Naming a child shouldn't be a matter of national security, but honestly, you'd think it was based on the reaction when Meghan Trainor and Daryl Sabara announced their second son's name.
Barry Bruce Trainor.
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The name sounds like someone who should be fixing your plumbing or perhaps selling you a very reliable used sedan in the late 1970s. It’s got a specific kind of weight to it. When the "All About That Bass" singer posted the news on Instagram back in July 2023, the comment sections basically lit on fire. People were genuinely confused. Was he named after a grandfather? Was it a tribute to a forgotten 80s rockstar?
The reality is actually way more interesting and, frankly, a bit more random than a family tree search would suggest.
The Australian Connection You Didn't See Coming
You’ve probably seen the headlines about Meghan’s stint on Australian Idol. She was there in 2023, judging talent alongside Kyle Sandilands. It turns out that Australia—and one specific shark—played a massive role in the naming of Barry Bruce Trainor.
Meghan actually admitted on The Kyle and Jackie O Show that her son’s name was inspired by the movie Finding Nemo. Specifically, the Great White shark named Bruce.
"I named him Bruce because he is my Australian baby," she told Sandilands.
But wait, where does the "Barry" come from? That’s where the tribute gets layered. Bruce the shark was voiced by the legendary Australian comedian and actor Barry Humphries (the man behind Dame Edna Everage). When you combine a cartoon shark with an Aussie comedy icon, you get Barry Bruce.
It's kinda wild to think a Hollywood toddler is essentially a walking, talking tribute to Pixar and Australian drag history.
What Really Happened During the Birth
While the internet was busy debating whether the name was "too old-fashioned," Meghan and Daryl were dealing with a much more intense situation in the hospital. Barry didn't exactly make a graceful entrance.
He was born on July 1, 2023, which happened to be the seventh anniversary of Meghan and Daryl’s first date. Romantic, right? Well, the actual delivery was a bit of a struggle. Barry was a "big boy," weighing in at 8lbs 7oz. The kicker? He was in a transverse position—basically lying sideways in the womb.
That meant a C-section was the only way to go.
Meghan has been super open about this, sharing photos of her in the hospital bed and talking about the relief of finally getting "skin-to-skin time" after the procedure. It wasn’t the easy, breezy birth story some influencers try to sell. It was messy, surgical, and very real.
Why People Got So Worked Up Over a Name
Social media is a strange place. As soon as the name was announced, Reddit threads started popping up with people claiming the name made the baby sound like a "65-year-old British man with a beer belly."
Honestly, the vitriol was a bit much.
We live in an era where celebrity kids are named North, Apple, or X Æ A-12. In that context, Barry Bruce Trainor is actually refreshing. It’s a "normal" name that just happens to be out of fashion. There’s a certain charm to a kid named Barry. It feels sturdy.
Meghan hasn't let the critics get to her, though. She’s too busy being "Mother"—both literally and in the sense of her hit single that dropped around the same time.
The Brotherly Dynamic: Riley and Barry
If you follow Meghan on TikTok, you’ve seen the videos. Her older son, Riley, who was born in February 2021, has taken to the "big brother" role with a surprising amount of chill.
- Riley was 2 years old when Barry arrived.
- There’s a famous video of Riley meeting Barry for the first time where he’s just... fascinated.
- Daryl Sabara has mentioned in interviews that Riley calls the baby "his permanent friend."
It’s a far cry from the sibling rivalry most parents dread. Then again, when your dad is Juni Cortez from Spy Kids, maybe you’re just born with a sense of adventure and teamwork.
The Career Impact of Baby #2
Some fans wondered if a second child would slow Meghan down. If anything, it’s done the opposite. Barry’s birth coincided with a massive resurgence in her career. Her album Takin' It Back and the deluxe tracks like "Mother" leaned heavily into her new identity.
She’s not just a pop star anymore; she’s a "mom-influencer-pop-star" hybrid.
She even wrote a book, Dear Future Mama, where she gets into the "TMI" details of pregnancy—blood clots, gestational diabetes (which she had with Riley but thankfully not with Barry), and the mental health toll of postpartum life. By the time Barry Bruce Trainor arrived, Meghan had already established herself as the go-to voice for "real" parenting in the celeb world.
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Looking Ahead: Will There Be More?
Meghan has been very vocal about her "four kids" goal. She’s halfway there.
"I'm crushing it. This is my dreams," she told People magazine.
Barry Bruce Trainor might have an old-school name, but he’s growing up in a very modern, very public household. He’s the "Australian baby" who survived a transverse birth and a wave of internet snark before he could even crawl.
If you're looking to follow the Trainor-Sabara family journey, the best thing you can do is keep an eye on Meghan's social channels for the "Baz" updates (yes, they've already leaned into the Aussie nickname).
Practical Steps for Following the Story:
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- Watch the "Finding Nemo" Bruce scenes to hear the voice that started it all.
- Read "Dear Future Mama" if you want the unfiltered details on her pregnancy journey with both boys.
- Follow Meghan on TikTok for the frequent "Riley and Barry" content that is honestly way more wholesome than most of the app.
- Ignore the name critics. If a pop star wants to name her kid after a shark and a comedian, that's her prerogative.
Barry Bruce Trainor is already a fixture in the headlines, not because of what he’s done, but because of the joy and conversation his arrival brought to a very famous family. Whether he grows up to be a singer, an actor, or a shark enthusiast remains to be seen.