When Courtney Cox mentioned it on Cougar Town, I thought this name must be on the verge. And the Sherlock Holmes reboot put the character’s creator in the spotlight. But I think this makes it official: Selma Blair has welcomed a son called Arthur.

His full name is Arthur Saint Bleick. No word yet on whether Saint is a family name, or if the Blair-Bleicks are following the Beckham family’s lead and choosing stylish-but-safe first names paired with way-out-there middles.

I’m wildly biased in favor of Arthur, of course – it is shared by no fewer than three of my favorite guys, including my dear, departed grandfather. But with ends-in-r names feeling very current these days, Arthur gets extra points.

Congratulations to Selma and Jason! What do you think of their pick?

About Abby Sandel

Whether you're naming a baby, or just all about names, you've come to the right place! Appellation Mountain is a haven for lovers of obscure gems and enduring classics alike.

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What do you think?

28 Comments

  1. Love Arthur. Love it. But I’m a fan of all sorts of “old man” names – Stanley, Walter, etc. The world could do with more Arthurs!

  2. I have no idea who Selma Blair is – but Arthur is super cool. I spotted it on one of the name tags on the wall of my daughter’s school and did suggest it to my hubby – but he doesn’t like it.

    1. Selma is an american born actress. Her more notable movies include: Legally Blonde and The Sweetest Thing.

  3. I am pleasantly surprised! I thought Selma would choose a trendy Boho Chic name, not a steadfast classic. My Dad’s family has used Arthur as a middle name for generations and it was also my other Grandpa’s middle name. Arthur doesn’t work well with my surname, but it’s still a middle name possibility.

    Saint is an fascinating choice for a Jewish baby — does anyone know what religion Jason Bleick’s is?

    1. Selma has an older sister named Marie, also an odd name for a Jewish child. I have a girlfriend who refused to date anyone not Jewish because she knew she wouldn’t marry a gentile, and yet she named her son Ryan. Sometimes people just pick names they like. 🙂

  4. I really do not like Arthur but I can see why people who like old fashioned names would like it. For me, it’s stuck in “old man’s name” land. Saint is just weird middle name.

  5. I think I would like Arthur more if I personally had someone cool or interesting to associate the name with. Saint is okay as a middle name, but the same could be said for pretty much any name.

    BTW, Blair is actually Selma’s middle name, not her last.

  6. Named our son, James Arthur, 8 years ago. People were always taken aback when they heard the “Arthur” part (which we used when he was doing something he shouldn’t . . . which was/is a lot). James Arthur! A rather regal-sounding admonishment, no? It worked (and still does on occasion)!

  7. I also really like Arthur and I don’t have a problem with Saint as a middle, it is definitely tame compared to a lot of starbaby names and I think it has a great sound. Reminds me of the movie Charlie Saint Cloud (though not exactly the same).

  8. My grandfather was Arthur Leroy (and yes, my great-grandmother treated her only boy like a king, according to the family). I think this is one of those retro-cool names on the rise, although I wouldn’t use it. I heard too many stories from my great aunts about “Farty Arty”.

  9. This is such a cool name – this is my favourite American celebrity baby name for 2011, so far.

  10. I adore the name Arthur! Great choice. It’s becoming pretty popular again here in the UK. Strangely enough I found a boy called William Saint yesterday whilst compiling my “Finds from 1841” list.