A mother has revealed she named her daughter after a My Little Pony character, and the 12-year-old has embraced her unusual name. Sybilla Hart, from Essex, first heard the name Celestia while pregnant with her fourth child, after her daughters Beatrice and Florence were watching an episode of the show that introduced a new character, Princess Celestia.
The then 34-year-old freelance journalist was immediately taken with the name. "It sounded like Celeste – a name I liked, but felt was a bit abrupt for my liking – only better," she said. "I loved the name, as did my husband, Charles."
A Controversial Choice
The choice proved controversial, with many people quickly linking the name to the popular show's character. Sybilla said: "I had friends who joked on my Facebook page when I announced her name, saying, 'You're naming your daughter after My Little Pony?'"
She replied proudly, saying yes, and that she loved the name. "It didn't matter where I found the name – I had fallen in love with it," she added. "Some people have been rude and asked if it is even a 'real' name. To which I tell them it is, just a lengthening of the name Celeste. Others loved it and a friend of a friend even asked if I minded if she called her own daughter Celestia."
Celestia Embraces Her Name
Now 45, Sybilla said people have previously mixed up her daughter's name with 'Celestial', particularly since the release of Ed Sheeran's track of the same name in 2022. The link proved apt, especially when Celestia was younger and struggled to sleep, with a previous boss of Sybilla's joking that she was being true to her celestial name.
Celestia, now 12, has wholeheartedly embraced her name. Sybilla said: "She loves her name and is proud to have an unusual name – it's something she shares with me. Her sisters' names have become increasingly popular, while Celestia is still a hidden secret – for now. She is proud to have an unusual name."
