and Miles Bowles have revealed their daughter’s name! They announced on social media, “Meet Andara Rose Bowles, our beautiful ‘glitter baby’!”

In 2014, Ciara and Future had a son named Future Zahir. His name was chosen to honor Future’s professional name.

Willow Smith is named after her father, Will Smith. Her brother, Jaden Smith, received his name as a tribute to their mother, Jada Pinkett Smith.

When Alicia Silverstone and Christopher Jarecki’s son was born, they chose a name by combining two names they both loved.

When Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon had twins, they looked to both Hollywood and their personal life for names. Their daughter was named after Marilyn Monroe, and their son’s name was inspired by the Moroccan-themed décor of the New York City apartment where Nick proposed to Mariah.

Jamie Oliver, the well-known British chef, and his wife, Juliette, recently welcomed their fourth child, and they gave him a unique name! It fits right in with their other children, who have equally creative names like Poppy Honey, Daisy Boo, River Rocket, and Petal Blossom Rainbow.

In 2006, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt welcomed their daughter into the world, giving her a name that means either “Messiah” or “Peaceful One.” The former couple also have three other children: Maddox, Pax, and Zahara, as well as twins Vivienne and Knox.

Antonio Sabato Jr. and his former wife, Cheryl Moana Marie Nunes, chose a meaningful middle name for their first child. It’s a Hawaiian word meaning “a beloved gift from the heavens.”

Nicole Richie and Joel Madden named their son Sparrow, inspired in part by a Disney character. Richie explained that she liked the name because of Captain Jack Sparrow, while her husband had different reasons for liking it. Ultimately, they chose a name they both agreed on.

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes named their daughter Suri after discovering the name in a baby book. Cruise explained to Vanity Fair that they had already chosen the name, anticipating a girl. They received two baby-naming books from friends and instantly connected with ‘Suri.’ They later learned the name meant ‘red rose,’ which they considered a happy coincidence. Cruise felt ‘Suri’ was the perfect name for their daughter.

Jason Lee named his first child after a song by the band Grandaddy, specifically referencing the title, “He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s the Pilot.”

 

For her firstborn daughter’s name, Geri Halliwell was inspired by flowers.

My mother telling me that bluebells are becoming rare really sealed the deal – it felt like the perfect flower for my daughter,” she shared with Hello! magazine. Her middle name pays tribute to the singer my favorite performer admires.

You know, when Ashlee and I were naming our son, we really connected over The Jungle Book. It just felt right, and we both loved it, so we decided to use it as his middle name. It’s a little piece of our shared history!

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2026-01-13 02:19