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Ryan Phillippe's Daughter? Ex Alexis Knapp Gives Baby His Last Name

By Cynthia Hsu, Esq. on August 03, 2011 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Did Alexis Knapp give birth to Ryan Phillippe's daughter? Knapp and Phillippe previously dated, but have since broken up.

Knapp gave birth on July 1st, with Phillippe at her side, reports Today.

And, maybe the baby girl's name is an indication of who her mother thinks the father is: Kailani Merizalde Phillippe Knapp, according to People Magazine.

But, there hasn't been much in the way of indicating who the father is legally. The section on the birth certificate that lists the father's name has been left blank.

Establishing legal paternity can be important for couples, especially if one parent wants to seek support from another, or for inheritance purposes.

If a couple is married before the mother gives birth to the child, the husband is legally presumed to be the father of the baby.

For unmarried couples, if the couple gets married after the mother's pregnancy but before birth, the husband is still legally presumed to be the father. If the parents marry after the birth of the child, they can sign legal documents that would grant the husband the same parental and legal rights as if they had married before the child was born.

But, what about couples who weren't married at the time of conception and remain unmarried? One option to establish legal paternity would be for the couple to voluntarily come to an agreement about paternity. If a voluntary agreement is made, the couple will usually sign a legal document acknowledging the paternity, and the father's name can be included on the birth certificate.

If a voluntary agreement cannot be reached, it's also possible that the mother can file a legal action to establish paternity in court.

Though, it's likely establishing paternity won't be coming down to a legal action - if Alexis Knapp did give birth to Ryan Phillippe's daughter, a source told People Magazine that Phillippe has said that he is prepared to take responsibility.

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