'The most beautiful girl in the world': Beyoncé and Jay-Z welcome baby girl and name her Blue Ivy Carter

By Sarah Fitzmaurice, Emily Sheridan and Dionne Clarke
Last updated at 8:41 AM on 9th January 2012

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Superstar couple Beyoncé Knowles and Jay-Z have welcomed their first child - a baby girl named Blue Ivy Carter.
The 30-year-old singer's daughter arrived via scheduled caesarean section at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City last night.
The couple's close friend Gwyneth Paltrow confirmed the baby's name on Twitter, writing: 'Welcome to the world Blue! We love you already.'

Baby joy: Beyonce Knowles, pictured in New York last month, has reportedly given birth to a baby girl called Blue Ivy Carter

Beyoncé's 42-year-old rapper husband Jay-Z, real name Shawn Carter, was by her side during the birth, according to E! Online.

BLUE IVY CARTER - MEANING OF HER NAME

Ivy is in reference to the couple's love of the number four - roman numeral for 4 is IV
Beyoncé and Jay-Z were married on April 4, 2008
Jay-Z's birthday is December 4

Beyoncé's birthday is September 4

Beyoncé and Jay-Z have matching IV tattoos on their wedding fingers

The singer's latest album is called 4 which was her fourth solo studio album

Jay-Z has a trilogy of albums under The Blueprint banner which could have inspired his daughter's name
He has released The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse and The Blueprint 3

A source told Beyoncé's hometown newspaper Houston Chronicle that 'mother and baby are doing fine'.
The baby's middle name Ivy may be in reference to Beyoncé and Jay-Z's love of the number 4. They married on April 4, 2008, Beyoncé's latest album is called 4 and the couple have matching tattoos of the roman numeral for 4 - IV - on their wedding fingers.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z were also born on September 4 and December 4 respectively.
Regarding Blue, Jay-Z has a trilogy of albums with the word in the title. The Blueprint was released in 2001 around the time he got together with Beyoncé, The Blueprint2: The Gift & The Curse came out in 2002 and The Blueprint 3 in 2009.
Despite initial confusion the baby was named Ivy Blue, E! reporter Ken Baker later clarified friends of the couple have confirmed the newborn was actually called Blue Ivy.
Paltrow also clarified the name to a confused Twitter follower: 'It's Blue Ivy Carter.'
And the singer's younger sister Solange tweeted today: 'The most beautiful girl in the world.'

'We love you already': Close friend, actress Gwyneth Paltrow tweeted her congratulations to baby Blue

Proud aunty: Beyonce's younger sister Solange tweeted about Blue's arrival on her Twitter page on Sunday

Celebrities have already started tweeting their congratulations to the couple, including hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and Rihanna.
Russell posted: 'Congrats to my good friends Beyoncé and Jay-Z.'
Rihanna posted: 'Welcome to the world princess Carter! Love Aunty Rih.'
According to the New York Daily News, Beyoncé checked into the Upper East Side hospital under the name Ingrid Jackson.

Connection: Beyoncé's love of the number four could be behind her daughter Ivy's middle name with the roman numeral for 4 - IV

Reported: The 30-year-old singer is said to have checked into Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City under a false name

Beyoncé, who was spotted out with her mother on Thursday night, is said to have booked out the entire fourth floor spending $1.3million it has been claimed.
On Saturday night, deliveries of takeaway food and bottles of red wine were being delivered to the hospital's private wing.
Us Weekly reports that an eyewitness saw Beyoncé's sister Solange and parents Tina and Mathew Knowles at the hospital holding 'flowers with pink balloons and silver and black ribbons.'
Jay-Z was also seen walking through the hospital halls looking 'happy' an observer said.
While a spokesperson for the power couple - who are said to be worth $750million - was not available for comment, security is said to have been tightened at the hospital.

We've been waiting for you: Rihanna wasted no time welcoming the babe into the world

Public congratulations: Russell Simmons was one of the first celebrities to tweet the news

CELEBRITIES TWEET CONGRATULATIONS

Diddy wrote: 'Congrats to jay and B! God Bless :) ! And many more!'
Snooki posted: 'Beyonce congrats on your baby gurl mama!!!! So happy for you , you deserve it sexpot'
Brooklyn Decker: 'Oh my gosh Bey had her baby... I hope I hope I hope she is named Brooklyn.. I will tattoo it on my butt if so.' She later added: 'Ivy Blue Carter. They named her Ivy Blue Carter.. we can no longer be bonded. I'll go cry myself to sleep now.'
Tyrese: 'Congrats to you both .. You are loved..! Beyonce' and Jay are new proud parents of a healthy baby girl .. Blessings!!
Young Jeezy: 'Congratulations to Jay-Z & Beyonce on baby Ivy Blue being born'
Kourtney Kardashian: 'Congratulations to Beyonce, the 2nd Princess of Pop (behind Britney) for her new baby girl Ivy Blue'

Celebrity Children Called Blue

A rather simple name - Blue as a name for a child has no hidden meanings - it simply means the colour Blue.

