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The Most Famous Baby Births in History

The Most Famous Baby Births in History

Before the creation of modern nations and the advent of mass media, the most anticipated births in a given society were usually royalty births. That’s because in many countries the future of the realm depended on whether the newborn was born healthy and whether it was a boy or girl.

In the case of England, the need for a male heir had profound historical consequences. King Henry VIII so deeply desired a boy he demanded the Catholic Church annulled his marriage to Catherine of Aragon so he could remarry and produce a male heir. His dispute with Roman Church ultimately led to England becoming a Protestant nation.

We still care about royal babies — witness the birth of Windsor princes William and Harry — but these births no longer carry the same political weight as in the past.

Today, the super famous have joined the royals in the public interest in their affairs, including any births. When powerful political families like the Kennedys, and celebrities such as Madonna, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt expecting a baby, the whole world expects with them. Once people are over the obsession of when the baby is born, they move on to what he or she will be called. And these are some of the weirdest names the rich and famous give their kids.

In time for Princess Charlotte’s 6th birthday, Tempo has compiled a list of the most famous baby births in history. While we are on the subject of royalty, these are 30 of the largest royal weddings.

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

King Edward VI
> Parents: Henry VIII & Jane Seymour
> Birthdate: October 12, 1537

Edward’s father, King Henry VIII, had two daughters with two different women, but he really wanted a son. So he married again. His third wife, Jane Seymour, finally gave birth to the long-awaited heir to the throne. King Edward VI was crowned in 1547 but died just six years later, at the age of 15.

Source: J. Wilds / Getty Images

Desi Jr.
> Parents: Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz
> Birthdate: January 19, 1953

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were the so-called “it” couple in Hollywood at the time. So it only makes sense that the world would be awaiting the couple’s second child. Desi Arnaz Jr. made his public debut on the cover of the first issue of TV Guide.

Source: Express / Getty Images

Princess Caroline
> Parents: Grace Kelly & Prince Rainier
> Birthdate: January 23, 1957

The fairytale-like story of the beloved American actress who became a princess captivated the world. People were still talking about it when, nine months after she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco, Grace Kelly gave birth to the couple’s first child, Princess Caroline. Kelly, who was hiding her growing bump with the now famous Hermes bags, has become one of America’s most popular fashion influencers.

Source: Albert McCabe / Getty Images

John F. Kennedy Jr.
> Parents: John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy
> Birthdate: November 25, 1960

When the president-elect is as charismatic as John F. Kennedy, of course the birth of his first son would be of interest to the whole country. Junior was born just about two months before his father was inaugurated as president.

Source: Keystone / Getty Images

Louise Joy Brown
> Parents: Lesley Brown
> Birthdate: July 25, 1978

The first baby ever to have been conceived in a petri dish was always going to be among the most anticipated arrivals. Louise Joy Brown was the first baby conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF), a procedure that has made it possible for millions of families to have children.

Source: Daily Express / Hulton Archive / Getty Images

Prince William
> Parents: Princess Diana & Prince Charles
> Birthdate: June 21, 1982

After the “wedding of the century” of Princess Diana and Prince Charles, the birth of their first child was a major event. Prince William, who was born Prince William Arthur Philip Louis Windsor on June 21, 1982, is directly in line to inherit the throne after his father. Prince William’s full title is His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales.

Source: Anthony Harvey / Getty Images

Prince Harry
> Parents: Princess Diana & Prince Charles
> Birthdate: September 15, 1984

Prince Harry made Prince William an older brother in 1984. Harry, the Duke of Sussex, is sixth in line to the throne. Harry, about to become a dad himself, is known for his service in the British Army as well as for his charitable work. In 2016, Harry underwent a public HIV test to raise awareness of the disease.

Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Scout Willis
> Parents: Demi Moore & Bruce Willis
> Birthdate: July 20, 1991

Even if it wasn’t for the famous Vanity Fair cover featuring a naked and pregnant Demi Moore, Scout’s birthday would still have made the news all over the world. After all, his very famous mother at the time was married to an equally famous actor, Scout’s father, Bruce Willis.

Source: Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images

Lourdes Leon
> Parents: Madonna & Carlos Leon
> Birthdate: October 14, 1996

Lourdes Leon is the daughter of singer Madonna and her former fitness trainer Carlos Leon. She is Madonna’s oldest child. Lourdes has carved out a modeling career that includes campaigns for her mother’s Material Girl campaigns for Macy’s. She has also walked the runway at New York Fashion Week. Like her famous mom,Lourdes has flouted convention wherever and whenever she can.

Source: Handout / Getty Images

Sean Preston Federline
> Parents: Britney Spears & Kevin Federline
> Birthdate: September 14, 2005

Britney Spears was at the height of her career when she gave birth to her first son, Sean Preston. News outlets from NBC to Associated Press were on baby watch, posting about the baby’s arrival almost as soon as the mom announced it on her site.

Source: Amy Sussman / Getty Images

Suri Cruise
> Parents: Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes
> Birthdate: April 18, 2006

Scientology controversies aside, Tom Cruise is one of the most famous Hollywood actors in the world. His relationship with also quite-popular actress Katie Holmes was the feel-good news story everybody wanted to read about. The photos of their daughter, Suri, made it all over the world — even China Daily published them.

