All About Gabourey Sidibe’s Twins’ Names

Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe is about to have double the adventures as a mom of twins.

The Precious actress welcomed a baby girl and boy with husband Brandon Frankel in the spring. The couple shared the news in an Instagram post showing photos of the family of four.

“Our babies arrived in April and brought so much life and excitement into our existence,” they wrote in the caption. “They are sweet and funny and love cuddling with us and are developing a beautiful sibling-hood with each other. These last 2 months with them have been so fun getting to know their distinct personalities and figuring out the silly things we can do to make them laugh and it’s been absolute Heaven. We are so grateful and honored to be their parents.”

The couple, who wed in 2021 after meeting on the dating app Raya, also shared they named their twins Cooper and Maya.

“Brandon always wanted to name a son Cooper, so we can call him ‘Coop,’ and Maya was named shortly before our baby moon to the Mayan Riviera in Mexico,” Sidibe previously told Shutterstock, according to The Shade Room. “Both twins have traditional West African middle names after members of my family.”

Here are more deets on their baby name choices below:

Cooper

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Barrel maker
• Similar Names and Variations: Parker, Carter, Cole
• Famous Namesakes: Nameberry.com points out there are NFL players Cooper Morrison Carlisle and Cooper Wallace, as well as actor Cooper Pillot.
• Peak Popularity: The name has been steadily growing in popularity over the years. It went from being almost kicked off the top 1,000 most popular names in 1982 to number 52 in 2023, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA).

Maya

• Origin: Hebrew, Spanish, Greek
• Meaning: Water
• Similar Names and Variations: Maia, Mia, Mila
• Famous Namesakes: Nameberry.com lists American poet Maya Angelou, actress/comedian Maya Rudolph, and Maya Stojan as famous people with the name.
• Peak Popularity: Like Cooper, Maya is a name that’s also been gaining popularity. It’s been in the top 1,000 most popular names since 2002 and came in at 50 in 2023, according to SSA.

The 41-year-old shared her pregnancy news via Instagram in February, through a slideshow of photos with her husband, writing, “I’m pregnant! We thought it was time to give our cats some responsibility so we’re giving them each a baby to take care of! Double the babies, double the cats, double the fun!! Twin Delivery coming soon!”

In one of the photos, the couple was smiling with double strollers, which parents of multiples know can be a lifesaver!