Nicole Richie Clarifies Why Her Daughter, 18, Goes By a Different Name

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InNicole Richie’s house, you can be whoever you want to be.

The fashion designer revealed that her daughter, Harlow Winter Kate Madden, actually goes by Kate instead of her given first name, Harlow. She shares Harlow with Joel Madden.

Nicole shared in a recent interview with People magazine that the person in question prefers to be called by her middle name, and is living a full life.

People were surprised to find out the teen’s chosen name – Nicole shared it on Instagram while celebrating her 18th birthday on January 12th – and the 44-year-old admits she understands the reaction.

Nicole explained that she hadn’t checked the online response to her post, but understood it, adding, ‘She uses her middle name.’

In a recent Instagram post, Nicole Richie shared a collection of photos spanning her daughter Kate’s life, with the caption, “18 years of you @katemaddennn.”

Nicole’s husband Joel—with whom she also shares son Sparrow Madden, 16—commented, “That’s my girl.”

Nicole didn’t say why Kate goes by her middle name, but they had previously talked about how they chose her names originally.

After her son was born in 2008, Nicole explained to People magazine that she and her partner disagreed on a name. She wanted something with a bohemian, ‘hippie’ vibe, while he preferred a traditional, biblical name.

Joel explained that he was a fan of actress Jean Harlow, while Nicole “likes Shalom Harlow the model.”

The Good Charlotte member explained they chose the name Harlow because it has a timeless quality. They added that they picked Winter as a middle name because the season evokes a sense of peace and tranquility.

Nicole mentioned she’s always liked the name Kate, but wasn’t sure if it worked well as a first name.

“I knew I’d never name my kid that,” she explained, “because it was just too plain.”

Nicole has often honored her daughters through her work, launching her jewelry brand, House of Harlow, in 2008 and her clothing line, Winter Kate, in 2010. It’s no surprise then that her daughter shares her mother’s passion for fashion.

She 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.

“She’s in my closet, I’m in hers,” Nicole added. “It’s all, ‘Whoever wants what.’”

For a look at more stars who have given their kids 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 expecting a girl, Martin suggested the name, and she loved it. She thought it sounded sweet and evoked a positive image, associating apples with goodness and wholesomeness, and even a biblical connection.

In May 2020, Elon Musk and Grimes announced the birth of their son, originally naming him X Æ A-12. They later changed the spelling to X Æ A-Xii to comply with California law, which only allows names using letters of the English alphabet.

Okay, so everyone’s been asking about the name I chose for my son, X Æ A-12. Let me break it down! ‘X’ is just a variable, something unknown. Then there’s ‘Æ’, which is my own little way of spelling ‘Ai’ – I’m fascinated by both artificial intelligence and, well, love! And ‘A-12’ is a nod to the SR-17 aircraft – it’s all about speed and being a precursor to something amazing. We wanted a name that represented power and potential, but it’s definitely not about weaponry or being aggressive – it’s about being a force for good, fast and free.

Grimes explained that her favorite song is titled “A=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 computing term exaFLOPS, which means performing a quintillion calculations every second. As for ‘Dark,’ she described it as ‘the unknown’ – something people fear, but which is simply the lack of light. She added that dark matter is a fascinating puzzle of the universe.

Sideræl (pronounced sigh-deer-ee-el) represents universal time – the time of stars and deep space – as opposed to the time we experience on Earth. The name also pays homage 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” revealed her daughter’s name, Kulture, was a deliberate choice, playfully stating anything else would have been too ordinary. Interestingly, her daughter’s middle name, Kiari, is actually the first name of rapper Offset, her husband.

I thought I’d lived a pretty full life – 32 years of seeing the world, meeting people, feeling things… and I really thought I understood love. Then our little girl came along, and honestly, it blew my mind! I had no idea I could feel something so unbelievably strong, something so… all-consuming. It’s like, everything before her feels small in comparison. She completely changed my world!

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 both admired the name Esmeralda from Victor Hugo’s novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, finding it beautiful. The name Amada honors Eva’s grandmother and means ‘beloved’ in Spanish.

Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes continued the tradition of using a Portuguese-inspired name when they had their second daughter, Amada Lee Gosling, in 2016.

Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden recently welcomed their daughter, and Diaz shared the exciting news on Instagram. She described the baby as “really really cute,” and even playfully called her “RAD.”

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. She explained they chose the name because otters are known for being sweet, intelligent, and resourceful – they even use tools and hold hands while 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 perfect.

After some difficulty choosing the perfect name, the couple officially announced their son’s name as Aire, a year after he was born in 2022.

Actors Alexa and Carlos PenaVega chose the name Ocean King for their first child, drawing inspiration from their religious beliefs. Carlos explained that the name reflects a passage in the Bible where God creates land and seas, and acknowledges God as ‘King.’ They found the name’s biblical meaning particularly meaningful.

The name of Steph and Ayesha Curry’s third child means “church leader” and “young wolf.”

DJ Diplo, whose real name is Thomas Wesley Pentz, chose to name his second son after his electronic music group, Major Lazer.

John Legend (born John Stephens) and Chrissy Teigen welcomed their daughter, Luna Simone, in 2016. Chrissy shared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that they named Luna after a stunning blood moon that appeared just before her birth. She remembered it being a beautiful night with a large, bright red moon that was truly gorgeous.

Krystal Nielson and Miles Bowles, known from Bachelor Nation, have revealed the name of their baby girl: Andara Rose Bowles. They playfully nicknamed her “Glitter baby” before the official announcement.

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 place where Nick proposed: Mariah’s New York City apartment, which had a Moroccan-themed top floor.

Jamie Oliver, the well-known British chef, and his wife, Juliette Norton, recently welcomed their fourth child, and they gave him a unique name! It fits right in with the names of his sisters – Poppy Honey, Daisy Boo, River Rocket, and Petal Blossom Rainbow – which are equally distinctive.

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, plus 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, and the choice was inspired by a Disney character. Richie explained that she liked the name “Sparrow” because of Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean, while her husband liked it for different reasons. They ultimately chose a name they both agreed on.

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

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

 

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

I decided on the name because my mother told me bluebells are becoming rare, and I thought it was a lovely, special flower for my daughter,” she explained to Hello! magazine. Her daughter’s middle name honors the singer the mother—a former Spice Girl—has always admired.

Pete Wentz explained that he and his ex-wife, Ashlee Simpson, chose the middle name ‘Jungle Book’ for their son because it was something they both loved and connected over.

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2026-01-17 02:51