Steve Rogers traded his shield for a stroller and nobody saw it coming. Chris Evans, the 44-year-old actor who defined heroism as Captain America for over a decade, just welcomed his first child with wife Alba Baptista, and the internet is collectively losing it over the most adorable detail: her name. Alma Grace Baptista Evans arrived October 24, 2025 at 1:27 PM in Massachusetts, bringing her famous parents into a whole new universe they’ve been dreaming about for years. TMZ broke the story first, and within hours People confirmed the name reveal that has fans sobbing into their Avengers merchandise. “Alma” means “soul” in Portuguese, a beautiful tribute to the 28-year-old actress’s heritage, while “Grace” adds timeless elegance. But here’s what’s making this story even more special: sources say Chris is “completely in awe of his daughter” and “couldn’t be more proud to be a girl dad.” After keeping the pregnancy completely under wraps, the notoriously private couple is now soaking in every quiet moment as a family of three.
The Secret They Kept for Nine Months
While fans obsessed over Marvel’s next phases and dissected Chris Evans’ every social media post looking for clues about potential superhero returns, he and Alba were quietly preparing for the biggest role of their lives: parenthood. The couple managed to keep the entire pregnancy completely private, an almost impossible feat in today’s paparazzi-saturated Hollywood landscape. No baby bump photos leaked. No pregnancy announcements dropped. Not a single confirmation until TMZ obtained birth records showing Alma Grace’s arrival on October 24.
That level of privacy protection speaks volumes about how Chris and Alba approach their relationship. They’ve been together since January 2022 but didn’t go Instagram official until November that year. Their September 2023 wedding happened at a private Cape Cod estate with just close family and friends, including Marvel co-stars Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, and Jeremy Renner. While other celebrities live-tweet their pregnancies and monetize baby announcements through exclusive magazine deals, Chris and Alba chose intimacy over publicity.
Credits: Entertainment Weekly
The first real hint came Father’s Day 2025 when a fan account posted tributes tagging both Chris and Alba’s fathers. Alba’s dad Luiz Baptista dropped a comment that sent speculation into overdrive: “Many thanks dear Chris. Your turn is coming! 🥰” That winking face emoji did all the heavy lifting, and fans immediately started connecting dots. Still, the couple stayed silent, neither confirming nor denying as Alba’s father’s prophecy came true five months later.
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The Name That Honors Her Roots
Alma Grace Baptista Evans isn’t just a pretty name, it’s a carefully chosen tribute to family heritage and values. “Alma” carries deep significance, meaning “soul” in both Portuguese and Spanish. Alba Baptista, whose first language is Portuguese, grew up in Lisbon speaking multiple languages including Spanish, French, German, and English fluently. Choosing a Portuguese name ensures their daughter stays connected to Alba’s cultural roots despite being born and raised in America.
The name also creates beautiful symmetry with Alba’s own name, which means “dawn” in Latin languages. Dawn and soul, beginnings and essence, mother and daughter linked through meaningful names that celebrate where they come from. “Grace” adds classic American elegance while keeping the name pronounceable across multiple languages, a practical consideration for parents who split time between continents visiting family.
According to baby name site Nameberry, Alma peaked in popularity during the early 1900s but has been making a comeback. It ranked 472 in the Social Security Administration’s top 1000 baby names for 2024, showing it’s recognizable but not overused. Famous Almas include silent film star Alma Rubens and British singer Alma Cogan, plus it appears in literature and art throughout history. The name carries intellectual and artistic associations perfect for a child born to two performers.
Baptista Evans as a double surname honors both parents equally, a modern approach that’s becoming increasingly common. Rather than default to the father’s name or hyphenate, they’re giving Alma both family names to carry with pride. It signals partnership and equality in their marriage, values Chris has expressed admiration for throughout his relationship with Alba.
Don’t miss out on understanding why this name choice is more meaningful than typical celebrity baby names!
The Marvel of Being a Girl Dad
Sources close to the couple revealed Chris is “completely in awe of his daughter” and has been “soaking in every quiet moment.” That phrase “couldn’t be more proud to be a girl dad” captures something special about fathers raising daughters. There’s a tenderness and protectiveness that comes with having a little girl, and for someone as family-oriented as Chris Evans, this moment represents the fulfillment of lifelong dreams.
Chris has been vocal for years about wanting to settle down and start a family. In a 2022 People interview shortly before his relationship with Alba went public, he said: “That’s absolutely something I want: wife, kids, building a family. When you read about most of the best artists, whether it’s actors, painters, writers, most of them admit it wasn’t the work they made that they are most proud of, it was about the relationships; the families they created, the love they found, the love they shared.”
That quote hits differently now knowing he’s holding his daughter. For an actor who spent over a decade playing Earth’s mightiest hero, who starred in some of cinema’s biggest blockbusters and earned hundreds of millions at the box office, the thing he’s most proud of isn’t Avengers films or Captain America legacy. It’s being called “Dad” by Alma Grace. That perspective reveals why Chris walked away from Marvel at the height of his fame to prioritize personal life over professional success.
