Why did Jessica Simpson name her daughter ‘Maxwell Drew’?

Yesterday, Jessica Simpson gave birth at long last. It felt like she was gestating for more than a year, especially considering I (correctly) called Bump Watch on Jessica way back in September of last year – because she already looked three months along at that point. It’s totally fun to go back and look at the photos of Jessica in her first trimester – she was showing so early! That’s why people think she was pregnant for so long. As for the name – Maxwell “Maxi” Drew Johnson – well, there are some complaints. Us Weekly explains why Jessica and Eric chose the name:

Jessica Simpson’s name for her baby girl, Maxwell Drew Johnson, has received mixed reviews from her fans. But the name is very special to her family! The new mom and her fiance Eric Johnson welcomed Maxwell into the world on Tuesday morning.

Announcing the birth on her website, the singer and designer wrote, “Eric and I are elated to announce the birth of our baby Maxwell Drew Johnson 9 lbs. 13 oz. 21 3/4.”

Both the Johnson and Simpson family names are carried on with the couple’s new daughter. Maxwell is Eric’s middle name and his grandmother’s surname. Maxwell takes her middle name from maternal grandmother Tina Simpson, whose maiden name is Drew.

Without revealing the name, Simpson talked about the baby name in the April issue of Elle saying, “It’s nothing shocking and nothing you’ll have to add to the dictionary. Still, when people hear it they’ll know … why.”

[From Us Weekly]

Now that I know that it’s a “family name” I like it a bit more. I like the idea of naming a kid after a grandparent or beloved aunt or something like that. But naming a baby girl her father’s middle name? Eh. I truly thought there would be a more Southern flavor to the name – like, Something Leigh or Magnolia BBQ.

Oh, and Hollywood Life claims Jessica is staying in a three-room maternity suite at Cedar-Sinai in LA at a cost of $3,784 a day. I still think Jessica probably had a C-section.

Us Weekly also has a story in which Jessica’s mother, Tina, was overheard talking about her newborn granddaughter, saying: “Maxwell is so precious and peaceful.” And just hours before Jessica gave birth, the Simpson family and the Johnson family all had breakfast together. An eyewitness says: “The party included Joe and Tina Simpson. They all sat at a corner table together and were in good spirits. The family was joking about astrological signs and what traits various family members had, and what the new baby could be like. Tina said she felt Jessica was in good spirits while others joked Eric seemed to be the nervous one.” A May 1st birthday means little Maxi is a Taurus. It’s a good sign – I have a lot of Tauri in my life. They’re all stubborn but generous people.

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and WENN.

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57 Responses to “Why did Jessica Simpson name her daughter ‘Maxwell Drew’?”

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  1. brin says:

    I was hoping Drew wasn’t for Drew Lachey…that would have been awkward!

    • Lol says:

      I totally thought that too. She’s after naming her child after her ex brother in law haha 🙂

    • EmmaStoneWannabe says:

      Too bad Eric’s middle name isn’t Nick. “Maxwell Nick Johnson.” That would have had tongues wagging for sure.

    • Cooper Lucy says:

      Drew after Drew Lachey was my immediate thought too! Also, if she had breakfast only “hours before” then she did not have a scheduled c-section. With a c-section there is nothing to eat after midnight the night before.

      • the original bellaluna says:

        Mine was an ER C-section, and there was still no eating, because I had been in labour for 36 hours (35 of which were at home).

  2. Look, anyone can spell it and pronounce it. In those areas alone Jessica is way ahead of the celebrity name game. It’s not Audio Science, Moxie Crimefighter, Blu Bear (which I swear Alicia stole from Disney’s Bear In A Big Blue House), Pilot Inspector, or Kal-El. By the time the little girl hits school she may very well be going by “Max”. It’s way cuter on a girl, but I really like Maxwell and Drew.

  3. Miss Lafleur says:

    Congratulations Jessica! Glad mom and baby are healthy and happy! Now let’s leave her alone about the baby weight for a while people. Empower and support women! Don’t criticize and knock the down. Except those filthy KKK bitches of course ( hehe).

  4. jc126 says:

    Yes, knowing those are family names makes the name choice significantly less annoying lol.

