Pete Wentz Talks Baby Name, Baby Mama

Fall Out Boy explains origin of son Bronx Mowgli's name; says Ashlee is "really, really good"

By Gina Serpe Nov 25, 2008 4:56 PMTags
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Proud papa Pete Wentz may not think that people "have the real story" about the genesis of the unusual moniker he and wife Ashlee Simpson-Wentz bestowed on their new baby boy. But when you throw an Alice in Wonderland-themed wedding, hold a Winnie the Pooh-themed baby shower and name your firstborn Bronx Mowgli, it's probably safe to assume a love of Disney had something to do with it.

"I feel weird—people have all these ideas of what it means now," Wentz says of his offspring's name during a phone call today to E! News' Ryan Seacrest. "I think it's kind of cool to leave the narrative the way it is.

"People are stoked or pissed or whatever…I don't think anybody knows the real story of why or how."

Not that they couldn't hazard a fairly accurate guess.

"We came up with the idea Bronx, we'd been throwing it back and forth a while ago," he says. As for the origin of the middle name? "The Jungle Book is something me and Ashlee bonded over. It's really cool."

At least till the kid enters school.

Until then, Wentz said he isn't shirking on any of his new fatherly duties, including the dreaded diaper duty.

"Yeah, I've changed quite a few," he said. "I've definitely done a couple of exploding ones."

As for the birth of his now 5-day-old spawn, Wentz said he was "instantly in love, it's impossible not to be," and added that his and his missus' lives were already "100 percent different."

And about that wife…

"She's pretty much a saint. Right before she went into labor, I was pretty much like, 'Oh my god, I think I'm having a heart attack.' She took care of me and made sure I was OK," he said, even though she was in "all this pain."

The pain, however, has quickly given way to new-parent joy.

"She's really good, really good, actually," he said of Simpson-Wentz, adding that caring for the new baby has already turned into a family affair. "The grandmas have been really good, helping us a lot."

Not quite so helpful, however, is the fervor with which well-meaning friends are lining up to catch a glimpse of little Bronx.

"Yeah, it's like opening a new spot in L.A.," Wentz explained. "Everyone's trying to get in every night—they're like, 'No, I know Pete, kind of.'

"I'm like, you do not have a plus-one."