Julia Roberts Explains Motivation Behind Twins’ Names
 Kevin Winter/Getty |
In a pair of talk show appearances earlier this week, actress Julia Roberts offered insight into how she and husband Danny Moder arrived at the names Hazel Patricia and Phinnaeus ’Finn’ Walter for their 4-year-old twins. “Hazel is an old-fashioned name, and she’s a strong, perfect Hazel,” Julia noted during a Tuesday appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman. Meanwhile, on Wednesday’s Live with Regis and Kelly she revealed: “[With Phinnaeus], my husband wanted to name him Finn, which I quite liked, but it seemed like a nickname…So I said we had to have a proper name, and then we can call him Finn.” Hazel takes after Julia’s sister, with “big blue eyes and ‘real’ blonde hair,” Julia revealed; Meanwhile, Finn is described by his mom as ”perfect and lovely.”
Host David Letterman observed Julia’s ”little patch” of pink hair and inquired about its origins. “Hazel thought I should,” a matter-of-fact Julia replied. “For someone who wants enthusiasm and support but perhaps less attention, I don’t think that having pink hair is the way to go…So I went for just a little bit.” While Hazel was pleased with the end result, her brother was even more enthusiastic! Reveals Julia,
“Finn is crazy about it. He’ll stop people in the market. ‘Sir, sir. Look at my mommy’s hair!’”
Although she feels her heart has been “cracked right open” since welcoming the twins and their 21-month-old brother Henry Daniel, Julia has no plans to expand her brood. “No, I think I’m good,” she said.
Julia’s new film Duplicity is in theaters now.
Sources: Live with Regis and Kelly, The Late Show with David Letterman
- Posted on Mar 20, 09 at 8:00PM
- Permalink
- 41 Comments
March 20th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
i love all 3 of her kids names – a lot
March 20th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Every time I hear the name Hazel I think about the maid from the old TV show. I’m not crazy about any of her kids names.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
I’m really glad that Julia decided to name her son Phinnaeus instead of Finn. I always wonder why people name their kids Johnny, Jack, Bob, Bobby when they can name their kids John and Robert.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
Hazel is a great name. I never understood why she received so much flack about giving her daughter a “weird” name…it’s not a made up name, and has been a recognizable name used for decades.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
I don’t really like the names Hazel & Henry, but Finn is very cute!
March 20th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
“I always wonder why people name their kids Johnny, Jack, Bob, Bobby when they can name their kids John and Robert.”
Well I can’t speak for everyone who gives their kids the shortened version of a name, but I personally don’t like the longer version of some names but I do like the shoretend version. So why not use the name you like? I know that Jack is supposed to be the nickname for John, but it’s not even close to sounding the same, so I completely understand why someone would like the sound of the name Jack, but not of John. I love the name Maggie, but I do not like the name Margaret. I love the name Ben but I can’t stand the name Benjamin. I like Kate, but not Katherine. And there’s no way I would pass up a name I really like in favor of a longer name I don’t.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
That is so funny!
March 20th, 2009 at 11:46 pm
I don’t know why, but I’m just not that into her anymore…. Since she had the twins and then her third, she has an elitist attitude to her that is hard to take.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
It doesn’t really matter what you name your kids, who cares what other people say? They are not their parents.
March 21st, 2009 at 2:08 am
same here i hate katherine it annoys me, no offence to someone who has it or likes it i just dont, but kate i love=D. i like finn and hazels okay, it just remindes me of a hazel eye and i dont like henry.
March 21st, 2009 at 2:33 am
I prefer Finn over Phinnaeus, but he’s not my child, so it’s not my choice.
March 21st, 2009 at 4:17 am
I agree dose not really matter what you name your kids just as long as you like it…
March 21st, 2009 at 5:27 am
In regards to shortening the name; I prefer Phinnaeus, insted of Finn. I like both Kathrine and Kate – so if I had a daughter I would probably give her a ‘proper’ name and call her Kate, nickname.
Rose, I have to agree with you about the nickname for John = Jack – they are nothing alike. But you could always name you son Jackson, and call him Jack, that would make more sense. I love the so-called ‘proper’ names. But I like a lot of the so-called ‘nicknames’ so I would most definitely give my children a ‘proper’ name, and then give them a nickname – just like Julia Roberts did with Finn (Phinnaeus).
March 21st, 2009 at 5:29 am
Ooooh, and by the way – I love, love, love the names she has given her children. Phinnaeus, Hazel and Henry. Fantastic.
Just my opinion.
March 21st, 2009 at 8:17 am
My children are named August, Martha and Hazel so I obviously love her name choices…they’re all from the old world and strong.
I’ve gotten my fair share of strange looks and many, “Was he born in August” and Martha Stewart references…too many to count. I must say I don’t care one bit what people think. They are my kids and when I look at them, and when others have met them they agree that, August is most certainly an August, Martha fits Martha to a T, and Hazel couldn’t be anything but a Hazel.
I’m sure Julia feels the exact same way. I’m sure all parents do!
March 21st, 2009 at 8:28 am
as Rose said, some people might not like the formal name. my daughter is a Maggie. Not a Margaret.
I am not wild about Hazel but I don’t think it is a funny name, just not my style, but I adore Henry and Finn.
March 21st, 2009 at 8:54 am
But Finn is a proper name! He’s the hero of some Irish folklore. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fionn_mac_Cumhail
I like Hazel and Finn, but I really don’t like the name Henry.
The thing about the pink hair is so sweet, it’s lovely that she was willing to endulge her children like that.
March 21st, 2009 at 8:55 am
Well…okay Finn was his nickname. But still, it’s been used as a proper name for years.
March 21st, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Whoa whoa whoa! I’m a Katherine!! haha but I go by Katie and I like it a lot better =) And on Julia Roberts: I really like her kids’ names. Finn is my favorite, but I would go Finley over Phinnaeus. There’s my two cents… From a Katherine. =)
March 21st, 2009 at 12:56 pm
I’ll take a Hazel and Phinnaeus over a Madison and Jaden anyday.
March 21st, 2009 at 4:01 pm
I always liked her twins’ names. I think Finn is the perfect name/nickname, and she made the right choice going whole hog and just naming him Phinnaeus. And Hazel is just a neat and pretty name, definitely. It’s different, but not ‘weird’ different.
March 21st, 2009 at 7:19 pm
lol Madison is my name:(.
March 21st, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Her kids names have grown on me…its her business, people don’t like all of my kdis names…oh welll…
As far as her hair, love the pink, I have purple streaks and Im doing pink next time.
March 22nd, 2009 at 12:05 am
Even though I’m not necessarily a fan of the names, I think a name says a lot about someone. It’s hard to explain but, for example, when I hear her kids’ names, I think of intelligence, courage, and strong wills. It’s like some names make a person sound automatically “cool” or like an athlete, celebrity etc (not saying they are). It’s almost like name stereotyping. I don’t know if I’m making any sense. lol
Like how would you imagine someone named Bertha and one named Jasmine to be like? I think a lot of parents think of that, what they would want their children to be like and choosing a name that would suit those characteristics.
And just to be very clear, I’m not saying any name is better than the other or anything like that.
March 22nd, 2009 at 12:35 am
I’m Samantha but was only names Samantha because my grandmothers said Sammy wasn’t a proper name. Only they call me Samantha. It’s not a big deal, my parents liked the name Samantha but prefered Sammy.
I love Julia’s kids names. I was abit ‘whoah’ about Phinnaeuos when I first heard it bit I love Finn. Hazel is quite a popular name ware I live so I don’t understand the big whoop about it. I think it’s a beautiful name for a beautiful girl.
March 22nd, 2009 at 5:09 am
@Uggamugga
I ADORE your kids’ names, especially august!:)
meh on julia.
March 22nd, 2009 at 4:51 pm
I like Finn but don’t care for Hazel or Henry.
Of course it’s the parents’ choice but what on earth is wrong with the odd comment about not liking a name? As long as the child is not insulted I don’t see a problem.
No one names their children expecting everyone is going to like the name – thank goodness, otherwise we would all choose the same names!
At least Julia is trying to be a little original. I find Hazel too hard though and Henry too “Hooray Henry”.
March 23rd, 2009 at 8:20 am
Kate, thanks!
March 23rd, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Finn is a legitimate name. The legend of Finn MacCool is an old Irish story. The Gaelic spelling is Fionn.
March 23rd, 2009 at 6:05 pm
I am the kid of parents who thought the real name was great but the nickname was better. I hate it. I’ve never been called it yet its on all my documents from military enlistments to driver’s licenses, bank accounts and credit cards. Parents: Do your kids a favor and name them what you want to call them.
March 24th, 2009 at 12:01 am
Tired of Correcting- “Parents: Do your kids a favor and name them what you want to call them.” This is actually what made me chuckle over all the uproar abotu Charlie Sheen’s son being named Bob. So many people on here have said, “If you’re going to call him/her ___________ then NAME him/her _______________.” Yet Charlie Sheen did just that (presumably he and Brooke will be calling Bob “Bob”)…and people still complained.
March 24th, 2009 at 9:39 am
I didnt even know she had a 3rd child.. good for her!!
March 24th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Hazel, Finn and Henry seem rather normal to todays celebrity standards…Zuma, Apple, Ikhyd…now those are some names that those poor kids are going to have to explain when they are older(or else change)
March 24th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
I just don’t get why you’d name your kid one thing and call him another. If you have no intention of ever using a full name, why bother naming him that?If you are going to name him Phinneaus but only call him Finn, why not just name him Finn?
March 24th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Dee, I completely agree with your comment (“I’ll take a Hazel and Phinnaeus over a Madison and Jaden anyday”). The beautiful names Julia gave her children are rare and refreshing.
March 24th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
Sarah- I think Julia explained it pretty well, actually. In her case, she wanted Finn to have a more formal name to fall back on as an adult if he ends up not liking Finn, or prefers not to put “Finn” on job applications and such. From what I’ve heard, that seems to be the case with a lot of other parents who give their child a more formal name, but call them by a nickname.
For example, say your name was Addison, but you were always called Addie. You’d probably choose to put “Addison” on job applications and such. However, if your name was just “Addie”, you wouldn’t have a choice. You’d have to use “Addie” in formal situations.
Tired of correcting- I forgot to mention last night that, in terms of people assuming your nickname is your real name, it can sometimes go the other way as well. For example, my mother has a “nickname” first name (although it is also often used as a stand-alone name)…and people always assume that it is, in fact, her nickname.
March 25th, 2009 at 5:02 am
I find this proper name/nick name/name them what you will call them discussion kind of interesting. I have a long “proper” name that is unusual where I grew up and I have had at least a dozen nick names reflecting my personality at that particular time of life or even my relationship with the person who calls me the nick name. People evolve, and so should nick names, a nick name suitable for a baby may not fit the toddler, pre-scholer or adult the baby becomes. I know a Madeleine who’s parents wanted to call her Maddie, but who very soon turned out to be a Lele instead (it just simply suited her personality better). I also know people named John who have gone through various stages of Johnny, Jo-jo, Jack, John and so on, not to mention several people who have had nick names that have nothing what so ever to do with their given name (proper or not). That is the reason I would gravitate towards giving a child a s.k. “proper” name rather than giving them a nick name, which may only be suitable during a certain part of their life. I think that people tend to forget, that children will one day (hopefully) grow up, and a “proper” name is more likely to grow with them.
That was my long rant on naming
March 25th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
As long as the name is not offensive, what does it matter? Unlike the family (if that’s what they are called) that named their two children, Adolf Hitler and Aryan Nation…Hmmm, would like to see those children when they are in High School?? They will be the ones ostratized….
March 26th, 2009 at 8:12 am
I think she should’ve just gone with the nickname, Finn. I’m a Samantha and everyone always calls me Sam. Also, when I have a daughter, I want to name her Cate instead of Catherine because it’s too traditional for me but still want to honor a family name. I don’t see anything wrong with it.
March 26th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
i think julia’s kids are nice and normal compared to other celeb names like moxie crimefighter…but i;m not one to chat cos i have four kids with unusual names: my eldest twin boys are Aryan Maddox and Jaeger Sauville(4yo) then its my girls Anais Nirvana(2yo) and Ledger Rose (2months)and i’m August Jagger Leigh Kahn. my mum wasnt thinking when she named her only daughter(me) that lolz
March 27th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
i think Finn and hazel are lovely names. my daughter is called Valkyrie Hazel and ive got a son called Valhalla James. her childrens name are wholesome and pure.