Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are not just Hollywood’s golden couple; they are also parents to a lively, growing squad of four. Since their marriage in 2012, the duo has built a family that is as adorable as it is entertaining, with each of their kids carrying their own unique quirks and stories.
Their eldest, James, was born on December 16, 2014, and her name holds a deeply personal significance—it was chosen in honor of Ryan’s late father, James Reynolds, who passed away in October 2015. The couple’s decision to give their daughter a traditionally masculine name raised some eyebrows, but in Ryan’s words, “In the spectrum of weird celebrity baby names, I don’t really feel like we’re breaking new ground here. I didn’t call her Summer Squash Meadowlark.”
Ryan Reynolds’ Kids With Blake Lively: Meet James, Inez, Betty, and Olin
James made her first foray into the entertainment world as a baby, when her voice was featured on Taylor Swift’s 2017 track Gorgeous from the Reputation album. It wasn’t until years later that she fully grasped the fact that “Aunt Taylor” was a global pop icon. “They went to a concert one day and were like, ‘Ohhhhh, this isn’t a hobby,’” Ryan quipped. James’ pop culture moments didn’t stop there—she was also spotted at a Wrexham football match with her dad in January 2023, cheering on the team he co-owns.
Two years after James, along came Inez on September 30, 2016. From the start, she made sure to distinguish herself from her big sister. Blake has repeatedly emphasized that Inez is spelled with a “z,” despite the constant public misspelling. “I don’t know why people insist on using an ‘s.’ Please tell Wikipedia,” she once joked. Inez has a bit of a mischievous streak—Ryan has described her as having a “dark side” and being obsessed with villains.
“She loves Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. That should tell you everything,” he once revealed on Live with Kelly and Ryan. Even their pediatrician took note of her personality, calling her “shady” at one of her checkups. When Inez was just two years old, she somehow managed to be the only family member flagged for a secondary security screening at the airport, a moment Ryan said she handled “like a hard-earned felon.”
What Ryan Reynolds says about Blake Lively and his kids will make you MELT. 😭💕 pic.twitter.com/CswEIT4Fsz
— Cosmopolitan (@Cosmopolitan) August 5, 2019
Betty, the couple’s third daughter, arrived on October 4, 2019, and her name was kept under wraps for months—until Taylor Swift unveiled it in her 2020 song Betty. The track not only confirmed Betty’s name but also included lyrical references to her sisters, James and Inez, instantly making the trio part of Swiftie history. Though the reason behind choosing “Betty” wasn’t immediately clear, Blake later shared that the name was a tribute to her late father, Ernie Lively, whose mother and sister were both named Betty.
Despite the love and excitement that came with welcoming Betty, not everyone in the family was thrilled at first. “Inez wasn’t into it,” Blake admitted in an interview with Jimmy Fallon. “She just stayed away. I tried to get her excited about being a big sister, and she was like, ‘Eh.’ But then one day, she was like, ‘Oh, I didn’t love her before, but now I do.’” Betty, however, proved she could hold her own, earning a unique credit in Deadpool & Wolverine as “Hugh Jackman Wrangler.”
According to Ryan, Betty has an “intense” bond with Hugh, which mostly manifests in unprovoked attacks. “She thinks she has claws and he has healing powers,” Ryan joked at the movie’s premiere. “Which, to be fair, he might.”
Ryan Reynolds jokes that “nanny” Taylor Swift is costing him a fortune. pic.twitter.com/InhMNa2tZU
— E! News (@enews) July 23, 2024
In February 2023, Blake and Ryan quietly welcomed their fourth child, a son named Olin, making the family a party of six. They kept his name and gender under wraps for over a year before finally revealing it at the New York premiere of Deadpool & Wolverine in July 2024. Ryan later confirmed, “It’s a boy.” The name Olin, which has Nordic origins meaning “ancestor’s heir,” marked a new chapter for the couple, who were used to a house full of girls.
Blake announced the pregnancy in September 2022 by attending the Forbes Power Women’s Summit in a sequined mini dress that showcased her baby bump. In true Lively fashion, she later posted candid pregnancy photos on Instagram, writing, “Here are photos of me pregnant in real life so the 11 guys waiting outside my home for a 🦄 sighting will leave me alone. You freak me and my kids out.”
Olin might be the youngest, but he’s already made his mark—literally. Ryan revealed that his idea for the bedtime series he launched in 2023, Bedtime Stories with Ryan, came to him on the same day Olin was born. The little one also made an unexpected splash in Hollywood, as he appeared in Deadpool & Wolverine under the name “Babypool.” There was even a collectible popcorn bucket inspired by his character, featuring a baby decked out in Deadpool’s signature red-and-black suit.
Despite their A-list status, Blake and Ryan have always prioritized keeping their kids’ lives as normal as possible. They rarely post photos of their children, and when they do, they make sure to keep them private. Even when Blake revealed Olin’s birth, it was through a Super Bowl-themed Instagram post where she casually appeared without her baby bump, prompting fans to connect the dots.
However, they’re not shy about discussing the chaos of having four kids. “Nothing’s going to be tidy ever again,” Ryan admitted in a July 2024 podcast interview. “But my wife said to me, ‘They’re all under our roof right now, and that won’t last forever. We have them all. Embrace the chaos.’ And that’s exactly what I do.”
