All About Nick Cannon's 12 Children - 30 Photos

There are moments when a public figure's polish gives way, offering a glimpse of the person underneath. For the "Love Don't Cost A Thing" actor, it happened in a brief pause that revealed not chaos, but the weight of a life far larger than the one he once imagined.

Nick Cannon didn't expect a moment of light comedy to spark such a revealing conversation, but that's precisely what happened during his June 19, 2025, appearance on "The Really Good Podcast."

As he and host Bobbi settled into a yoga session and a wide-ranging discussion about psychedelics, marriage, and parenting, Nick confidently began listing his children — until he suddenly faltered. The longtime entertainer managed to name ten before realizing he had forgotten two, a slip he laughed off as he tried to reconstruct the full roll call.

It was an unscripted reminder of just how expansive his world has become. Today, Nick is raising 12 children — seven boys and five girls — with six different women. Five of those children were born in the single, whirlwind year of 2022.

And while the size of his family often makes headlines, he insists his day-to-day reality is rooted in nuance rather than spectacle.

Boys, Girls, and a Father Who Adjusts With Each Child

Nick explained that raising his sons feels familiar, grounded in the kind of rough-and-tumble bonding he grew up with. But with his daughters, he softens. He said one of them, in particular, can command attention the moment she feels unheard, using a dramatic flair that fills the room without hesitation.

He spoke about this dynamic with affection, amused by how skillfully his girls can navigate his gentler approach.

Those differences shape the way each of his children moves through the world — including the three he shares with Brittany Bell. Their first child together, born in 2017, was widely known, and Nick reportedly posted an announcement celebrating his arrival in a non-private post. He captioned it, "Golden 'Sagon' Cannon 2/21/17." Golden is now eight years old.

The daughter they welcomed in December 2020 arrived right before Christmas, introduced to the world through Brittany's joyful Instagram post celebrating "the best gift ever … A GIRL!!!!! 👑Powerful Queen Cannon👑 came this week." Born on the 23rd of the month, Powerful is four years old today.

Their third child, Rise Messiah Cannon, whom Brittany gave birth to in September 2022, came during a period when Nick said she asked for no shower and "needed NOTHING!" — just prayer. As of today, Rise is three years old.

Instagram Announcements, Autism, and a Family Built Online

Nick's rhythm with Abby De La Rosa is just as unique. Together, they welcomed twin boys in June 2021, introduced on Instagram through Abby's announcement, "Welcome to the world, Zion Mixolydian Cannon & Zillion Heir Cannon." The twins are four years of age today.

When the twins were two years old, Zillion received an autism diagnosis, something Nick publicly acknowledged on World Autism Awareness Day. Today, the twins are four years old.

Abby and Nick later welcomed a daughter, Beautiful Zeppelin Cannon, in November 2022, a day Nick celebrated as a "BEAUTIFUL DAY" for her arrival. Today, the little girl who says commands attention is three years old.

Five Births, One Year: Legendary Love, Onyx Ice, and Healing After Loss

That year — 2022 — was nothing short of a baby boom for Nick.

Around the same time, Bre Tiesi introduced their son in a 2022 post announcing his birth and name, Legendary Love Cannon — a baby she described as weighing 8 pounds 10 ounces and arriving in the early hours of June 28. Today, Legendary is no longer a baby, but a three-year-old boy.

LaNisha Cole also welcomed a daughter with Nick that year, celebrated through Nick's own tribute, calling her "ONYX ICE COLE CANNON," adding, "Once again, Today I am in Awe of the Devine Feminine!" LaNisha also confirmed it in her own announcement, "Onyx Ice Cole Cannon 💖9-14-22." As of September this year, Onyx is three years old.

With Alyssa Scott, Nick's parenting journey carries both joy and profound grief. Their son, Zen Cannon, born on June 23, 2021 — his mother's Instagram caption read, "I will love you for eternity 🖤 6•23•21" — was diagnosed shortly after birth with a malignant brain tumor.

Nick shared the story publicly in December 2021, recalling how Zen initially seemed to have a minor sinus issue before doctors discovered fluid buildup in his head. After emergency surgery, Zen continued to smile through the following months until he died on December 5, 2021. Zen lived for five months.

Nick remembered him as having a "Cannon head" and an extraordinarily calm spirit, and he called Alyssa "the strongest woman he's ever seen" when sharing the news on "The Nick Cannon Show." A year later, Nick posted a message reflecting the weight of that loss, "Mentally and Spiritually I'm broken."

Their daughter, born in December 2022, arrived as a moment of healing, introduced through Alyssa's affectionate greeting, "HI HALO MARIE !! 💗 12/14/22 💗" As of today, December 3, 2025, Halo is two years old.

The Originals: Twins With Mariah Carey

And long before this chapter of fatherhood began, Nick's oldest children — twins, Moroccan and Monroe Cannon, whom he shares with Mariah — set the foundation for the parent he would eventually become.

He has spoken openly about co-parenting with Mariah and how their relationship has remained steady through the transitions in her personal life.

The twins remain the center of that partnership, and Nick said that what matters most is ensuring they feel grounded as their mother's relationships evolve. Moroccan and Monroe are the foundation of his fatherhood. Monroe and Moroccan are now 14 years old.

Nick Reflects on the Chaos

Nick's outwardly fast-paced family life has deeper roots. In a September 2025 conversation on "The Breakfast Club," he said he once lived reactively, caught in patterns he didn't realize were harmful.

He explained that he used to respond to public criticism constantly, trying to correct every misunderstanding, but eventually learned he didn't need to chase every narrative when he had platforms of his own.

Therapy, he said, changed him. He learned to recognize when he was feeding off chaos, when ego was driving his decisions, and when avoidance was masking pain. That process forced him to confront the emotional collapse that followed his divorce from Mariah.

In his words, "A lot of it is the trauma that I was experiencing from not knowing how to handle divorce." Nick acknowledged that if he had slowed down earlier and confronted those wounds, his family might not have grown as quickly as it did.

He insisted, however, that every child was born from love, not impulse, but admitted the trajectory would likely have been different if he had understood the long-term effects of moving without reflection.

A Life Built on Love, Loss, and the Work of Becoming Better

12 children. Six mothers. Five births within a single year. A son lost. A diagnosis that reshaped one child's path. A co-parenting journey that began with a global superstar. A healing process is still unfolding.

Nick has said he is no longer the man he once was — the man who avoided hurt, chased motion, and mistook turbulence for normalcy. Today, he is a father who forgets names on podcasts, not out of indifference, but because life has given him so many to hold.