Another Game of Thrones baby has been born — of the human variety, of course, because real life and all that. It’s the first child for actress Carice van Houten (who plays the Red Priestess Melisandre on the hit TV show) and Australian actor and musician Guy Pearce.
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The couple announced their pregnancy back in March, with van Houten making it clear she was ready for all GoT jokes.
But they haven’t called their newborn son Kit, Gregor, Sandor or Ramsay. In fact, the baby name may be a nod to the dad’s back catalog — he played Fernand Mondego in the 2002 film adaptation The Count of Monte Cristo.
Monte (pronounced the same way as Monty) is a diminutive of Montague or Montgomery but is becoming a popular baby boy name choice in its own right. Famous Montes include NFL player Monte Simmons, boxer Monte Attell and golfer Monte Scheinblum. It’s not just a name with strong sporting links, however… it also has a culinary connection: a Monte Cristo is a fried ham and cheese sandwich, commonly served with jam or preserves.
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Monte — who was born last week in Amsterdam — is the first child for both van Houten, 39, and Pearce, 48. Many fans were surprised when the couple revealed their baby news, as the Aussie actor had previously said on several occasions that he didn’t “need” children because there were enough babies in the world already, and he was worried that his hot-and-cold temperament would affect his ability to parent.
More: This printable guide is about to solve all your baby-naming squabbles
Pearce married his childhood sweetheart, psychologist Kate Mestitz, in March 1997. In October 2015, he confirmed he had split from Mestitz after 18 years of marriage. Clearly he’s changed his mind about fatherhood, and we couldn’t be happier for the couple and their very own “shadow baby.”
Before you go, check out our slideshow below:
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