Source: Getty Images / Getty Images

Shiloh Jolie-Pitt
> Parents: Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt
> Birthdate: May 27, 2006

One of Hollywood’s power couples for a time, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, had their first child together, Shiloh, in 2006. She has five siblings. Jolie and Pitt, known in tabloid circles as “Brangelina,” split as a couple in 2016.

Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Knox and Vivienne Jolie-Pitt
> Parents: Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt
> Birthdate: July 12, 2008

Even almost three years after Angelina Jolie filed for divorce, “Brangelina” is the top Google suggestion when you type “brang.” Whether it’s because of the controversial way their romance had started or the chemistry between them, they were the most famous couple for a long time. So, of course, the birth of their kids had made top world news when the two were still together. The twins, Knox and Vivienne, were on the cover of many celebrity magazines.

Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Max and Emme 
> Parents: Jennifer Lopez & Marc Anthony
> Birthdate: February 22, 2008

Former A-lister couple Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, once the subject of intense entertainment media attention, are the parents of twins Max and Emme. Emme is 11 minutes older than her brother. They were J.Lo’s first children and the fourth and fifth for Marc Anthony.

Source: Jason Kempin / Getty Images

Flynn Bloom
> Parents: Miranda Kerr & Orlando Bloom
> Birthdate: January 6, 2011

When The Pirates of the Caribbean and The Lord of the Rings alumnus Orlando Bloom and his Victoria’s Secret supermodel wife Miranda Kerr had their son, the picture of the newborn snuggling with his mom made dozens of celebrity news sites.

Source: Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

Monroe and Moroccan
> Parents: Mariah Carey & Nick Cannon
> Birthdate: April 30, 2011

Because twins Roc & Roe are the children of high-profile entertainers Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon, they made their television debut on a Barbara Walters’ special interview. They were the first children for both Carey and Cannon, who would split three years after the twins were born. Cannon had a son with former girlfriend Brittany Bell in 2017.

Source: Christopher Polk / Getty Images

Blue Ivy Carter
> Parents: Beyonce & Jay-Z
> Birthdate: January 7, 2012

Beyonce’s legion of fans were delighted to learn that she and her music mogul husband, Jay-Z, were expecting. Their daughter, Blue Ivy, was named for Jay-Z’s iconic album series The Blueprint. With two musically gifted parents, Carter was able to make some music history, becoming the youngest person to ever feature on a Billboard charting song, as Jay-Z sampled her cries after being born and used them on his song “Glory.”

Source: Quinn Rooney / Getty Images

India Rose
> Parents: Chris Hemsworth & Elsa Pataky
> Birthdate: May 11, 2012

India Rose is the first child of Australian film star Chris Hemsworth (the Avengers movie franchise) and Spanish model and movie star Elsa Pataky (Fast & Furious film franchise). The two also have twin boys, Sasha and Tristan.

Source: WPA Pool / Getty Images

Prince George
> Parents: William & Kate
> Birthdate: July 22, 2013

Hundreds of people and journalists waited for days in front of the hospital where the future king, the first child of Prince William and Kate Middleton, was born. Reputable publications such as The Guardian were posting live updates on their sites of the moment the new mom was expected to step outside the hospital to introduce to the world the new heir to the throne. Prince George was what every major and minor news outlet was talking about for weeks — before and after his birth.

Source: Craig Barritt / Getty Images

North West
> Parents: Kim Kardashian & Kanye West
> Birthdate: June 15, 2013

Rapper Kanye West and reality TV star Kim Kardashian welcomed their first child in 2013, naming her “North” as a play on her directional last name. Kardashian was open about her difficulty getting pregnant, as well as her battle with the potentially dangerous health challenge of preeclampsia, which can restrict blood flow to the placenta.

Source: Handout / Getty Images

Princess Charlotte
> Parents: William & Kate
> Birthdate: May 2, 2015

Just like the birth of her older brother, Prince George, the arrival of Princess Charlotte was eagerly anticipated. As was the case two years prior, dozens of fans gathered in front and around the hospital where Kate Middleton delivered to get a first glimpse of the princess. More than a million tweets about the event were posted and about as many searches were recorded about the royal baby the day she was born.

Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Images for NARAS

Sir and Rumi Carter
> Parents: Beyonce & Jay-Z
> Birthdate: June 13, 2017

Beyonce had to postpone her planned 2017 Coachella headlining set after she unexpectedly became pregnant with twins Sir and Rumi. In the documentary about her return to Coachella in 2018, she spoke about her health issues during pregnancy, including high blood pressure, toxemia, and preeclampsia. One of the baby’s hearts actually paused in utero, forcing an emergency C-section.

Source: WPA Pool / Getty Images

Prince Louis
> Parents: William & Kate
> Birthdate: April 23, 2018

Even though it was the third royal baby in five years and the world was having a royal wedding fever with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle being just weeks away from their big day, Prince Louis was in the news for a long time. Gender predictions, bets on names, pregnancy updates, inside looks of the hospital where Kate Middleton would give birth were all discussed — the public couldn’t seem to get enough.

Source: Pool/Samir Hussein / Contributor / Getty Images

Archie Mountbatten-Windsor
> Parents: Prince Harry & Meghan Markle
> Birthdate: May 6, 2019

The firstborn son of Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex will soon celebrate his second birthday, a few weeks before he becomes a big brother to a sister. Similarly to the birth of other royal babies, betting on the name was very popular. The odd were, at 5/1, that baby’s name would be Arthur. In second place, at 6/1, were Albert and Philip.

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