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Tom Cruise's fiancée gives birth to a little 'pickpocket'
A publicist for the celebrity couple revealed that the baby is to be called Suri, after the pair fell in love with the name in a book of baby names. It means "princess" in Hebrew and "red rose" in Farsi. It also means "pickpocket" in Japanese.
The American media has however already started to refer to the new arrival as the TomKitten, a play on the nickname - TomKat - given to Cruise and Holmes during their whirlwind and unorthodox courtship.
The couple revealed that they were dating less than a year ago, at an awards ceremony in
Cruise, 43, who was married to Nicole Kidman for ten years and had two adopted children with her, had been single since splitting with Penelope Cruz in 2004. Holmes, who is 16 years Cruise's junior, had split from Chris Klein, her fiancé and partner of five years, in January.
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Six weeks later, on June 17, the star of Top Gun and
Cruise, a Scientologist who had previously kept his strongly-held views on medicine and
In May he savaged the actress Brooke Shields for taking anti-depressants to treat post-natal depression after the birth of her first child. By coincidence, Shields also gave birth yesterday, to a baby girl she has named Grier.
As the pregnancy progressed, Cruise startled his fans by revealing that Holmes would give birth in silence. In fact, it emerged, it is the doctors and nurses who are asked to remain quiet at Scientology deliveries - the Dawson's Creek starlet was not expected to give birth without making a noise.
Cruise also clarified last week that his religious beliefs would not prevent Holmes from having anaesthetic if she decided she needed one.
He then caused another stir when he told the
The couple have not set a date for their wedding, although Holmes's Catholic parents are said to be concerned that they should legitimise the union by marrying as soon as possible.
In a statement issued through Cruise's publicist, the couple said that they "joyously welcomed" baby Suri. "Everybody is doing wonderfully," said the spokesman. He refused to say where or when the baby was born, or how long Holmes was in labour.
Cruise appears to have the care of the newborn well under control. He told GQ that his entire family and his staff have been attending seminars on how foetuses develop in the womb and how to care for babies after the birth.
A rota has been drawn up, with everyone given different responsibilities, he said. "I don't think this kid's going to be able to walk until they're about 15! Feet aren't going to touch the ground!".