    • Iggles says:

      Eh, still she could of reversed the order! Because of Drew Barrymore I have an easier time associating “Drew” with a girl’s name. As a first name “Maxwell” is MASCULINE and there’s no getting around that!

      I understand they wanted family names, but why not use the FIRST NAME of his grandmother???

      Not all surnames double as good given names – for example, what if his grandmother’s surname was “Barrington” or “Hutchinson”?

      • Marley says:

        A lot of girls end up with Masculine names in the south though… Hartley is my best friend’s daughter’s name and its because that is her maiden name since she wanted to carry on the family name as the only child. We call her Harts and she’s adorable. I prefer Maxwell to Apple or Moon Unit or Mabel. Regardless, that baby is gonna be precious!

      • The Bobster says:

        She named a GIRL after Maxwell Smart and Drew Carey? Maxine would’ve been a better choice.

  5. Cathy says:

    Congratulations to the family. I’m glad both mother and baby are happy and healthy.

  6. Jessica says:

    Because she carried that baby, she can name that child whatever she wants!!!

  7. FFS says:

    Let’s stop confusing Texas with the South. They are way more fucked up than us these days. Except maybe Tennessee. Them pesky T states!

  8. tifygodess24 says:

    I was secretly hoping her name would be Margarita Macallan – I kid lol.

    It is common practice in many Countries to use family members middle names and last names as future first names for children. I have quite a few friends who have done that as a way to honor their family/culture. I think its sweet. Now with that said, sometimes it doesn’t work out so well for little girls if the names are very masculine, kind of like the names Jessica picked. But atleast it’s not Toilet Paper holder or Clothes Hanger – hello typical hollyweird names.

  9. lola says:

    why did she named her baby maxwell drew?
    coz she can???????its her baby!!!
    congrats jessica,love you girl!!

  10. Zelda says:

    “In honour of where we met, we named our kid ‘Match.Com’. Other people might find it weird, because they don’t get the MEANING. Of course, if it had been a boy, he’d have been ‘Compatible Profile’.”

    Yeah, no, meaning my ass. An annoying name is an annoying name.

    • lola says:

      its annoying to you coz its not your baby!!
      we all have the right to name our babies like we want!!who care about what others thinks?

      • Tapioca says:

        Maxi Johnson might care once she turns eighteen and realises she’s stuck with a lifetime of “Hey Sugartits, wanna cop a feel of my Maxi Johnson?!!” every time she walks past a drunken gentleman.

        Even slightly porny names are best avoided!

      • Zelda says:

        I’m not saying she shoud care what we think, nor did I say anywhere in my post that she can’t name her baby what ever she wants.

        I basically said that you CAN name your baby whatever you want, and that your personal reasons for doing so will not change whether or not people like the name.

      • Iggles says:

        No, its not fair to you kid to name them whatever you want. THEY’RE the ones saddled with that name for life! That is why this decision is an important one!

    • Linney says:

      Annoying? Really? You don’t have to live with her or call her it so why do you care enough to call it annoying? That’s just silly.

      • Zelda says:

        I’m not saying she should care, or change her mind based on public opinion, or that it affects my life in any way. Nowhere did I say that.

        I said people’s personal reasoning for naming a child does not affect whether or not I like the name. I can like or not like it, whether I use it or not. Saying I can’t dislike something because I’m not using it on a daily basis is just silly.

      • Sara says:

        It is annoying & if they plan on having more kids like maybe a boy then she shouldn’t have saddled her daughter with a boy name. I mean is she gonna name her son “Tina”

    • Katren says:

      Totally agree. I have a distant relative called Jamesina, doesn’t mean I’m going to saddle a child with that ridiculousness.

      And even though I don’t have an issue with Jessica, I can’t believe some of the people on here saying we have no right judging the name, but then going on to say “at least it’s not Pilot Inspektor!!!” Yes that’s worse, but don’t say not to judge a name then judge someone else’s. It’s a dated boys name on a girl, its terrible and if you don’t want to see people being judgemental, remember: this is celeBITCHY!

      • Marley says:

        lol I went to high school in Idaho and this girl on my friends list who fancies herself a “thuggette” (in the idaho, non urban kind of way.) named her 100% white son Keeondre. That poor child.

  11. stephanie says:

    looks like me and maxi share a birthday.

