Mark-Paul Gosselaar Welcomes Son Dekker Edward

09/30/2013 at 10:00 PM ET
Subscribe

Mark-Paul Gosselaar Welcomes Michael Bezjian/WireImage

It’s another Saved by the Bell baby!

Mark-Paul Gosselaar and wife Catriona McGinn welcomed their first child together on Monday, Sept. 30, his rep confirms to PEOPLE exclusively.

Son Dekker Edward Gosselaar was born at around noon in Los Angeles, Calif.

“We are overjoyed with the new addition to our family. We are madly in love with our little boy,” the Franklin & Bash star, 39, tells PEOPLE. “He is healthy and just perfect — all we could ask for.”

Although Gosselaar kept mum on what the couple were having while speaking to PEOPLE two weeks ago, he did share a little about their name choice. “It is not traditional and it is not too quirky. It is different, but it’s not something odd,” he said at the time.

Eight months after tying the knot in Santa Ynez, Calif., Gosselaar — already dad to Ava Lorenn, 7, and Michael Charles, 9½ — announced he and McGinn, an advertising executive, were expecting a baby.

“We’ve always wanted a big family,” Gosselaar told PEOPLE. “The kids are looking forward to a little sibling, and are asking a lot of funny questions right now.”

The couple previously found out the sex of their baby, but decided to keep it a secret — even from his costar, Breckin Meyer. “Breckin Gosselaar, that’s unisex. It can be a boy or girl,” Meyer joked.

— Anya Leon with reporting by Julie Jordan and Aili Nahas

FILED UNDER: Births , Mark-Paul Gosselaar , News

Share this story:

Your reaction:

Add A Comment

PEOPLE.com reserves the right to remove comments at their discretion.

Comments + Add a comment

Showing 18 comments

klutzy_girl on

Interesting name choice. I like Edward, though. A+ on giving him a normal middle name.

But yay! Congratulations to them. Love Mark.

Tee on

I like the name, congrats.

wjw on

Oh poor kid…I can just hear “Dekker the Pecker” in his future.

Melanie on

Dekker is a Dutch name. It’s cool that they chose one that reflects the baby’s (paternal) heritage.

Anna on

Dekker is a Dutch last name, so it’s not usual to use it as a first name over here.

Kathy on

Congrats on your new bundle of joy…I get to share to share a birthday with that little angel!!!

Mty on

Dekker is a dutch SURname…a very common one.

Love this nod to his heritage.

Marky on

Children go to school now with classmates with distinctive and unusual names from all over the world. They don’t worry about or tease others about their names–I have volunteered in several schools in our area, and frankly. I have seen no one made fun of any child for their name however odd that name may seem to any adult who sees it, or hears it. Kids aren’t all named Jimmy or Tommy anymore, by perfectly self-respecting parents. Sorry you have so much trouble catching up with the times…or you have raised hateful children!

philippafrederique on

Dekker is a Dutch surname (it’s actually my mum’s last name), so to me personally it just sounds wrong to use it as a first name. I do like the name Edward though.

MyAkita on

“Oh poor kid…I can just hear “Dekker the Pecker” in his future.” Ouch!!! Let’s hope that this kid is raised with a healthy self esteem and can blow all those comments off… (no pun intended!)

amy on

Dekker?..Uh..Ok.

klutzy_girl on

wjw, no poor you. Grow up. If children are raised to not tease one another he will not hear it. Sadly, your children will likely be the ones to name call others based on how you’ve presented yourself….

I too think it is great they honoured family heritage 🙂

Selena on

There are more to names than the American white bread ones many of you use or are used to seeing. Let people name their kid what they want.

So many cultures, so many beautiful “ethnic” and “foreign” names. Instead of being critical, use the time to learn something and find out about its history.

Bunch of idiots.

Katya on

Did anyone ever stop think that, although Dekker is a Dutch surname, they may have named him after a family member, a grandmother’s maiden name, a close friend of the family whose last name is more attractive to them than the first name? Or do you really stop to think at all before you spew your verbal diarrhea?

MaryJane Cannabian on

I quite like the name. Two of our kids have Gaelic last names as their first names as a nod to both my husband’s heritage and mine. In fact the 16 yr. olds’ previously seldom used moniker is now getting very popular as a first name, I guess we were ahead of the trend. 😉

On a side note, a sincere Thank You to the Gosselaar’s for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project! Wonderful pic of a beautiful couple attending an MPP event, awesome!

soph on

A surname that just sounds better staying a surname.

Charli on

I like that name! They are a beautiful couple. Congrats to them!

Tina on

Double Dekker….haha. Crazy name but could be worse I guess.

Privacy Policy

Powered by WordPress.com VIP