Macaulay Culkin's Son's Name Honors His Late Sister With A Special Tribute

Apr 17, 2021

Actors Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song recently announced to the world that they had become parents for the first time. The couple, who have been dating since 2017, welcomed their first child, a son, on Monday, April 5 in Los Angeles. Named Dakota, their son's name holds a very personal meaning to the couple, as he was named after Macaulay's late sister, who passed away prematurely at the age of 29 after a car accident in 2008.

Most famous for his role as Kevin McCallister in the blockbuster Hollywood film "Home Alone," as a child Macaulay was an in-demand actor who had starred in 15 films in just a mere seven years. The Hollywood cutie was a busy, successful actor from such a young age. Eventually, he went on to pursue other passion projects such as a rock band and even returned as his character from "Home Alone" for a Google assistant advertisement.

Much like Macaulay, Song also started her career as a child actress and is known for her roles on Disney Channel, including "Get a Clue," "Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior" and "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody." 

Macaulay and Song met while working on set together when they were co-stars in the 2019 film "Changeland." Now Macaulay is no longer the kid we all remember on-screen; instead, he is a grown adult at the age of 40 years old, and he's started his own family with Song, who is 33 years old. Macaulay is known to us as one of the greatest child actors of the 1990s, and perhaps Dakota will follow in his footsteps, but for now, it's certainly too soon to tell.

The couple met in Thailand while working on the set of the film "Changeland," which was directed by Macaulay's friend Seth Green. The two got together and eventually moved in together. According to Esquire, Macaulay even painted a "yellow brick road" leading to the pair's front door. Meanwhile, Song loves to bake bread, which makes them the picture of a sweet relationship. They certainly seem to have true and wholesome love, and we congratulate them on the addition of their son to their young family. 

According to Esquire, Song and Macaulay officially received their newborn bundle of joy on Monday, April 5 at 1:10 p.m. in Los Angeles, California. The couple has decided to expand their pre-existing family — which already consists of a few fish, a blue-headed parrot, a Shiba Inu and their three cats — with the addition of their very own son. 

Their baby, Dakota Song Culkin, was born healthy and weighed in at 6 pounds, 14 ounces. Macaulay and Song decided to name their son after Macaulay's late sister Dakota Culkin, who passed away in 2008. The only statement the couple released to Esquire after the birth was, "We’re overjoyed.”

Macaulay's late sister Dakota was the second eldest of the family's seven children. But in a tragic turn of events, she died in 2008 at the age of 29 when she was struck by a car. At the time, the family confirmed the news and labeled it a "terrible tragic accident" but didn't comment further. Choosing to name their son after Macaulay's late sister is a moving way to keep her spirit alive.

Macaulay and Song are fairly private but they have revealed a few things about their relationship over the years. In a previous interview with Esquire, Song spoke highly of her partner. She said, "You can’t be around him and not be happy."

The elated couple seems to have always had a steady and loving relationship. Esquire writer Ryan D'Agostino wrote that Macaulay emphasized the quality relationship he and Song had from the very beginning, despite the many doubts he had. The "Home Alone" star said of his relationship with Song:

"I was waiting for the other shoe to drop," but then Macaulay eventually realized, "No — sometimes it’s just good."

On the topic of family, Song's family is an important part of her life and her parents' Thai and Hmong heritage has had a big influence on her, so it's likely the couple will pass this on to Dakota. In an interview with Mochi Mag, she talked about speaking Hmong with her father at home:

"I speak it with a little bit of my valley girl accent. It’s such a close-knit culture, and very family-oriented. As with many Asian cultures, no matter where you branch off, you’re family.”

The couple already shares a similar background of growing up as child actors, and that's clearly brought them together. Additionally, the strong influence of family that they both share will no doubt play a role in how they plan to raise their son. We wish them all the best as they embark on this new adventure together!

What do you think about the couple honoring Macaulay's late sister by naming their son Dakota after her? If you found this article moving, then be sure to pass it on to those you know.