Liam Payne reveals 'internal battle' over baby Bear's name

Liam Payne had an "internal battle" over girlfriend Cheryl's unusual choice of moniker for their baby son.

The 23-year-old singer became a first-time father when his 33-year-old partner gave birth to a boy on 22 March (17). The pair revealed they had chosen the name Bear for the tot earlier this month, with Liam opening up about the the out-of-the-ordinary choice during an interview on the Total Access radio show.

"It was like an internal battle," Liam explained. "I wanted a more traditional name and she wanted a name that was more unusual. And the reason she chose Bear in the end was because Bear is a name that when you leave a room, you won’t forget. And I like that."

The Strip That Down singer is just getting used to fatherhood. But he added that while he was unsure about Bear's name when they first picked it, he admits the moniker perfectly fits his little boy.

"When I look at him, he’s just Bear. At first I wasn’t really having it. I was like, ‘I’m not really sure. I don’t really understand.’ Now I look at him and he’s Bear. You become your name as you get older anyway," Liam smiled.

His interview came after fans claim the singer revealed baby Bear's middle name is Grey during a chat with them in Boston, according to the Daily Mirror newspaper.

Liam also reportedly explained to the fans that his latest inking, an eye on his left arm, is a copy of Cheryl's eye, because "sometimes it feels like she's always watching".

Liam and Cheryl first met when the singer auditioned for Britain's The X Factor, on which she was a judge, back in 2008 - when he was just 14 years old. They started dating in 2016 and officially announced they were expecting a baby this February.