Dido has a treble reason to celebrate; not only does her 40th birthday fall on Christmas Day, she has also welcomed her first child into the world.

However, the talented singer has opted to name her newborn Stanley – a bizarre choice considering the morbid lyrics of her No1 hit with Eminem.

The song, released in 2000, focuses on a fictitious fan, named Stan, who bombards the US rapper with letters in the hope he will write back.

However when he fails to receive a reply from his hero, Stan seals his fate by killing his girlfriend and their unborn child, before committing suicide.
 

Low-key: Singer Dido quietly gave birth to her first child in July

Yet, in a cruel twist, Eminem does write back apologising for being too busy – by which time devoted fan Stan is already dead.

Dido – whose full name is Dido Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O’Malley Armstrong – gave birth to her son Stanley in July this year at the Portland Hospital in central London

Baby Stanley is her first child with husband Rohan Gavin, a writer who also directed a pop promo for her two years ago.

The couple are believed to have married quietly last year and now live in North London.

Miss Armstrong’s 2001 debut album No Angels, which featured the singles Thank You and Here With Me, is one of the biggest selling albums ever by a British female, selling more than 21 million copies worldwide.

It secured her two Brit Awards in 2002 for Best Female and Best Album.
 

Duet: Dido sang on Eminem song Stan, which rocketed to No1 in 2000

Obsessive: Actor Devon Sawa played Stan in the music video

The follow-up Life For Rent, released in 2003, then confirmed her superstardom with sales of more than 12 million and two more Brit Awards.

Her last album Safe Trip Home came out in 2008. However, it did not enjoy the same commercial success but saw her nominated for an Academy Award for her song If I Rise from the album.

The star had been due to perform the song at the Oscars earlier this year, before cancelling the appearance when she found out she was pregnant.

She wrote at the time: ‘Hello everyone, It’s been a month of amazing news for me and now I have some more to share.

‘Me and my husband Rohan are expecting a baby and we’re beyond happy and excited about it.

‘So as some of you already know, I won’t be able to travel to LA for the Oscars ceremony to perform If I Rise.

Success: Dido winning a Brit Award in 2002

‘Obviously I’m really gutted about not being there – going to the Oscars has literally been a dream of mine since I was about nine.’

She said she had embraced her pregnancy, adding: ‘There’s a real calmness about it which I think is really nice. Your decisions are sort of made for you. You just have this priority that is unchangeable and I think that’s a great calmness that comes from that.’

Safe Trip Home also featured the song Northern Skies. In 2009, Mr Gavin then directed a short-film to go with the song.

Since her commercial peak, Miss Armstrong has had to contend with personal upheaval.

In 2003, she separated from fiancé Bob Page, a lawyer and her partner of seven years, whom she had credited as being the inspiration for her work.

Then, in 2006, she had to face the death of her father William, the former head of publishing house Sidgwick & Jackson.

She dropped all work commitments as her father’s health deteriorated, going to see him in hospital twice a day and spending time with her mother, Clare, and older brother Rollo, a member of dance trio Faithless.

The singer – who is estimated to be worth more than £28million – had an unusual childhood, growing up in Islington in a house full of books with no television and no visitors.

She attended Westminster School before going to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Apart from caring for her son, Miss Armstrong said she was currently working on a new album.