New parents Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert share the story behind their daughter’s name Everley Capri and its meaning. The “Dancing With the Stars” judge and his wife also confess they took their time before making her name official.
Derek Hough & Wife Hayley Erbert Reveal Meaning of Daughter’s Name
In a January 2026 interview with People, Hough and Erbert shared how they decided on their newborn’s name.
“Everley was always at the top of a list that I had,” Erbert explained.
She continued, “I actually saw this post the other day that was like, ‘It’s crazy that I’ve seen your name in my notes app for so long, and now you’re here with me.’ And I was like, ‘That’s exactly what it’s been.’ Her name has always had a little star by it because there were a few that we really liked.”
Erbert noted that it took them “four or five days” to make their final decision, however.
Hough noted, “It was almost a week. We were like, ‘We should probably name her.'”
The couple revealed that they decided to “keep staring at her and see what name calls to us.”
Everley was the winner, with Erbert noting that the spelling “was really beautiful” and special.
Hough added, “It’s very intentional, the way we spelled it” as it includes “ley” spelled the same as Hayley’s name.
A friend encouraged them to look into the numerology of the name Everley, which revealed the master number 11.
“Whether you believe in that kind of stuff or not, it was cool,” the “DWTS” judge said. “When we looked at the meanings of it, it was like, ‘Okay, this is beautiful. We love this.’ It felt right. It just was a feeling.”
Erbert shared that there were “11” signs everywhere. “She was 11 days late, I’m born on Oct. 11. It just called to us, and we were like, ‘This is right. This is it,'” she noted.
As for their daughter’s middle name, Hough thought they might use “rain” or “bow” because Everley is their rainbow baby after a miscarriage.
“When we threw Capri in there, we were like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is beautiful,'” Erbert shared.
Hough added that Capri is the perfect balance for their baby’s sweet first name, noting, “Capri is the little spicy part of her.”
Fans Love Derek & Hayley’s Baby Name Choice
On January 5, Hough and Erbert shared a sweet birth announcement on Instagram, including a black and white photo of their hands surrounding their newborn’s precious feet.
“December 29, 2025. Everley Capri Hough 🤍,” Hough wrote in the caption.
He added, “Every step of our lives has led us to you. Our hearts have been cracked wide open and our world is forever changed.”
Among the flood of congratulatory messages in the comments section, many fans shared their love for the name choice.
“The best new years, congratulations … little Everley gorgeous name 💕 and amazing parents and family news,” one fan wrote.
Others shared, “Love her name!!” and “Congratulations!!! What a beautiful name and blessing.”
