Jason Bateman & his wife welcome daughter… Maple Sylvie

I always forget how attractive Jason Bateman is until I look at photos of him. Did that make sense? I’m writing in a lust-haze. Like, in my general memory of Jason Bateman, I see his vampire face (he’s seriously ageless), and I think “Funny. Sweet. Talented. Good guy.” But then I look at photos of him and I think “OMG, HOT.”

Anyway, last August, Jason and his wife Amanda Anka announced that they were expecting another baby. They are already parents to a 5-year-old girl, Francesca, and when they announced the second pregnancy, they confirmed that they were expecting another girl. Well, Amanda gave birth last Friday! And they named their second daughter… MAPLE.

Double the daughters for Jason Bateman.

The actor and wife Amanda Anka welcomed a baby girl, Maple Sylvie Bateman, on Friday, Feb. 10 in Los Angeles, the Horrible Bosses star’s rep confirms to PEOPLE.

The new addition joins big sister Francesca Nora, 5.

Anka’s pregnancy was announced in August by her father, singer Paul Anka, who said, “I’m going to be a grandfather again!”

Bateman and Anka, both 43, were married in July 2001.

[From People Magazine]

Maple Sylvie. Not even Sylvia. And MAPLE? As in, maple syrup? As in, “What everyone is going to call your daughter for the next 20 years of her life”?? That’s just going to be her name as soon as she gets to school – “Syrup.”

For a second there I was all, “Hey, did they name her Maple because one of them is Canadian?” Because Maple = Canadian, in my mind. But no – they’re both Americans. I have no idea why “Maple”. Much less “Maple Sylvie.” Maple Bateman? It sounds like Maple Bacon. Mmm… bacon.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

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109 Responses to “Jason Bateman & his wife welcome daughter… Maple Sylvie”

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  1. LeManda says:

    OH NO!! That’s HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  2. MollyB says:

    I thought they were one of the good ones, with the lovely Francesca. Maple? Not cool.

  3. CC Ley says:

    Isn’t Jason Bateman’s wife the daughter of Paul Anka? Anka was Canadian, born in Ottawa. I think he became an American citizen several years ago…

  4. bondbabe says:

    Really? What an awful name!! Poor child. And yes, if she’s flat-chested, she’ll be teased with “Hey, Maple Syrup, where’s your pancakes?” or something along that line….

    • mia girl says:

      I just almost did a spit take on my computer screen!

      Reminds me of an old SNL skit with Nicolas Cage where he and his wife are trying to agree on baby names. He finds a way to claim that kids will mock the child for almost every name she proposes. Come to find in the end when a delivery guy comes to the door that Cage has the worst name ever: Azwipe Johnson… or as pronouced by the delivery guy Asswipe Johnson.

  5. Natalie says:

    I know a few ladies named Maple, and all are lovely. But I AM Canadian, so there’s that.

    • Kaiser says:

      LOL. “Maple” = popular girl’s name in Canada. You can’t make this sh-t up.

      • Jackie says:

        lol. i am canadian, and if a trend starts of us naming our girls maple, i may have to think about emigrating.

        bateman IS totally hot.

      • LeManda says:

        I’m Canadian and have yet to meet anyone named Maple???

      • Elizabeth says:

        Another Canadian here. Would never name a kid Maple. The Toronto Maple Leafs are a terrible hockey team! That name may turn out to be a curse – it was for the hockey team.

      • Jeneral says:

        I’m Canadian too, and I love me some maple syrup. And maple ice cream. And maple candy. And maple-flavoured anything at all, because I’d like to drown in a vat of maple when it’s my time.
        I would never, ever name a child maple, however. Even if I got to sleep with Jason Bateman all the time and have his children. Nope.

    • Rachel says:

      Are you sure you’re not thinking of the much more common name, Mabel? Kind of sounds like Maple, but it’s an actual name instead of a tree or a syrup.

    • Ruffian9 says:

      Huh. Born & bred Ottawa girl here; Never heard Maple as a given name before.

      Oh, and Francesca is gorgeous

    • Lexi says:

      moi aussi! I have never heard that name ~ it’s the Sylvie that makes it really bad….but never as bad as Apple Martin ~ lol

    • susan says:

      My cat is named Maple – it’s a great name….for a CAT!

  6. Devon says:

    Her dad is Canadian, the one and only Paul Anka. Maybe that’s why? Maple isn’t totally weird but really?

    • kristipistol says:

      Then maybe it’s after a grandmother or something like that

      • dizzy says:

        As a Canadian, Maple is Not a womans name here! It sounds very silly. Other tree names: Willow is nice can anyone think of other ones?

  7. nina says:

    meh, maple’s at least cute for a weirdo celebrity name. It’s kinda an endearment like honey and pumpkin. It beats Apple for sure.

    And I will forever love him for Arrested Development.