He even connected fatherhood preparation to adopting his beloved rescue dog Dodger back in 2015. “I would love to have kids,” he told E! News in 2020. “Having a dog is certainly a litmus test of how you handle responsibility.” Dodger became Chris’s constant companion, frequently appearing in his social media posts and accompanying him to interviews. Now Dodger has a little sister to protect and adore.
The Love Story That Started in Europe
Chris and Alba’s relationship began like a rom-com. They met in Europe while he was filming, and according to friends, it was “love at first sight.” Alba, who’d been working steadily in Portuguese film and television since her 2012 debut, gained international recognition playing Ava Silva in Netflix’s Warrior Nun (2020-2022). The fantasy series about a young woman who wakes up in a morgue with superpowers and joins an ancient order of warrior nuns became a cult favorite, though Netflix controversially cancelled it after two seasons despite fan campaigns.
When Chris and Alba connected in early 2022, they kept things incredibly low-key. Dating someone outside the Hollywood bubble appealed to Chris after years of high-profile relationships scrutinized by tabloids. Alba’s European base meant she wasn’t embedded in LA celebrity culture, and her multilingual, international perspective brought fresh energy to his life. Friends described their connection as genuine and grounded, built on shared values about family, privacy, and living authentically.
Credits: People
They dated quietly for nearly a year before Chris soft-launched the relationship on Instagram November 2022, posting a cozy photo that sent fans into detective mode identifying Alba. By then, they were apparently already seriously committed. The engagement happened sometime in 2023, though neither publicly announced it until wedding planning was underway.
Their September 9, 2023 wedding at a private Cape Cod estate reflected their desire for intimacy over spectacle. Massachusetts holds special significance for Chris, a Boston native who’s deeply rooted in New England culture. Having his Marvel family there, people he’d worked alongside for over a decade, made the day even more meaningful. Alba also celebrated with a second ceremony in Portugal so her family and friends could participate without traveling to America. That dual-wedding approach showed respect for both their backgrounds and families.
The Massachusetts Homecoming
Alma Grace being born in Massachusetts wasn’t random. Chris sold his Hollywood Hills mansion for $7 million in May 2025, with sources confirming he was “ditching the beautiful pad to move closer to family back east.” That decision predated Alma’s birth but clearly anticipated it. Chris comes from a tight-knit family with two sisters and one brother, and he’s always emphasized how important those relationships are to his identity and happiness.
In a 2023 People interview shortly after his wedding, Chris shared a cherished Evans family Christmas tradition he hoped to pass down: “We would all sleep in the same room on Christmas Eve, on the floor, pick a Christmas movie and try to force yourself to sleep. That’s what I hope, that my kids will enjoy each other’s company as much as me and my siblings did.”
Now Alma Grace will grow up experiencing those traditions, surrounded by aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents who live nearby rather than across the country. The decision to raise her in Massachusetts rather than Los Angeles speaks to Chris and Alba’s priorities. They want normalcy, privacy, seasons, and community over red carpets, premieres, and Hollywood chaos.
Massachusetts also offers better privacy protections. While LA paparazzi camp outside celebrity homes hoping for baby photos worth thousands, New England offers relative anonymity. Chris can take Alma for walks, go to the park, live life without constant photography. That matters enormously to parents who kept an entire pregnancy secret and haven’t posted a single photo of their daughter publicly.
The Future Captain’s Growing Up
Alma Grace joins a surprisingly small group of children born to the original six Avengers cast members. Despite the actors’ massive fame, several remained childless or waited until later in life to start families. Chris being 44 when Alma arrived puts him in the “older dad” category, but studies show men who become fathers later often have more patience, financial stability, and emotional maturity to invest in parenting.
His recent film work suggests he’s been strategic about balancing career and family preparation. Materialists with Dakota Fanning and Pedro Pascal filmed before Alma’s birth. Honey Don’t with Margaret Qualley wrapped shooting early enough for him to be present for Alba’s final pregnancy months. In a June 2025 E! News interview promoting those films, Chris said cryptically: “We’re laying low. We’re enjoying our time, just relaxing.” He was already in full protective-dad mode, deflecting questions while Alba was presumably pregnant.
Looking ahead, Chris hasn’t announced any major film commitments that would require months away from home. He can be selective about projects, choosing roles that film locally or don’t demand extended location shoots. That flexibility allows him to be present for Alma’s first year of life, the milestones, the sleepless nights, the ordinary magic of watching a human grow.
Alba likewise can balance motherhood with her acting career, potentially taking projects that film in Massachusetts or waiting until Alma’s older to return to work. Having family nearby means built-in childcare support without hiring strangers, another advantage of their Massachusetts homebase.
Your Turn to Celebrate
What’s your reaction to Chris Evans becoming a dad? Does “Alma Grace” rank among the best celebrity baby names or do you think they could’ve chosen something more unique? Drop your thoughts in the comments about whether Captain America or dad is Chris’s most important role. Share this story with anyone still processing that their favorite Avenger just started a whole new adventure off-screen. Follow for updates because if Chris and Alba eventually share photos or details about their daughter, you’ll want to be among the first to see how impossibly cute this little soul named Alma Grace turns out to be. Because at the end of the day, even superheroes’ greatest power is the love they create and the families they build.
