Hilary Swank and husband Philip Schneider traveled far and wide to find the perfect names for their million dollar babies.
The two-time Oscar winner has revealed how they chose to call their twin daughter and son Aya and Ohm, 10 months.
"Aya was a Syrian refugee we met in Lebanon, so she was just this courageous brave young girl full of light going through a really difficult time. My husband and I were like, 'She's so beautiful. What a great name,'" the 49-year-old said on Today Feb. 19. "And Ohm is considered the first universal sound and unites all people. We thought, 'Oh, that sounds very fitting.'"
The first-time mom also detailed what surprised her most about being a mother.
"I think every mom I have heard says, 'Oh, get ready to experience the greatest joy of your life,' and I'm like, 'Oh, no, I know what great joy feels like. i have five dogs. I get it," Swank said. "Then you have babies and you are like, 'Oh, the love is so expansive. It is so incredible. It is so joyous and every single day you get to wake up and be with them is my fullest purpose."
The star of the upcoming film Ordinary Angels had revealed Aya and Ohm's names in a Valentine's Day post on Instagram. On Feb. 16, a photo of herself with her and the twins was released as part of her new partnership with HealthyBaby, a babycare company known for their Environmental Working Group (EWG)-verified diapers.
(E! and Today are part of the NBCUniversal family.)
Look back at Swank's sweetest family moments:
Love Will Keep Them Warm
Hilary Swank and husband Philip Schneider enjoyed time in the snow in Park City, Utah, at Sundance in 2019.
Spooky Season
The P.S. I Love You star rang in the fall with a social media shoutout to her fur baby and her babies-to-be.
She captioned her Oct. 2022 post, "#HappyHalloween from me, Pumpkin Moon and my PumpTwins."
It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Parenthood
Hilary had an extra special present for Christmas in 2022—two new babies, which she dubbed "gifts of a lifetime."
Eyes for Only Each Other
Each other and their incoming arrivals! Hilary kept a hand on her growing baby bump at the 2023 Golden Globes.
Two Buns in the Oven
Hilary provides an update on her pregnancy journey with fans, captioning her Feb. 2023 post, "Oven’s heatin’ up, dough’s beginning to rise!!"
Million Dollar Baby (A)
The Million Dollar Baby star proved she has her own prizefighter when "Baby A" was caught flexing in an ultrasound image.
They're Here
Hilary officially welcomed her twins in April 2023.
"It wasn’t easy. But boy (and girl!) was it worth it," she captioned her announcement. "Happy Easter! Posting from pure Heaven."
Doggy Heaven
Hilary gave a peek into her and Philip's life at home with their many fur babies.
"So I walked into my bedroom to find this display of rescue dog nap yumminess…," she captioned the June 2023 post. "Can you even? Terrific Teddy, Super Sufi, Kinetic Kai, Dashing Dunton and Mama Moon."
Day Date
Hilary and Philip enjoyed a rare kid-free date at the Variety Spirituality and Faith in Entertainment Breakfast in February 2024.
And The Names Are...
After revealing Aya and Ohm's names, Hilary explained that her daughter was named for "a Syrian refugee we met in Lebanon, so she was just this courageous brave young girl full of light going through a really difficult time."
As for son Ohm, his moniker is "considered the first universal sound and unites all people. We thought, 'Oh, that sounds very fitting.'"