    • Ana says:

      Happy Belated B-day then! 🙂

      I just realized her baby and my mom share the same birthday as well!

  12. Dee Cee says:

    She lost a possible Folgers endorsement..

  13. mel2 says:

    I luv the name and hope she will call her Maxi, that’s cute.

  14. Sm says:

    Not a fan of the name, but at least it has significance fur family reasons.

  15. Mitch Buchanan Rocks says:

    From having a name that is similar and going through school being called Maxi-pad it is not fun – Jessica and Eric should rename themselves something idiotic to match the name they chose for their child, after this debacle I’m re-naming them ham and cheese.

  16. Sumodo1 says:

    Why did she name her baby Maxwell Drew? Because Maxwell House was already taken.

  17. Anastasia says:

    Maxi Johnson?

    It’s a name you might see in certain film credits, but hey I’m happy for her. I bet she’ll make a great mom.

  18. Isa says:

    I would’ve saved that name for my first born son. And if I didn’t have a son, well then I wouldn’t have used the name! 🙂

  19. lucy2 says:

    At least they have a reason, and I do like using family names – if they’re good names. I also don’t mind traditionally boys names for girls, but I’m not crazy about “Maxwell Drew”.
    As far as a celeb baby name though, it’s not bad.

  20. tia says:

    Who cares why
    Its her child , she will do as she pleases.

  21. sorella says:

    A Taurus, oh I SO HOPE her kid prefers sneakers to heels and is a tomboy LOL because there is no way in hell she will ever get a stuboorn Taurus to do something she want her to do. Ever. Like a bull they are.

  22. Chrissy says:

    There are about fifty comments on how it’s her baby, she has to live with it, blah blah blah. Well, duh. But this is a gossip website for expressing one’s opinion so: I don’t like last names as first names, especially for girls. That’s my opinion so you can all live with that!

  23. Ginger says:

    I’m a Taurus too 🙂 And yes we are stubborn but also fiercely loyal and generous. I wish them all well!!

  24. Tara says:

    Whatever. She’ll be cute, rich and known as Maxi. Certainly worse things happen.

  25. Skinnybetch says:

    Her boobs look huge in that red dress!

  26. Belle Epoch says:

    So far no one has commented on the obvious Maxi Pad teasing this kid will get, not to mention she was a healthy and Maxi-sized baby. Maxi Johnson is a NIGHTMARE.

    Jessica is dumber than dirt so probably none of these scenarios dawned on her.

    Now we won’t see her for 4 months until the Big Reveal. Hope she is breast feeding – without Scotch!

  27. Rory says:

    I kind of like it. It’s original and different. How many of you realize that Ashley, Vivian, Evelyn, Courtney and Whitney were originally boys’ names? True, that. Ethyl Kennedy named her youngest girl Rory; that’s a boy’s name meaning Red King, and no one batted an eye then.

  28. Chris says:

    According to sources close to the family Jess and her partner are both big fans of The Drew Carey Show and Get Smart. They couldn’t decide on whether to name the baby Max or Drew, so they went with both.

  29. Kat says:

    One rule that basically all baby naming books suggest is that, if you’re going to give your female child a traditionally masculine first name, her middle name should be feminine. Maxwell Ashlee–after her auntie? Maxwell Tina–after Grandma? Sure. But Maxwell Drew is two traditional male names in a row. How are people supposed to know, by the name, that this is a girl? One or the other, but not both. Tsktsk.

    • LoveMyCop says:

      I have twins, a boy & girl. We named our daughter Peyton, which is traditionally a boys name (although becoming very popular for girls, lately), & her middle name is Lynn (after my father). I guess I missed that memo from the baby naming books.

  30. Mario says:

    She gave it that name because she’s a brain dead idiot.

  31. SJI says:

    My Mother joked that they will be calling her daughter “Maxi Pad” in school one day.

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  33. KStang says:

    Choice between a boy’s name or the nickname Maxi (pad)? Nice. Thanks mom and dad. Thanks alot.
    ~Maxwell Drew Johnson

  34. B a H says:

    I think she should have called her Maxine like after the little deaf girl from “Orphan” and just call her Max. I think Max is good for both genders.

  35. jennifer says:

    she had maxi on my 19th birthday! How great! We are may babies (: