Getty Images Maria Menounos shares meaning behind baby's name.
In February 2023, “Dancing With the Stars” alum Maria Menounos announced that she and her husband Keven Undergaro were expecting a child via surrogate. The baby was born in June 2023, and the couple named her Athena Alexandra.
Menounos was incredibly close to her mom, Litsa Menounos, who died in 2021 following a long battle with brain cancer. And Menounos’ mother wasn’t far from her mind when she welcomed her baby.
“It felt amazing, but also really natural, like we had been together a long time. A psychic said she was going to be my mom from another life. So I remembered that after, and I [thought] maybe that’s what that feeling was,” she told the outlet.
Here’s what you need to know:
Maria Menounos Says She Wanted a Greek Name for Her Daughter
In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly officially announcing the birth of baby Athena, Menounos explains how she and Undergaro chose the name Athena.
“We knew we wanted a Greek name. We had a list, and everyone says when you see the baby, you’ll know, but that was totally untrue for us. We were like, ‘What do we do?'” she recalled. “Athena is the goddess of war and wisdom, and Keven loved the power of that name, so that was it,” she added.
While Menounos was filling in for Kelly Ripa on “Live! With Kelly & Mark” in July 2023, Menounos explained how she went about choosing her daughter’s name — which is a nod to her Greek culture.
“It’s funny, I looked back … when I told Kevin I was pregnant and I was already calling her Athena in that video. I didn’t even realize. [Athena is] the goddess of war and wisdom and courage and strength, all of those wonderful things,” Menounos told Mark Consuelos.
“Her middle name, Alexandra, is the defender of human kind. I didn’t put all that stuff together, so it’s kind of crazy,” she added.
Many Fans Thought Maria Menounos Would Name Her Daughter After Her Late Mother
On April 24, 2023, Menounos took to Instagram to share that she and Undergaro were expecting a little girl and asked her followers to guess the baby’s name — and offer their suggestions.
“We are over the moon excited! We are reading baby books, working on the nursery and just overall preparing for this beautiful new addition to our lives. She is already so loved and we cannot wait to meet her. And her name isn’t Gertrude. Lol any guesses on her name? Any great suggestions?” Menounos asked her followers.
Many people believed that Menounos would name her daughter Litsa, which was the most popular response in the comments section by far.
“Definitely going to have your moms name in there and obviously it will be Greek,” one person wrote.
“For sure your mamas name. Litza is a beautiful name in memory of your mother. Hearing her name again would be so wonderful and uplifting!!!!” someone else suggested.
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