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What Amber Heard has said about her daughter, Oonagh Paige

The actor, 36, welcomed a child in 2021. "She's the beginning of the rest of my life," Heard said when Oonagh was born.
Amber Heard is a mom to Oonagh Paige.
Amber Heard is a mom to Oonagh Paige.Craig Barritt / Getty Images

Actor Amber Heard’s personal life was publicly scrutinized due to a defamation lawsuit brought by her ex-husband Johnny Depp in the U.S., and a libel suit brought by Depp in the U.K., now being re-examined in a documentary on Netflix.

Heard testified about her time as a girlfriend and wife — less so, as a mother.

During an interview with TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie, Amber Heard opened up about what she’ll tell her 1-year-old daughter, Oonagh Paige, about the trial.

“I think no matter what, it will mean something,” Heard said. “I did the right thing. I did everything I could to stand up for myself and the truth.”

Depp sued Heard for $50 million in damages over an op-ed she wrote for the Washington Post in which she identified as a survivor of domestic violence. While Depp was not named in the op-ed, Depp’s legal team wrote in a complaint the op-ed is a “clear implication that Mr. Depp is a domestic abuser.” Depp denies all allegations of abuse.

Heard countersued for $100 million in damages, on the grounds that Depp’s team "unlawfully targeted her" in an “online smear campaign" against her.

In her testimony, Heard described multiple incidents of physical and sexual violence, which she said she still stands behind.

Ultimately, the jury concluded both Depp and Heard defamed one another. There were three statements at issue in Heard’s counterclaim. The jury found one statement defamatory and awarded $2 million in damages.

The jury unanimously found “clear and convincing evidence” that Heard defamed Depp when she wrote the op-ed, effectively rejecting her testimony. Depp was awarded $10.4 million in damages by the jury. Heard's lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft, said on TODAY that Heard is “absolutely not” able to complete the payment.

Heard, 36, told TODAY in 2022 she is looking forward to life after the trial. “I get to be a mom full-time, where I’m not having to juggle calls with lawyers,” she said.

Here's what to know about Heard and her daughter.

Heard's daughter, Oonagh Paige, was born in April 2021

Oonagh Paige Heard was born on April 8, 2021. Heard shared the news of her daughter's birth through a July 2021 post on Instagram.

"I’m so excited to share this news with you. Four years ago, I decided I wanted to have a child," Heard wrote at the beginning of the post. For context, Heard filed for divorce from Depp in 2016, five years prior.

Heard then spoke about approaching motherhood on "(her) own terms," and not necessarily through a marriage.

"I now appreciate how radical it is for us as women to think about one of the most fundamental parts of our destinies in this way. I hope we arrive at a point in which it’s normalized to not want a ring in order to have a crib," Heard wrote.

She then touched on her position as a public figure. "A part of me wants to uphold that my private life is none of anyone’s business. I also get that the nature of my job compels me to take control of this. She’s the beginning of the rest of my life,” she said, before delving into the specifics about her daughter's name and birthdate. "She’s the beginning of the rest of my life."

Her name's meaning has a personal significance

Oonagh is a Scottish name and means “lamb,” according to Nameberry. The baby's middle name pays homage to Heard's mom, Paige Heard, who died in 2020.

"She taught me everything I know about kindness and love and gave me my heart," Heard wrote of her mom on Instagram.

Heard has not publicly identified Oonagh's father

As she wrote in the announcement post, Heard took an independent route to motherhood. She has not disclosed any details about Oonagh's father. In an Instagram post, she called herself the baby's "mom and dad."

She mentioned Oonagh during her testimony

Heard mentioned her daughter once during her four days of testimony.

“I want to move on with my life. I have a baby. I have to move on. I want to move on, and I want Johnny to move on too,” she said.

Heard posts about her daughter on Instagram

Heard occasionally shares updates about her daughter on her Instagram page, like for her first birthday celebration. "My little O is a year old today. I still can't believe you're here. The greatest year," she wrote.

In another post, she called Oonagh her "co-pilot."

How is Oonagh pronounced?

The Irish name Oonagh is pronounced "Oona."