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Gotham Gossipist: Have Celebrities Gone Too Far With Crazy Baby Names?

By Kimberly Rae Miller

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Natalie Portman may have been raised on Long Island, but she didn't forget her Israeli roots (Natalie Portman, born Natalie Hershlag, was born in Jerusalem and moved to the United States at the age of three) when naming her infant son.

The three-week old Portman-Millepied baby has a name, and now we all know what it is: Aleph (or Alef).  But do we all know what it means?

PHOTOS: 11 Bizarre Celebrity Baby Names | Celebrity Moms And Their Famous Kids

Aleph is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, but don't try to pronounce it, because it doesn't actually have a sound of its own.  The letter aleph is usually takes on the sound of a vowel in the vowel-free language.  It is also the character used for the number one.

And you thought Jermajesty (Jermaine Jackson's son) was a tongue-twister.

It sounds like this kid is already ready for the pre-school curriculum.

As a name Aleph can mean "leader" and "the oneness of God." From a  Kabbalah perspective it translates to "primordial one that contains all numbers."

Primordial one - that's catchy.  Let's hope the kids at school call him Al.

You weigh in: Have celebrities gotten a little too unique with their baby-naming practices?

 Kimberly Rae Miller is a writer, actress, and host living in New York City (kimberlyraemiller.com).

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