  8. veepoppy says:

    She’s Paul Anka’s daughter, and he’s originally from Canada, so maybe that’s it? And Sylvie is the French version of Sylvia, so … also vaguely Canadian? Can’t say I approve of the name Maple, though. As for Jason, however, I approve. Yes.

    • MW says:

      A thought just came to me! There is a tree called the Silver Maple. Now why that tree is possibly so significant to Bateman and wife that they basically named their child that, I have no idea. I guess it beats “Ash Wipe” though.

  9. Mel says:

    I have given a lot of thought to naming a future daughter Maple. Robert Frost has a poem about a woman named Maple and I have always liked it, but it is eccentric. I do love the name Sylvia and I’ll probably name my daughter that, if I have one. I wouldn’t pick the name Sylvie, but I have no problem with it for other people. Too bad her name isn’t Sylvie Maple. It’s good to have the crazy there, but tucked away.

    • Lee says:

      totally agreed that Sylvie Maple probably would have been better. Oh well.

      Personally, my wife is francophone and I’m anglo, so I’m determined to choose bilingual names for our children and have often considered Sylvie for a girl. That, or Florence. or Eloise. so pretty.

      • SLM says:

        Our daughter is Sylvie, which is the shortened version of her full name. We get lots of compliments on it and it suits her.

  10. sm255 says:

    Hey, I can take Maple Sylvie over Blue Ivy any day.

  11. Buffy says:

    All I’ll hear is Maple Syrup Bacon from now on. 😉

  12. MariPily says:

    I don’t know, but I kinda like it. But I’m partial to tree names, like Rowan and Laurel and even Magnolia, lol.

    • I know a family where the children are named after trees: Willow, Rowan, Alden, Maple, and Ash (Alden and Ash are boys). I also know a family who named their kid after JRR Tolien characters: Arwen, Arien, Peregrin, and Sam.

  13. It is ME!! says:

    Francesca is ADORABLE!!!

  14. Rita says:

    They certainly don’t seem like the typical Hollywood couple. The bottom pic has a whiff of Walmart-Cramps to it, if you know what I mean.

    Anyway, married 11 years and still having babies is a good sign.

    Maple will become Mapes soon enough.

  15. Rhiley says:

    He is cute. I used to love Valerie and then Valerie’s Family. Oh, and Silver Spoons. I didn’t watch Arrested Development so forgot completely about him until Juno. I think his sister, Justine, is also really attractive and am kind of surprised she hasn’t had the low key indie success a la Parker Posey or Mary Louise Parker. His wife has serious bitch face, though. She may be a completely lovely person but based on these pictures she does not look like what I imagine his type to be.

  16. fabgrrl says:

    Meh. She can turn the “p” upside down adn reverse the last two letters and be “Mabel”.

  17. Sam says:

    After receiving an invitation for another baby shower for a baby “Ava” I am happy with the name Maple. Its cute and sweet and unique. So is Maple Bacon.. seriously who doesn’t like pancakes and bacon.

    • Lini says:

      What’s wrong with Ava? I think it’s a lovely name 🙁

      • MariPily says:

        I think Sam means that it’s over-used. I know about ten Ava’s, all under ten years old. I think Ava is a pretty name, but it’s not as unique as Maple. I named my 3 year old daughter Peyton,thinking it would be unique and different. Now I’ve discovered that it’s gaining popularity, where it’s moving into the Madison/Taylor/Brianna territory. I almost wish I’d gone with an unusual name like Maple.

    • Rhiley says:

      @MariPily: I know far too many Madisons and Jacksons.

      • NaomiCampbellsPhone says:

        My friends Mum is a primary school teacher with a class of 20. 5 of those kids are called Taylor. Damn you, Swifty!

      • Isa says:

        LOL! I have an Addison and Jackson.
        I knew Addison was pretty popular but I surprisingly didn’t know Jackson was. It was #2 on the baby name list last year. Of course, I didn’t decide to name him that until he was born. After I told everyone what his name was I had about 5 people tell me that they kenw someone with the same name.
        But I like what I like. If it bugs them they can always go by their lovely middle names.

    • Elizabeth says:

      Names are “cute, sweet and unique” when they are small children but eventually Maple will grow into a teenager and then an adult with all that goes with. What about later if she wants to go into the finance industry or have kids? “Hi, I’m Maple, I’m Sarah’s mom” or “Hi, I’m Maple, lets talk about your $1.7 million portfolio”. Not so unique and cute then. Maybe she’ll just use her middle name. I was called Beth by my family but go by Elizabeth now. Its a grown up name and I’m a grown up now.

  18. tracking says:

    How unfortunate for that poor child!! Maple ‘Bacon’–what the what?!?!

  19. Reece says:

    It’s cute! But she’s totally gonna be Maple Syrup & Bacon in school. lol
    Oh well, we all had to go thru it.

