Brangelina’s new arrival is a peaceful one
According to the biblical encyclopaedia, christiananswers.net, Shiloh is generally understood to mean the Messiah — “the peaceful one”. It is also said to be a place in ancient Israel, north of the Dead Sea.
In addition, Shiloh was the name of a major battle in the American Civil War.
In April 1862 in South-West Tennessee, Confederate forces launched a surprise attack against the union army, almost defeating it. Today the scene of battle, which was also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, is preserved as Shiloh National Military Park.
The second part of Jolie-Pitt’s daughter’s name has less religious and historical resonance: “nouvel” is French for “new”. The baby’s arrival was the subject of intense press speculation that led the superstars to move to a Namibian hideaway for privacy.
In a statement, publicist Cindy Guagenti said: “The night of May 27, 2006, in Namibia, Africa, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt welcomed their daughter Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt. No further information is being given.”
No photographs were being released, she added.
The actors were rumoured to have got together while filming Mr And Mrs Smith, in which they played husband-and-wife assassins hired to kill each other. Pitt, who was married to Friends actress Jennifer Aniston at the time, denied any romance. But Pitt and Aniston announced their split in January 2005, and divorced later that year. Jolie, aged 30, is a frequent visitor to Africa and serves as goodwill ambassador for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Officials in Namibia – where the couple holed up at a luxury resort after news of the birth garnered an onslaught of media attention – refused to provide any details about the birth.
Samuel Nuuyoma, governor of the region of Erongo, said he could only confirm the birth of a baby girl at the Welwitschia Clinic in Walvis Bay.
A doctor at the hospital said there were no complications, and that mother and child were doing well.
The Namibian government has gone to extraordinary lengths to protect the privacy of Jolie and Pitt, not only installing tight security around their hotel and the hospital but also refusing visas to foreign journalists unless they had written permission from Jolie and Pitt to cover the birth.
Police ringed the hospital, refusing to admit journalists and photographers into the building, arresting photographers and confiscating film.
The boy’s and girl's name Shiloh is pronounced SHYE-loh. It is of Hebrew origin, and its meaning is "His gift." Also, possibly, "he who was sent".
In biblical terms it is a prophetic name for the Messiah. Shiloh is also significant as the site of a battle in the American Civil War.
Shiloh has three variant forms: Shilo, Shylo and Shyloh.
Shiloh is a rare male first name in the US, as it was not ranked for males of all ages in the 1990 US census.
Shiloh is a common surname, ranking 54,257 out of 88,799 for people of all ages in the 1990 US Census.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
