Former Love Island star Paige Thorne has introduced her newborn son, Fateley Hayes Wedlake, to fans after becoming a mother for the first time. The 29-year-old shared the announcement on Instagram on September 30, alongside photos of herself and partner Drew Wedlake with their baby.
Revealing the full name in the caption, Paige wrote: "Fateley Hayes Wedlake, we never knew a love like this existed." The post has accumulated more than 240,000 likes, with fellow Love Island alumni including Tasha Ghouri, Dami Hope, Andrew Le Page, Olivia Hawkins, and Danica Taylor offering their congratulations.
Paige addresses pronunciation and critics
Not everyone was taken with the choice of name, with some online commentators questioning whether it sounded too similar to the word "fatally" or mocking potential nicknames. In response, Paige, originally from Swansea, Wales, turned to TikTok to clarify the pronunciation and hit back at her critics, stating it is pronounced "Fate-Lee" and bluntly telling viewers to "keep your opinions to yourself".
In her full response, the reality television star said: "It's adorable, and if you don't like it, keep your opinions to yourself, be a better person. Eww if you've got negative energy towards it. But it's FATE-ley. Fate for short, not fat. Why would you even think that? FATE-ley... FATE-ley."
She added: "Thank you to everyone who is loving it and is giving us loads and loads of lovely messages, we're feeling very loved. But just thought I'd clear up his name and how you pronounce it and what it's shortened to. Thanks."
Supporters and trolls react
Supporters were quick to rally behind Paige on the post, which has since accumulated more than 139,000 likes. One person replied: "Imagine just having a baby, and then having to explain your newborns name to the internet. Congratulations on baby Fateley." Another added: "I like it, what's everyone's problem?"
Yet some trolls continued to ridicule the name, with one person asking: "Why would you call him that?" Another chimed in: "Bit close to 'fatally' no?" While a third commented: "Paige it's time for you to change it before it finalised. You get a 30-day grace period with the registration people." Many followers also questioned whether the name was Welsh.
Origin of the name and couple's timeline
Fateley is not a Welsh name — it has historical roots in English and Irish origins. It is documented as a rare variation of the English surname Gately or Faircley, which historically originated from Lancashire or the West Midlands region. Linguistically, its contemporary use as a given name is often linked with the English word "fate" or "destiny".
Paige Thorne and Drew Wedlake have been together for just over a year. The couple publicly confirmed their relationship on Instagram in July 2025, and moved to Bristol together after around three months of dating. They revealed in March this year that they were expecting their first child, approximately eight months into their relationship.
