Backstreet Boys Member AJ McLean Explained Why His Child Changed

You might also know that AJ has two children, Elliott and Lyric, with wife Rochelle Karidis.

Earlier this year, Rochelle and AJ revealed on Instagram that one of their daughters, Elliott, had recently changed her name from her given birth name, Ava.

In an interview with People, AJ explained why Elliott decided to change her name.

“When my daughter asked to change her name to Elliott,” he said, “initially, I didn’t know if it was a transgender thing, which it is not, but it is a personal choice.”

“And it is her body, it’s her name, it’s her everything.”

AJ explained that Elliott decided on her new name after going to school with other children named Ava.

He recalled her saying to him, “Dad, I just feel like my name is not that unique and not that original, and there’s a lot of Avas at dance and a lot of Avas at school.”

When it came to choosing her new name, Elliott was inspired by watching the recent live-action remake of Pete’s Dragon.

“She just finished watching Pete’s Dragon, and she loved the name Elliot, but with two Ts,” he explained. “Now, it just rolls off the tongue. Now, she’s Elliott.”

AJ also said that, to him, Elliott will “always be Ava,” but he also respects her decision to change her name.

“Whatever reasoning it is, that’s hers, and I’m going to support it a million percent, my wife will [too],” he stated.

Read the entire interview here.

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