nepo baby

noun

ˈne-(ˌ)pō- 

variants or less commonly nepotism baby

plural nepo babies also nepotism babies

: a person who gains success or opportunities through familial connections

especially : a child of a famous parent (such as an actor, musician, entrepreneur, or politician)

… I thought it was a talent competition for aspiring nepo babies whose famous parents refused to book them auditions.

—Kyndall Cunningham

… [Actor] Ewan McGregor's daughter Clara has admitted that she has had all the privilege a so-called 'nepo baby' can enjoy.

—Beverley Lyons

… he [Ben Stiller] starred in a … Pepsi commercial that poked fun at his nepo baby status.

—Jen Shiori Adams

George emanates a grating "good vibes only" philosophy borne from his privileged upbringing; he's a nepotism baby by way of his famous artist father.

—Variety

Anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. … filed paperwork Wednesday to launch a presidential challenge to President Biden, continuing a centuries-long tradition of nepotism baby presidential contenders.

—Zach Blackburn

Examples of nepo baby in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In other words, River is a nepo baby, and instead of being discharged, he’s condemned to Slough House, where he and the other bargain-bin MI5 agents are lorded over by Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), an ornery but still-brilliant spy in his twilight years. —Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2024

Kidman-Urban this week opened the designer’s spring 2025 catwalk in a poplin skirt set and a peep-toe heel, compounding Miu Miu’s unique ability to transform next-gen nepo babies into bonafide models, among them Esther McGregor, Zaya Wade, Ella Emhoff, and Eliot Sumner. —Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 3 Oct. 2024

Daniel Day-Lewis’ son, Ronan, is using his nepo baby powers for good, bringing his father, the acclaimed actor, out of retirement for his first movie since 2017, per The Associated Press. —Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1992, in the meaning defined above