David Tennant: Real Name, Children, Wife, Age Gap, and Health

Few actors manage to be both a beloved Time Lord and a grounded family man, but David Tennant does it with a Scottish accent and a stage name that isn’t his own. He’s starred in Doctor Who, Broadchurch, and Good Omens, yet keeps his personal life surprisingly private.

Full name: David John Tennant (born David John McDonald) · Born: 18 April 1971 · Children: 5 (4 biological, 1 stepchild) · Spouse: Georgia Moffett (married 2011) · Notable role: 10th and 14th Doctor in Doctor Who · Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)

Six facts sum up the public record on David Tennant, from his birth name to his family size.

What is David Tennant’s real name?

Why David Tennant changed his name

• David Tennant was born David John McDonald on 18 April 1971 in Bathgate, Scotland (Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher)).
• He adopted the stage surname “Tennant” after seeing Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys in a music magazine (Wikipedia (community-edited encyclopedia)).
• “McDonald” was too common for Equity, the actors’ union, so he needed a distinctive professional name.

The implication: his stage name is a deliberate branding choice, not a family secret. The legal name remains David John McDonald, but the public knows him as Tennant.

How many biological children does David Tennant have?

Who are David Tennant’s children?

• David Tennant has five children total: four biological with Georgia Moffett and one stepchild (Georgia’s son Ty from a previous relationship) (Wikipedia (community-edited encyclopedia)).
• Their names are Ty (born 2002), Olive (2011), Wilfred (2013), Doris (2015), and Birdie (2019) (The Scotsman (Scottish regional newspaper)).
• Olive, Wilfred, and Doris were born in quick succession, with Birdie arriving four years later (Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher)).

What is the age gap between David Tennant and his wife?

How did David Tennant meet his wife Georgia Moffett?

• David Tennant is 13 years older than Georgia Moffett (Reefvoice (entertainment blog)).
• Georgia Moffett was born on 25 December 1984.
• They married in 2011 after meeting on the set of Doctor Who in 2006, where she played the Doctor’s daughter, Jenny (The Scotsman (Scottish regional newspaper)).
• Georgia is the daughter of actor Peter Davison, who played the Fifth Doctor, making the connection a full-circle Doctor Who legacy (Wikipedia (community-edited encyclopedia)).

The pattern: a 13-year age gap is notable but not unusual in celebrity couples. What’s more interesting is the Doctor Who dynasty — Georgia’s father, her husband, and her own cameo all tie into the same franchise.

Does David Tennant have a neurodivergent child?

What has David Tennant said about his child’s neurodivergence?

• Georgia Tennant stated in an interview: “We’ve got a lot of neurodiverse kids so a couple of them don’t like eating around other people” (FemaleFirst (UK celebrity news site)).
• David Tennant has spoken about neurodiversity in general terms in interviews, advocating for awareness and acceptance.
• The family keeps details private to protect the children’s identities.

What condition does David Tennant have?

Is David Tennant’s health a concern?

• David Tennant has not publicly disclosed a specific medical condition. No credible source reports a chronic illness.
• He has discussed family experiences with mental health in general terms but not his own.
• He continues to work actively, with multiple projects in 2024 and 2025, indicating good health.

The trade-off: fans searching for a “David Tennant condition” will find speculation, not hard facts. The actor’s own silence on the matter means no confirmed diagnosis exists in the public record.

Is David Tennant a nice person in real life?

What do colleagues say about David Tennant?

• Colleagues describe Tennant as professional, kind, and generous. A Broadchurch co-star called him “the most down-to-earth person in the room” (Parade (US entertainment magazine)).
• He is known for his humility and approachability on set, often staying late to chat with crew.
• He participates in numerous charitable causes, including Children in Need and Comic Relief.

The catch: the “nice guy” label is common for actors who maintain a low-drama personal life. Tennant’s reputation is backed by consistent praise from co-stars and charity partners.

David Tennant’s career highlights beyond Doctor Who

David Tennant in Harry Potter

• He played Barty Crouch Jr. in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) (Wikipedia (community-edited encyclopedia)).

David Tennant in Ahsoka

• He voices the droid Huyang in the Ahsoka series (2023) (Polish Wikipedia (community-edited encyclopedia)).

David Tennant movies and TV shows

• He played DI Alec Hardy in Broadchurch (2013–2017) (Wikipedia (community-edited encyclopedia)).
• He starred as Crowley in Good Omens (2019–2025) and as Dennis Nilsen in Des (2020).
• Stage work includes Royal Shakespeare Company productions and a Tony-nominated performance in Good on Broadway.

For fans of David Tennant, the key takeaway is that his public persona matches his private reality: a hardworking actor, a devoted father of five, and a husband who married into a Doctor Who dynasty. The pattern of his career choices — from stage to sci-fi to crime drama — shows a performer who values range over fame. For anyone curious about the man behind the Time Lord, the answer is less about a single condition or secret, and more about a grounded life lived in the spotlight.