Celebrity Dads
Joel Madden Speaks Out on Drama Surrounding Daughter’s Decision to Go by Her Middle Name
Joel Madden is setting the record straight about his daughter’s name — and shutting down the online chatter.
During the Monday, March 16 episode of the Dumb Blonde podcast, Madden, 47, revealed there was never any family debate over his and Nicole Richie’s daughter Harlow Kate, 18, choosing to go by her middle name, Kate.
“That’s a narrative everybody ran away with because it gets clicks,” he said, making it clear the decision wasn’t a “big deal” at home.
According to the musician, Harlow Kate has actually been using “Kate” since she was a young child. He and Richie, 44, first realized it during a school open house when a teacher referred to their daughter by that name.
“We were like, ‘You go by Kate at school?’ and she said, ‘Yeah, I like it,’” he recalled. “And we were like, ‘OK, great.’”
Madden added that everyone close to her now uses Kate, and he even praised her choice.
“It’s kind of smart,” he said, noting it helps her tell who really knows her.
The topic recently sparked buzz after Richie mentioned “Kate” in a birthday post on January 12, leaving fans confused.
The couple are also parents to son, Sparrow James, 16.