  20. mia girl says:

    Congrats to Jason Bateman & his wife.

    Bateman is so awesome and definitely one of the most under-rated actors around today. His comedic tone and timing is pure art.

  21. bored says:

    The wife is an odd looking gal.

  22. Zelda says:

    I always think of Maple as a “real” name–just an older one…no?

    But then, I’m Canadian, so maybe that is just here.

    In any case, I like “Sylvie” so much more than “Sylvia”.

    And that is really common here. (And France, too, I’d imagine.)

  23. Cody says:

    Congratulations to Jason and his family. It is funny the names that some of these celebs name their kids. As a teacher, parents don’t realize when they name their children unusual names, the difficulty kids have in school with classmates.

  24. Ruby Red Lips says:

    Sylvie is pretty and not unusual, just an old-fashioned name thats really beautiful.

    Maple on the other hand – WTF??!!!! Hopefully she’ll be known as May

    Very odd choice after the lovely name Francesca Nora – has he become more famous since his first daughter was born???

  25. Agnes says:

    Poor girl, terrible name. But he’s so cute, he can get away with naming his kid something awful like that. haha

  26. Pia says:

    LOL I had a cat named Sylvie… and yeah, here in Maine near the Canadian border that name would be such a joke… she would be stuck with “Maple Syrup” for life 🙁 She could name her own daughter Maple Candy or Maple Sugar….

    Edit- though I do think Sylvie is a cute name and French names are very common around here.

  27. Erinn says:

    Oh hey now! Don’t pass this terrible name off on anything to do with Canada haha. I’ve never heard of a person named Maple, and I was born and raised here.

    I too came to the ‘Maple Bateman/Bacon’ connection however lol.

  28. jc126 says:

    Blech. But I really like him, so I give him a pass.

  29. Angela says:

    There is a poem by Robert Frost titled “Maple” about a girl named Maple. Maybe this inspired them?

  30. MJ says:

    Sylvie means “forest.” So her name is Maple Forest!

  31. Holly Hobby says:

    OMG that poor girl! You just named every school yard variation of her name. I bet they didn’t say her first name with the surname. Yup, sounds like Maple Bacon.

  32. Sue says:

    So one daughter gets a pretty name and the other is named after a tree? Stupid name……

  33. Jessica says:

    LOL – Maple Bacon!! You crack me up!!!

  34. Rosmarina says:

    Congratulations to the family!

    I’m guessing that the name should be pronounced ma-PLAY, right? Right?

    Or maybe she was conceived in Vermont?

  35. Kim says:

    Congrats to them. They seem like nice, down to earth, unaffected people which is rare in Hollyweird.

    I think Maple is kind of cute. Sounds southern & old fashioned.

  36. blonde on the dock says:

    I’ve never met anyone named Maple. I’m Canadian as well. His wife looks old enough to be his mother.

  37. considerit says:

    I love that name. Maple is a tree, not just a syrup. I think it’s really pretty.

  38. Jayna says:

    Francesca is gorgeous and what a beautiful name. Just think of the poor little sister then getting an awful name like Maple. It sounds like Mable. I hope she’s not homely with a name like Maple.

  39. Tiffany says:

    He is such a cutie!!! His manner just makes him so hot in my eyes. Love a funny man that likes to spar. 😉

    Maple is cute, IMO. Could be worse.

  40. Turd Fergussen says:

    I am stunned at the stupidity of celebrities. I love Bateman but apparently the dumb-ass gene all celebrities possess is alive and well, and naming a goddamned HUMAN BEING Maple is evidence of such.

  41. henny penny says:

    I think its a cute name, but I’m from Vermont. Its much better than Birch which I’ve heard one little boy called.

  42. Stacy Dresden says:

    I’m seeing an ad for maple syrup at the top of this page.

  43. deva says:

    I love Maple.

  44. Love Celebitchy :) says:

    i totally agree. i always forget how hot he is! 🙂

  45. kelly says:

    I have loved Jason Bateman since he was on Little House on The Prairie….what an adorable daughter they have!! I’m happy for them. I really like Justine Bateman, too.

  46. Isa says:

    Horrible name! Maple Bateman.
    But I do like Sylvie.
    And he is sooo cute! I adore him.

  47. kelly says:

    Francesca looks just like her daddy in the eyes, nose and shape of face, just not in the mouth…adorable!! Both!

  48. MoMo says:

    Lol I think ‘Maybe’ is a better sounding name for a child than ‘Maple’ (and I mean that as a zealot patriotic Canadian). Hell, they may as well have just called the poor kid ‘Poutine’ or ‘Hockey’ or ‘Beaver’ because she’ll fare about as well in life with the name they’ve given her.

  49. mk says:

    man, BOTH those names are on my list. hmph.

