Gwen Stefani’s Wacky Baby Name … What Gives?
So … we now know that Gwen Stefani finally gave birth to her second child yesterday here in SoCal, that she birthed another son and decided to name him Zuma Nesta Rock … and now, the speculation as to the “why” begins, at least, until either Gwen or hubby Gavin Rossdale decide to enlighten us. At first, I assumed that Zuma meant that she gave birth to a baby girl. Pink reader Sajel sent me a link that confirms Zuma is, traditionally, considered a female name … but what about the rest of the newborn baby’s name … what gives?
What’s in a name? For Gwen Stefani’s newborn, Zuma Nesta Rock – plenty. Take the unique first name: Computer game aficionados may remember Zuma, a popular 2004 video game from PopCap Games. Zuma required players to remove balls rolling around the computer screen by firing a colored ball at them before they filled up the screen. A more likely name inspiration? Malibu’s famous Zuma Beach, a favorite destination for parents Gwen Stefani, Gavin Rossdale and big brother Kingston. The beach, famous for its surfable waves, was the inspiration for Neil Young’s album Zuma, making the locale a bona-fide musical landmark. And then there’s Nesta, Zuma’s middle name. Gwen and Gavin, avid Bob Marley fans, probably took a cue from the late singer’s middle name, which was also Nesta. Marley’s home base of Kingston, Jamaica, was an inspiration for big brother Kingston Rossdale’s name, so it seems Marley themes are popular in the Stefani-Rossdale household. Zuma’s second middle name, Rock, might be a nod to Rock Steady, the third studio album from Stefani’s band No Doubt. Rock Steady was primarily recorded in Jamaica and featured a reggae-heavy sound, rounding out the Bob Marley love for the musical clan.
Lord. Well, as far as baby names go, Zuma Nesta Rock’s isn’t the strangest … I think that distinction still belongs to actor Jason Lee’s son Pilot Inspektor Riesgraf. It’s not even the most absurd baby name that I’ve heard of lately … I would have to say that Matthew McConaughey’s older brother Rooster McConaughey (who has wacky name of his own, but doesn’t really count since it’s a nickname) naming his son Miller Lyte wins that contest. Even still, I can’t help but think that little Zima … sorry, Zuma is gonna have a lifetime of razzing coming his way. I just hope the kid learns how to defend himself early on … something tells me that his fair older brother, Kingston James McGregor, might not be that great of a protector. So … what do y’all think about this baby name?
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Tags: Gavin Rossdale, Gwen Stefani, Zuma Nesta Rock Stefani-Rossdale
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August 22nd, 2008 at 9:56 am
the first thing i thought of when i heard the name was zima, haha.
August 22nd, 2008 at 9:59 am
Like I said in the other post. I think of a combination of 3 things when I see this name.
1. Zima,
2. Puma shoes
3. Mazda zoom zoom commercials.
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:04 am
It reminds me of the song Rump Shaker by Wreckx-N-Effect-
“All I wanna do is zoom-a-zoom-zoom-zoom and a poom-poom”
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:04 am
Katrina Gonzales won’t be liking this new name!!!!
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:19 am
Obviously people are going to call him “Zoom” for short…. and that just sounds like a dog name. Seriously, these celebrities need to be a little more thoughtful of their offspring.
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:25 am
For the love of all that is holy! Why do parents do this to their children? I’m just amazed that they thought this was an appropriate name for a human being. C’Mon now! But I guess it truly could have been worse (i.e. Jason Lee should be shot for naming his child that!).
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:25 am
Seriously, wth is wrong with NORMAL NAMES?! I understand that these kids are the elite of American society, but damn! Would giving them a name that would NOT result in their being pummeled daily if they had to go to public schools with normal kids be so unbearable? And do they really need like four names? These kids are really going to have complexes when they grow up.
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:32 am
So sad!
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:33 am
where are these names coming from? these names celebs are coming up with these days are cruel. How can you even think or cross your mind of calling your child zuma. I hope she has a very good explanation. poor kid.
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:38 am
Zuma is interesting I quite like it. It’s a good stage name as well ^^
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:39 am
MAYBE THE BABY WAS CONCEIVED ON ZUMA BEACH, KINGSTON WAS CONCEIVED IN JAMAICA…..
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:44 am
LOL, that’s absolutely HILARIOUS! Ahahahahahaahahaha. I really got a kick out of that one. Best of luck to the kid! ;)
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:45 am
yeah for gwen and gavin!! but come on now the first thing i thought when my bestie jenn told me was you got to be effing kidding me?!
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:48 am
After seeing the name, I will always associate it with the game. Like someone said before what happened to name your child some more traditional names? Geesh
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:57 am
Nesta is my girl bulldog’s name! I think it was actually Bob Marley’s first name, before a name change.
August 22nd, 2008 at 11:01 am
Horrible name, i mean what is the idea of the celebrities naming there babys like they were naming a thing, zuma nesta, i speak spanish and that sounds to me like suma resta, wich is maths lol, and rock common!!!
poor child
August 22nd, 2008 at 11:08 am
Celebrities are so stupid. I think I’d be happy if another celebrity decided to name his or her unborn child “Nameless”. Considering that Pilot Inspektor and Rumer and other stupid shitty names are already taken, Nameless wouldn’t be too bad.
August 22nd, 2008 at 11:09 am
Very ugly. I was hoping that maybe the press got it wrong or just made it up. Poor kid.
