International human rights lawyer Amal Clooney and her actor husband, George, have confirmed that they're now the proud parents of not one, but two babies: a boy and a girl.

A representative for the couple revealed the news, joking: “George is sedated and should recover in a few days.”

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The rep went on to reveal that the couple have chosen two suitably classic, yet empowering, monikers for their children: Alexander and Ella.

“Ella, Alexander and Amal are all healthy, happy and doing fine.”

For those who are wondering, Alexander means "noble warrior" or “defender of men. It is an increasingly popular name choice, thanks to its classic sound, and has been in Nameberry’s Top 25 Baby Names list since 1991: in fact, it is still at a high number 11. 

The name Ella, of course, has been hovering near the top of the baby name charts since the millennium – a fact which many attribute to its dual-syllabic sound and unusual meaning of "fairy queen".

While the couple are fiercely private about their personal lives, they have opened up a great deal about their impending parenthood to the press. However this decision may have been influenced by the fact that Clooney’s good friend, Matt Damon, accidentally confirmed that his friend was due to become a first-time father during an interview with Entertainment Tonight Canada. 

“I was working with him last fall and he pulled me aside on set and I mean, I almost started crying,” the Good Will Hunting actor shared.

“I was so happy for him.”

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Damon went on to say that he thought the Clooneys would be “awesome parents”.

“She is a remarkable woman. They're gonna be great. They're gonna be awesome parents. Those kids are lucky.”

Appearing on the French program Rencontres de Cinema earlier this year, Clooney joked that he had turned to his friends for support when he learned that he was due to become a dad at 56.

“All of my friends who are my age have already done this, and their kids are all grown up,” he said. “Their kids are all away at college.”

Unfortunately for Clooney, however, his news didn’t exactly have the desired response.

“[When I told them] it got really quiet, and they all just started making baby crying noises,” he revealed. “And the whole table just busted up laughing.”

Unperturbed by his less than supportive pals, Clooney went on to say that he was very excited for the future, although he admitted “it’s gonna take some getting used to”.

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Clooney first met Amal Alamuddin, 39, through mutual friends at a charity fundraising event in September 2013.

They got engaged less than a year later in April 2014 and married on 27 September 2014 at Ca'Farsetti Palace in Italy.

Images: Rex pictures