Welcome, Tiny Dancer: Elton John Becomes a Dad

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Musician Elton John and David Furnish attend Time's 100 most influential people in the world gala

Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Time Inc

The piano player from Pinner clearly heard the patter of tiny feet. And thus Elton John and partner David Furnish have become fathers to Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John, which must be a name destined for a future in showbiz.

The baby boy was born on Christmas Day in California via a surrogate, according to Fran Curtis, a representative for the couple. Curtis said she wouldn’t discuss the details of the surrogacy arrangements. But the happy fathers did release a statement to US Magazine: “We are overwhelmed with happiness and joy at this very special moment. Zachary is healthy and doing really well, and we are very proud and happy parents.”

(See Elton John in TIME’s top 100 albums of all time.)

He weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces and considering that Elton John had a hit with the song “Levon” in the early 1970’s, that probably explains one of the middle names. And though the surrogacy has been seen as a surprise, it’s well known that the couple wanted to become fathers. They tried to adopt an HIV positive child from the Ukraine in 2009, but were rejected on the grounds of Elton John’s age and the fact that the country did not recognize civil marriages. (The couple nevertheless made a commitment to support the boy and his brother financially.)

(See a TIME cover story on Elton John.)

Puns are likely to abound with it already being noted that “I Guess That’s Why they Call It The (Baby) Blues” and “I’m Still Standing” will work for the toddler years. NewsFeed simply welcomes the “Tiny Dancer” to the world and wants the couple to know that, “You can tell everybody, this is our son.”