'Handmaids' Star Samira Wiley Explains Why Her Daughter's Name Is George

Samira Wiley says people have been “very confused” by the unusual name choice

The Handmaid’s Tale star Samira Wiley is explaining why she and wife Lauren Morelli chose their baby girl’s unique name. The couple welcomed daughter George Elizabeth last month, and proud new mom Wiley discussed the moniker in an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

“People are very confused, some people, by it,” Wiley confessed to Kimmel, but the explanation is a whole lot simpler than you might think.

“I really wish that I had some really in-depth story to tell people about George,” she said. “‘Cause I know that’s what people want, you gotta give the people what they want. But I just really like the name, I just think it’s really cute.” And it totally is!

Wiley explained that George hasn’t always been exclusively a boy’s name. “I tried to do some research. I found out in the 1800s it was a girl’s name, but people don’t believe me when I say that,” she said. There’s also at least one literary allusion to a female George that any self-respecting book nerd will remember: “Nancy Drew, her best friend was named George,” Wiley told Kimmel.

I think a lot of people tend to assume that every celebrity who chooses a baby name that isn’t super common is trying to be edgy (at best) and attention-seeking (at worst), but it really just boils down to personal preferences. So if Wiley and Morelli are happy, why should anyone else get worked up about it not being a traditional girl’s name? And something tells me the proud new parents really wouldn’t care much either way.

Wiley shared a sweet Mother’s Day post showing just how much joy the new arrival has brought her and Morelli. “Happy 1st Mother’s Day to my beautiful wife, who four weeks ago today after laboring for almost 3 days gave birth to our first child—our gorgeous daughter, George.💜” she wrote. “Welcome to the world, babygirl. We love you and we thank you for giving us the best 1st Mother’s Day two ladies could ask for.”

Morelli shared the same sweet photo on her Instagram, saying “We are so happy, so grateful, and so tired.”

Hopefully, little George will grow up to love her name—but if she doesn’t, she might have an opportunity to commiserate with another celebrity baby: actors Hilarie Burton and Jeffrey Dean Morgan also have a daughter named George.