Well, there goes my dream for a baby Remy Martinez. Kiss Jean-Luc Martinez goodbye as well. Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez welcomed a baby boy on Saturday in LA, and while they confirmed the birth, there was no name announcement. I theorized that they would go with something French or French-sounding, just because of Olivier and maybe because of Halle’s dream of moving to Paris. Well, TMZ says the name is… Maceo?
Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez went back more than a thousand years to find a name for their new baby … TMZ has learned.
Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ … Halle and Olivier named their son MACEO ROBERT MARTINEZ.
The name was popular in the 9th through the 14th century.
As for the meaning of Maceo — Gift of God. The name is Spanish in origin. Olivier’s dad is Spanish. As for Robert — that’s the first name of Olivier’s dad.
The current version of Maceo is Matteo or Matthew. So bottom line — the name is all about Olivier.
If the origin is Spanish, I’m assuming that “Maceo” is pronounced “ma-SAY-oh” rather than my first reading of it, which was “ma-CHAY-oh”. What would Macheo be? Italian? Eh. And in the Castilian-accented Spanish, the name would be “ma-thay-oh” correct? I dislike Ma-thay-oh, but I think Ma-say-oh is alright. Maceo Martinez. Sounds like a Spanish superhero. I do love the name Robert for a middle name – it’s grounding.
If this is the name, that is. At the same time TMZ was reporting the big name reveal, People Mag was reporting that Halle and Olivier are going to wait to announce it. People’s sources also say that the name – not confirmed as Maceo Robert – will be “great in both the U.S. and France” and that they picked out the name “months ago.” Huh. Stay tuned, I guess. The name could change?
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I knew a Maceo in college. Pronounced May C O. I like the name.
No one will ever know how to pronounce it. Other than that, I actually like it. It’s a much better name than Nahla, Lion Princess.
I swear when I first first heard her name I had to wonder if she and Gabriel had a love of Disney movies together.
Actually i prefer Nahla,i found it so pretty ( i’ve totally forgotten the princess in the disney movie). It’s an arabic name and it means something like “the first sip of water”.
As for Remi, i’m french and i can tell you that today very few people would give this name to their son . I don’t know any little boy named Rémi. It was more common 25 or 30 years ago
On the other hand we have tons of Matthéo today.
ita i kind of like it and i like it 1000x better than nahla which always looks like a typo to me
I have gotten used to the name Nahla for the most part but a part of me always hears a deep country accent dragging out the name. It sounds like such a hick name. But I do think that little girl is so adorable and will grow up to be gorgeous. Hopefully she has someone around her to look up to since neither her parents or her “step-dad” seem to fit the bill.
I’m all for it.
My name is reflective of my heritage so I’m glad they opted for something similar.
My cat’s name is Maceo
and how do you pronounce it?
I like the name as well. I don’t.know why these people don’t release vital statistics at birth, no one would bother them. I think Matt Lauer’s youngest is name Matteo.
Matt Lauer’s youngest is actually named Thjs (sp). Is that his middle name? I’m not even sure how to spell or say all of this! And please do not think that I was being disrespectful by pointing this out :). Cheers, friend!
You’re right about Lauer and I think you spelled it correctly. I believe it’s pronounced TAY-us but I’m not sure. It’s Dutch.
Matt Lauer’s youngest is called Thijs (pronounced Ties) and it is indeed a Dutch name.
I like how celebs think they are so unique. So they went back to the 9th century really? From the comments on here it sounds like the name is quite active and very much in use in modern times. That being said I do like the name and sounds like they weren’t being stupid like Kim and Kanye when picking a name.
Like if they had named him Vodka Martinez? Gin Martinez?
I have a cousin who names all of her kids after her favorite liquor–she has five or six, but I can only remember one of the names—Cavassi (pronounced CAH VAH SEE AI) (not sure if I spelled it right, but it’s vodka), she calls him Vassi
@Virgilia: did anyone ever explain to her that the liquor is actually spelled Courvousier? It’s a type of cognac.
There is so much wrongness that just happened there. So very very muchful wrongness.
I think it’s a fine name and I have always like Nahla as well. If this little boy is half as beautiful as his sister he will one good looking guy.
Halle wore some of the prettiest maxi dresses when she was pregnant. I really love that flowy white dress in the pic.
Anyway, I like the name but I’ll wait for the official word before I believe it.
It was announced in “People” so it’s official.
I’m a little bit confused about the fact that people (from the US) wouldn’t know how to pronounce it. The only Maceo I heard about is the great Maceo Parker, american saxophonist who played for James Brown, Prince, was invited by Keith Richards, George Clinton and others on their albums.
Is this fantastic musician an absolute unknown in his country?Every person I know, vaguely interested in jazz or funk, knows Maceo Parker!
I remember Maceo Parker, with James Brown.
Maceo blow!
I love Maceo (may-see-oh) Parker. But I’m 50 Y/O. A lot of younger Americans do not listen to Jazz. There is very little exposure.
And maybe I’m wrong but isn’t this pronounced with the Spanish alphabet in mind….”mah-say-oh”?
I’m only 37 and know about him. But my father is a huge James Brown fan.
I just checked his wiki page and it says
“In July 2012 Parker was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from Victoires Du Jazz in Paris. He continues touring, headlining many jazz festivals in Europe.” That’s maybe a case of an artist more well known outside of his land. Many people of my age or younger in summer jazz festivals in Europe.
And, yes,in France it would be pronounced as you said.
I thought I was the only one who remembered Maceo Parker and the JB’s. James Brown “Maceo blow” on “Doin it to death aka: Gonna have a Funky Good Time”. R&b soul classic. Still get up and groove to this song.
I know about him and he’s the person I thought of when I heard the kid’s name. I think Parker pronounced it MAY-cio.
Ahh, I was hoping something like Didier Martinez or Enzo Martinez.
Two douchebags have a baby!
I *love* the name Maceo (Mah-Say-Oh)! Our neighbors had that name for their son and when I was pregnant I was SO tempted to use it for my boy, but went with Matteo instead (and it turns out that another neighbor used “Mateo” for their son born a few weeks after ours). No big deal since we are the only ones still in the neighborhood ;).
Love them both, but curious as well as to how they will pronounce it
I think it’s ma-THAY-oh – it’s the spanish version of matteo (french) and martinez’s dad is from Spain, so the lisp-y pronunciation would seem to be right.
Only if the use the Catalan pronunciation.
love her style and way of dress even when pregnant. even though she is crazy and I don’t like short hair. he has lost all hot and his outfit is the worst. those cuffed jeans !!!