Why Zooey Deschanel named her baby 'Otter'

Zooey Deschanel's new daughter is called 'Elsie Otter'.

Zooey Deschanel named her baby daughter after sea otters.

The New Girl star and her husband Jacob Pechenik were inspired to call their three-month-old daughter 'Elsie Otter' because of their shared love for the marine mammals.

Asked why she gave her child the unusual name, she told E! News with a smile: "We just really like the name Elsie, and then we both love otters. They're really sweet, they're also smart, they use tools ... they hold hands while they sleep.

"There's so many amazing things about otters. They're wonderful animals."

The 35-year-old actress is hoping her little bundle of joy will grow up to love the sea creatures just as much as her.

She added: "I love otters. My husband really loves otters. She better love them [otters]. She's only three months old but she's going to love them."

Meanwhile, the brunette beauty recently revealed she has big plans for her little girl, joking she wants the tiny tot to run for President of the United States in 2020.

Taking to Twitter, she shared: "My infant daughter is going to run for president. She remains silent all of the key issues but she's much cuter than Donald Trump."

- Bang! Showbiz