Although many find Blue unusual as a name, it's actually been quite popular in celebrity circles for a while.

U2 guitarist The Edge has a 22-year-old daughter Blue Angel with ex-wife Aislinn.

Alicia Silverstone's seven-month-old son is called Bear Blu (pictured above).

Actress Maria Bello has a 10-year-old old son Jackson Blue.

John Travolta and Kelly Preston have a 11-year-old daughter Ella Bleu.

Singer Cher and late ex-husband Gregg Allman have a son Elijah Blue, 35
R&B singer Blu Cantrell enjoyed several hits in the early Noughties

Hospital workers are being asked to turn in their mobile phones and security cameras have been covered with packing tape, according to the news site.
At one point, a doctor was heard complaining the heavy security meant he couldn't check up on his patients properly.

 

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TMZ reports that security for Beyonce's stay at the hospital involved an elaborate plan to ensure safety of mother and child.
Hospital execs and a large security force worked together and a meeting was held leading up to the delivery to discuss the best course of action.
The meeting was apparently held on Friday afternoon to prepare for the singer's late night delivery on Saturday night.
So far the plan has worked with no pictures of Beyonce, Jay-Z or their relatives released of them leaving or entering the building.
Meanwhile, a man has claimed he has been unable to visit his premature babies in the intensive care unit because of tightened security.
Neil Coulon told the New York Daily News he and his relatives were booted out of the waiting room by bodyguards.
The hospital is only a few miles from the Beyonce and Jay-Z's TriBeCa, Manhattan apartment, where they spend most of their time while not on tour.
The couple, who have been married since 2008, also recently bought a mansion in Miami Beach, Florida.
Within hours of baby Blue's reported arrival, one fan started up a parody Twitter account called @IvyBlueCarter, with a digitally-created image of what the baby could look like.
Baby rumours reached fever pitch on December 30 with reports that Beyoncé had given welcomed a daughter called Tiana May Carter.
It came after reports suggested that staff at St Luke's Roosevelt Hospital - a private facility in New York - had been told to prepare for a VIP arrival.
But Beyoncé's sister Solange rebutted the rumours by telling fans that the singer had spent New Year's Eve at her house party in Brooklyn.
The 25-year-old confirmed Beyoncé was very much still pregnant and tweeted: 'Shout out to my sister for being THE cutest pregnant woman ever!'
The former Destiny's Child singer was also seen out earlier on New Year's Eve dining at the Buttermilk Channel restaurant in Brooklyn on New Year's Eve with Jay-Z.
Last Thursday, Beyoncé emerged in public for the first time since being last spotted on December 21.
The 30-year-old was seen stroking her tummy as she left a New York office building escorted by a bodyguard and her mother Tina.

Are they parents yet? There has been considerable speculation for weeks after it was falsely reported that the singer and her husband Jay-Z had welcomed their child

Confusion: E! reporter Ken Baker clarified Blue was the baby's first name not middle name on his Twitter page

Beyoncé announced her pregnancy at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards back in August, when she arrived on the red carpet cradling her tiny bump.
The singer also showed off her growing tummy after her onstage performance at the same ceremony - unbuttoning her sequinned jacket and rubbing her tummy.
It was originally thought she was due in February, but Beyoncé revealed in scenes from her Live At Roseland: Elements Of 4 DVD - which was filmed in September - that she was six months pregnant at the time.

Showing off the bump: The singer was seen showing off her pregnant shape in New York in November

Back in October the former Destiny's Child faced internet rumours that she was 'faking' her pregnancy after an interview she did for Australian TV was posted online.

Critics claimed that when the Texan sat down her bump disappeared.

But Beyoncé's rep quickly batted down those rumours saying they were 'foolish'.
Incidentally, there had been rumours in the Noughties that Jay-Z had dated Hit 'Em Up Style singer Blu Cantrell which she later denied, but admitted that she had a 'major crush' on him.

Parody: Within hours of the birth being revealed, a fake account claiming to represent baby Blue - but with her name spelt the wrong way round - appeared on Twitter