Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have kept the name of their fourth child under wraps, but a source exclusively tells In Touch what moniker they gave baby No. 4 — and the special meaning behind it.
“The couple call their fourth child Obi. It’s short for a longer name and its origin is incredibly deep and meaningful,” the insider says. “It’s also a nod to one of the characters in Gossip Girl, which of course, Blake starred in.”
Otto “Obie” Bergmann IV, played by Eli Brown, is a main character in the 2021 Gossip Girl revival. As fans of the original series know, Blake, 36, starred as Serena van der Woodsen in all six seasons. It’s unclear if Otto is the child’s full name.
The name “Obi” is of African origin and means “heart,” according to Nameberry.
Blake revealed to the world in February 2023 that she and Ryan, 47, whom she married in 2012, had quietly welcomed Obi into their family. The actress shared a collection of “Puppy Bowl Sunday” photos on her Instagram, including one snap where she did not have a baby bump. “Been busy,” she wrote in the caption.
The A Simple Favor star announced in September 2022 that she and her husband were expecting their fourth child by appearing at the 10th Annual Forbes Power Women’s Summit in a sequinned dress that put her baby bump on display. Blake and Ryan are already parents to daughters James, 9, Ines, 7, and Betty, 4.
The pair have yet to reveal the sex of their fourth baby — and that’s something they waited to find out until they were in the delivery room. After Blake revealed the pregnancy in 2022, Ryan said on Today that he was “kind of hoping” for another girl because that’s what he “knows.” However, he added that he and his wife didn’t know the sex at the time and “never find out ’til [they’re born].”
Fans of the couple have wondered about the name of their fourth baby since the birth, especially considering close friend Taylor Swift’s tendency to include Blake and Ryan’s kids’ names in her songs. The tune “Betty” from her 2020 album, Folklore, includes all three of the couple’s older children’s names. Ryan poked fun at the pop star potentially choosing the name for their fourth child during a May 13 appearance on Today.
“We always wait for Taylor to tell us what the child’s name is, and I’ll say this: We’re still waiting,” the Deadpool star joked when asked if the baby’s name was anywhere on Taylor’s The Tortured Poets Department album.
