What’s better than winning gold, silver, and bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics? Becoming a dad for the first time.
Olympic swimmer Ryan Murphy and his wife Bridget announced the birth of their baby girl on January 24, 2025, in a joint Instagram Post. The couple says Eevi Lillian Murphy weighed in at 9 pounds and 8 ounces and was 22 inches.
The caption from the announcement post gives us some insight into her unique first name Eevi. The couple wrote, “A name of Finnish origin meaning ‘life.'”
The baby’s middle name, Lillian, is likely a tribute to Bridget’s late sister. In a post from a week earlier, Bridget posted, “The past 3 months have been an overwhelming mix of emotions—losing one precious life while growing another. Pain and joy all at once. My sister Lillie is our angel smiling down on us…I miss you so much Lil. Part of me is broken. But it gives me comfort to know your spirit will live on through our baby girl and our family forever.”
Here are some more details about the baby’s name.
Eevi
- Origin:Â Finnish
- Meaning:Â According to meaningofthename.com, Eevi means “living and breathing.”
- Similar Names and Variations:Â Eva, Eve
- Famous Namesakes:Â None
- Peak Popularity:Â The name Eevi is not on the list of the top 1,000 baby names from the Social Security Administration (SSA). However, according to behindthename.com, it is the sixth most popular name in Finland.
Lillian
- Origin:Â English
- Meaning:Â According to Nameberry.com, Lillian could have originated as a nickname for Elizabeth. A nickname for Lillian is Lilly, which is of course a flower.
- Similar Names and Variations:Â Lili, Liliana, Lilith, Lillie, Lilly, Lily
- Famous Namesakes:Â Hollywood actress from the early 1900s Lillian Roth; Lillian Gordy Carter, the mother of President Jimmy Carter; and entrepreneur Lillian Vernon
- Peak Popularity:Â The name Lillian was the most popular in the early 1900s reaching number 10 on the SSA’s popularity list. More recently, the name was ranked 22nd in 2010 and 2011.
You may remember Bridget Murphy’s epic gender reveal at the Paris Olympic Games. After Ryan received his bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke, Bridget stood in the stands with a handwritten sign that said, “Ryan, it’s a girl!”
Ryan now has a total of nine Olympic medals. But his new title of dad puts him at the top of the podium.