August 22nd, 2008 at 11:10 am
Its terrible. Gwen and Gavin were very selfish for their decision to choose this name.
August 22nd, 2008 at 11:24 am
Penn Gilette deserves a crazy baby name award for his daughter Moxie Crimefighter as well.
Poor Zuma. Absolutely terrible.
August 22nd, 2008 at 11:34 am
maybe it is just a big joke and it really isn’t the kids name…i doubt it but just maybe? Even Nesta Rock would have been better with out the ZUUUUMMMMAAA!!
August 22nd, 2008 at 11:39 am
LOL. These poor kids. Funny, I was reading your post about the name and was thinking the EXACT same thing with the Zima and Nestea. That poor child. They can’t be serious names. Maybe they tell the press those are the kids’ names to keep their privacy??? Surely they cannot be that cruel. Rooster isn’t a nickname?
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:17 pm
You can’t forget the legendary names that Frank Zappa left his progeny.
-Moon Unit
-Dweezil (whose birth certificate actually reads Ian Don Calvin Euclid Zappa because the nurse wouldn’t admit his wife until she changed her mind on naming the child Dweezil. His names come from all the male musicians that Zappa could rattle off. They still called him Dweezil.)
-Ahmet
-Diva Muffin
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Homer Laffoon, now that is just mean
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:42 pm
ROTFL!!!!!
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I like the game Zuma on yahoo games. That is what I thought of first.
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:54 pm
I was given an unusual name and I love it.
Celebs can name their kids whatever they want, those children live in a different world all together from us.
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:25 pm
I think of musical ditties like…”Who’s zoomin’ who?” (Aretha Franklin) and the theme song from the kids show Zoom (”Come on and zooma, zooma, zooma, zoom!”). ugghh.
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Craziest baby name is Shannyn Sossamon’s kid: Audio Science. What the heck?
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:54 pm
You all act like this kid is actually going to attend public school. Right……………
August 22nd, 2008 at 2:00 pm
ZUMA in the phils was the name of one of our classic comic stories…ZUMA was a snake man; his whole body was green with scales and a 2-headed snake on his neck–end-to-end (that doesnt seem to have a tail).
so it was the first thing that went into my head! hahah snake-man/boy!
but i still love gwen and gavin and the lil guys!
August 22nd, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Zuma is an addicting online puzzle game. I didn’t know that it was suitable for a first name. Who is going to further to him as Zuma, because first and foremost he is Gwen’s Stefani’s child. That until he follows Milley Cyrus’ playbook and become a tween heartthrob in 9-15 years.
August 22nd, 2008 at 2:18 pm
I’m so disappointed. I always thought they were above the whacky names. There are so many cool names they could have chosen. And I was also hoping for a girl. :(
August 22nd, 2008 at 2:49 pm
I was so excited to find out what they named the baby. I am sooo disapointed and surprised. Kingston is such a cool name. Zuma, not so much. Good thing he will be cute.
August 22nd, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Nesta is Bob Marley’s middle name and Kingston is Bob Marleys home country Jamaica’s capital.
August 22nd, 2008 at 3:25 pm
i had really thought Gwen had more sense than most than to go and name her baby zuma! that is a wretched name! even if it does ahve 50 sentimental reasons behind it! i work at a dog spa and there are not even any DOG”S NAMED ZUMA! come the f on gwen, thats bad. poor baby….
August 22nd, 2008 at 6:18 pm
[...] “Hi, my name is … Zuma.” *thwack* August 23, 2008 at 11:18 am | In Comments on the lives of Celebrities, Random Thoughts | It would have been cooler if she’d named her kid Numa Numa Rossdale instead. Click. [...]
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:25 pm
if they love bob marley so much, why not call him “marley”??
i think its selfish of gwen/gavin to name their child this. its horrible.
though the weirdest name given to a child, i think, was “talula does the hula from hawaii.” i kid you not. parents in new zealand actually named their daughter this, and the courts actually made the girl a ward of the state so her named could be changed!
August 23rd, 2008 at 6:01 am
Musicians have been giving their kids weird names forever… remember Frank Zappa’s kids? Dweasle & Moon Unit? I think they are all just trying to out-do eachother and make sure their kids are completely original.
August 24th, 2008 at 7:35 am
You can always tell which stars smoke weed (at the VERY least) by what they name their kids. Geezus.
August 24th, 2008 at 11:09 am
I dont think Zuma is that bad of a name.
And Jason Lee does not hold the honor of worst child’s name. As someone mentioned earlier, Frank Zappa’s kids have suffered child abuse with their names: Diva Muffin, Dweasle, Moon Unit. THAT is the pot talking.
Also Jermaine Jackson named his kid Jermajesty.
And even though this isnt as bad, David Bowie named his kid. Zoe. Zoe Bowie. I think Zoe changed the name.
August 24th, 2008 at 11:13 am
I just found out that Rachel Griffiths named her kid Banjo.
August 24th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Well , in South Africa , Zuma is the last name of possibly our next unwanted president, Jacob Zuma , whos been accused of rape and corruption. He’s the only Zuma to make international news. I wonder if Gav and Gwen picked up on all the scandalous coverage on BBC and thought Zuma was a cute name?
September 7th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I LOVE THE NAME!!! im naming my boy Zola!!
i really am! but no one would dare punch Gwen stefani and Gavin rossdale’s KIDS!