Fame/Flynet

Pharrell Williams is topping the charts with two hot summer songs Blurred Lines with TI and Robin Thicke and Daft Punk’s Get Lucky. The prolific musician has a 4 year old son with fiancée Helen Lasichanh and even included a song for him on the Despicable Me soundtrack.  Even with all his work in pop, we were surprised to find out that his son is named after an Elton John song.

Nope, it’s not Bennie. Pharrell Williams’ son is named Rocket Man Williams. Though the couple are pretty quiet about their personal lives and have never officially announced the name (some sources spell Man as Mann), it appears the little boy goes by Rocket and according to Pharrell’s appearance on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live last year the child was indeed named for Elton John’s song.

Celebs taking naming inspiration from a musician or song is not that unusual, if the Jaggers, Dylans, Lennons and Jonis are any indication. Of recent births inspired by actual songs we can recall Phaedra but not many others. If Pharrell and Helen have another child, they will have many names to choose from even if they stay within Elton’s ouvre: Bennie, Daniel, Jeannie, Nikita or even Tiny Dancer could be a pick for baby number two.

As anyone named Michelle or Jessie knows, having a name that is celebrated in a pop song can be a mixed blessing.

What do you think of the name Rocket Man? Do you have a favorite song-inspired name?

--H.A.