Joel Madden Says Daughter Kate, 18, Decided to Go by Her Middle Name in First Grade: 'There Was No Discussion'
Joel Madden Says Daughter Kate, 18, Decided to Go by Her Middle Name in First Grade: 'There Was No Discussion'
Hannah SacksWed, March 18, 2026 at 3:26 PM UTC
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Joel Madden; Harlow Kate MaddenCredit: Amy Sussman/Getty; Rodin Eckenroth/Getty -
Joel Madden revealed his daughter Kate has gone by her middle name since first grade
Kate chose the name herself and her parents learned about it during a school open house
Madden shares he’s proud of his kids and says being their dad has been an easy, joyful experience
Joel Madden is sharing that his daughter Kate has gone by her middle name for most of her life.
During an appearance on BunnieXO's Dumb Blonde podcast, the Good Charlotte singer, 47, addressed the recent headlines about how his 18-year-old daughter Harlow Winter Kate goes by her middle name instead of Harlow.
"She's been going by her middle name since she was in like, first grade," says Madden. "She chose it. She went to school, one day she came home, or we went to the open house night or whatever, and the teacher's like, 'Kate's doing great. She's so nice.'"
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Nicole Richie with son and daughter Harlow Kate and son Sparrow.Credit: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty
"And we're like, 'Who's Kate?' And they're like, 'Your daughter Kate. That's what she said her name was,' " continues the dad of two. "'We're like, 'Oh, she's going by her middle name now?' And we went home, and we're like, 'You go by Kate at school?' And she goes, 'Yeah, I like it.'"
Madden says if people have known Kate since she was about 7, she's always gone by that name rather than Harlow.
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"It wasn't a big deal. I thought it was cool," adds the proud dad. "And there was no discussion. It wasn't a big deal."
He shares that everyone knows her as Kate and that they could tell if someone didn't know her personally if they referred to her as Harlow.
"She knows if someone called her Harlow, they don't really know her. It's kind of interesting," says Madden. "But she just did that when she was in first grade, and it was never even a discussion."
Madden, who shares Kate and son Sparrow, 16, with wife Nicole Richie, shares that he's just so proud of his two kids as they get older.
"I always say my kids have made it so easy to be a dad. They are such easy people," Madden explains. "It's not been some big sacrifice to be their dad. It feels to me like I was given a gift from god, these kids, cause they are really cool, easy, fun and they make me happy. They make me smile."
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
