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Benedict Cumberbatch’s fiancée is pregnant—and the baby nickname game has begun

The Cumberbun is officially in the oven.

 

Michelle Jaworski

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Posted on Jan 7, 2015   Updated on May 29, 2021, 8:00 pm CDT

Benedict Cumberbatch is having a great week. He just started filming the Sherlock Christmas special, with his face popping up in odd places. He’s in contention for multiple awards for his performance in The Imitation Game; an Oscar nomination seems likely as well. To top it all off, the world just learned that he and his fiancée Sophie Hunter are expecting their first child.

Cumberbatch’s spokesman confirmed the news to the Daily Mail after reports of Hunter’s pregnancy first hit Page Six, with a source saying that she was “a few months along.”

“I am delighted to confirm that Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter are expecting their first child,” the spokesman said. “They are both over the moon.”

Illustration by Jason Reed

Naturally, many of Cumberbatch’s fans—who were thrilled for the actor when he and Hunter got engaged in November—were ecstatic at the news that he would soon become a father.

By far the most intense conflict raging among Cumberbatch’s fans after the announcement is over what to call his child prior to its birth. “Cumberbaby” seems to be leading the pack, but why stop the creativity there?

With Cumberbatch’s name already inspiring endless mashups, we looked at the collection of baby (and couple) nicknames circulating in his fandom.

Babybatch

A little less Cumber, a little more Batchy. A perfectly good alternative that allows equal parts baby and Cumberbatch.

Cumberbun/Cumberbun in the oven

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The pun just rolls off the tongue here. Well done.

Cucumbers

No. Just no.

Hunterbaby

“Everyone’s saying Cumberbaby but I prefer Hunterbaby,” mycroftqueenofsass wrote. “Sounds a hell of a lot more badass!”

Papabatch

Future job title for a future dad. And he is essentially going to be a papa bear, so it’s fitting.

Daddybatch

Similar to Papabatch, but it doesn’t flow nearly as well.

Cumberdad

Although the sentiment may be a bit cumber-nauseating for some, Lawson certainly has the right idea. The baby is probably going to be adorable, but that’s true of most babies. Cumberdad is no Papabatch, but it ranks higher than Daddybatch.

Although Cumberbatch had his part in the affair, Hunter will be the one carrying the child to term. She will be the one scrutinized by certain segments of the media for her appearance. It is she, not her husband, who will be pressured to lose weight after she’s given birth. Give credit to where it’s due.

Hunterbatch

IT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED!!!!! BENEDICT AND SOPHIE ARE HAVING A BABY!!! I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW HAPPY I AM!!! :’D #HunterBatch #Babybatch #LOVE

— Sofie (@LoverHippie) January 7, 2015

Have fans come up with Cumberbatch and Hunter’s mashup couple name yet? If not, this is a prime candidate for it

And now, back to baby nicknames…

Human-lizard Cumberhybrid

Winner.

H/T BuzzFeed | Photo via Dalton Wang/Flickr (CC BY SA 2.0)

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*First Published: Jan 7, 2015, 4:57 pm CST