  50. Kel says:

    What is it with celebrities naming their children after food? Interesting. On the other hand, I love the name Sylvie. Good luck to the little one.

  51. UniqJazz says:

    I’m sorry but his wife is scary looking.

    • Amanda says:

      Agreed! Glad Francessca took after the Bateman side of the family. My mom just looked at the photo and said his Jason’s wife looks just like her mom – that would be Paul Anka’s wife, in case my rambling confused anyone. 🙂

      Poor Maple. I hope she goes by Sylvie or they come up with a cute nickname for her. What is it with these celebs trying to out-do each other with weird baby names?? I get it that they don’t want another Ava, Emma, Olivia, Jackson, Mason or Jacob, but come on….this is a name the poor kid wil have to have at least until he/she can legally change it. Being a kid is hard enough. Why would a parent do that to a kid???

      • UniqJazz says:

        Yeah i think she will end up saying her name is sylvie because it is less stupid than maple. I guess parents just want what they think is cute and don’t care what kids will say to her in school.

  52. ccoop says:

    Maple Syrup. That is what this poor child is destined to be called for the rest of her life. Could they not have named her Sylvie and left the Maple for the middle name? Could they even have managed to stay away from an “S” as a middle initial?

    Geez, if they wanted to give her some Canadian flair, why didn’t they just go all-in and name her Mountie?

  53. Sunny says:

    Love him, he is HOT and under-used in movies. His wife is odd looking. Doesn’t his sister Justine have odd names for her kids too. She is HOT, Justine that is. Shame she never became a star, I think she is a dress designer or artist?

  54. Anthony R says:

    I thought you were better than this, Bates, than to give your kid such a dumb Hollywood hippie name.

  55. NinaG says:

    I love Jason Bateman, I just saw him in the E.T comedy with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost ” Paul” His daughter looks so much like him she is a cutie pie!!! Congrats on the new baby Jason!

  56. JessSaysNo says:

    Wow. Nice name.

  57. Playlist says:

    Why do celebrities do this to their children?! This poor kid is going to get teasing over her breakfast name for years to come. They could have spared her by naming her Sylvie Maple Bateman instead.

  58. Courtney says:

    Shut up people Mayple isn’t as bad as some celeb kids get stuck with yes Amanda is one of Paul Anka’s 5 daughters and yes Paul was born in Ottowa Canada July 30th 1941. personally I like both their daughters names which don’t matter as long as mother and child are healthy

  59. happyrobot says:

    Eh, I don’t think it’s that bad of a name. It’s nature-y and has a nice sound, unlike the McBrynleighkylynnlee names most baby girls I meet have.

    Also, Bateman seems to be getting hotter. Yay for us!

    • heidiho says:

      Never met a Maple I didn’t like! I mean Mable of course the most popular girl name from 1917 Bateman is in the getting distinguished looking phase of your 40s men are blessed with whist we women are wizening and getting tired looking..

    • JessSaysNo says:

      OMG, I love your comment! So true– I am so sick of the McTambyrlee’s and Aiden/Jayden/Cayden/Brayden’s.

  60. HadleyB says:

    He is cute but has really aged lately. Showing it more, lots of sun damage and getting saggy.

    You can see it especially in close ups.

    I could care less what people name their kids.. celebs or not. I am only interested in what I am naming mine ..

  61. GoodCapon says:

    He never ages.

  62. Sunnyjyl says:

    Sylvie Maple totally makes sense, but Maple Sylvie is craaazy.

  63. Dana M says:

    I love Sylvie & Sylvia.

    Maple, not so much.

    I agree that the “Sylvie Maple ” combo would have worked better.

  64. Princess Lizabeth says:

    Mrs. Bateman has a not-so-friendly aura, IMHO. Might just be how she photographs. That’s really neither here nor there, though.

    Best wishes to them all!

  65. Jilly Bean says:

    Maple is to Canada is what the name Erin is to Ireland…

    Just long lost nostalgic ex-pats looking to show a direct line to the old country!

  66. Peanut says:

    Uhh, I know not one single Maple. But I know several Erin’s, including myself. Disagree with the “old-country” conclusion. Haha

  67. salamanca says:

    Weird.
    I so love Jason Bateman. He must be (a must!) very nice person. I see it in his eyes 😉

  68. CeeCee says:

    totally diggin the Bateman. I hope my husband looks that spunky at 43!

  69. erica says:

    I think it’s a cute name for some reason…would never have thought of it, but I like it.

    Also – JASON IS HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! omg, his wife is one lucky woman.

  70. Reel Wheel says:

    There has got to be some secret contest out there to be won by the celebrity who comes up with the most ridiculous name for their child every year.

  71. Lindy says:

    1. He is incredibly hot. Amazingly, beautifully, incredibly hot.
    2. Maple?! Blargh…. Poor child.