The actor and his wife welcomed their first child on 1 June (15), but the private pair has kept the details of the birth and the baby's name under wraps ever since, urging fans and the media to "respect the family's privacy during these next few precious weeks."

But now it appears the newborn's name has leaked to the press - Cumberbatch, who is currently starring in a production of Hamlet at London's Barbican Theatre, has chosen Christopher Carlton.

Cumberbatch played a character called Christopher in the 2012 BBC adaptation of the First World War drama Parade's End, while Carlton is a family name that both he and his father share, according to the Mail on Sunday newspaper.