George Clooney Reveals Why He Gave His and Wife Amal Clooney's Kids Simple Names

All parents know that choosing a name for their bundle of joy is no easy feat, and three years after welcoming twins Ella and Alexander, George Clooney is opening up about how he and his wife Amal Clooney settled on their names. Clooney and Amal welcomed their bundles of joy, their first children together, in June 2017, just three years after the couple tied the knot in September of 2014 in a lavish Italian wedding. In the new issue of AARP the Magazine, The Midnight Sky star revealed he and his wife opted to go with the classic names for modernity's sake.

While Clooney didn't reveal if any other names had been contenders for his little ones, he told the outlet "didn't want, like, weird-a– names for our kids." The actor acknowledged that given their famous parents, Ella and Alexander are "already going to have enough trouble," adding that "it's hard being the son of somebody famous and successful." He went on to recount the struggles of other famous children.

"Paul Newman's son killed himself. Gregory Peck's son killed himself. Bing Crosby had two sons kill themselves," he said. "I have an advantage because I'm so much older that by the time my son would feel competitive, I'll literally be gumming bread."

The proud dad-of-two hasn't shied away from opening up about fatherhood in recent months, especially amid the increased family time he, his wife, and their children have been enjoying due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. During an interview with George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America in December, the actor admitted being a father of two toddlers isn't always an easy task, admitting that he at times has to resort to drinking to survive. Asked how he's gotten through months of quarantine, he quipped, "you know, I drink, George, I drink. That's how you get through it." Jokes aside, Clooney said he is grateful to have his family with him amid these trying times, telling Stephanopoulos, "I've got an amazing wife and two funny knuckleheads that make me laugh, and I get to wake up with them every morning and put them to bed every night."

While Clooney and Amal certainly have their hands full – they recently revealed the "really dumb thing" they did with their children that has led to plenty of headaches – they still find little ways to keep the romance alive. In his interview with AARP the Magazine, Clooney said he and his wife still write each other letters after four years of marriage. The actor told the outlet, "I'll write a letter and slip it on her desk, or she'll write a letter and leave it under the pillow. I'm a big believer in letters."