Nick Cannon has 12 kids: A breakdown of the TV host's family tree

For Nick Cannon, when it comes to family, the more the merrier.

The actor and television host has made headlines in recent years for having multiple babies with different women in a short period of time, which he has said is "no accident." Each pregnancy was planned and intentional, and his relationships with the mothers of his children are healthy and consensual, Cannon said.

Cannon's 12th child, Halo Marie Cannon, was born Dec. 14, mom Alyssa Scott announced on Dec. 29. Cannon and Scott also share a son, Zen, who died in December 2021 at 5 months after he developed hydrocephalus.

Here’s a breakdown of all the kiddos that make up the Cannon clan.

How many kids does Nick Cannon have?

Cannon is currently the father of 12 children: Moroccan, Monroe, Golden, Powerful Queen, Zion Mixolydian, Zillion Heir, Zen, Legendary Love, Onyx Ice, Rise Messiah, Beautiful Zeppelin and Halo.

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Nick Cannon's kids with Mariah Carey

Cannon shares 11-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe with ex-wife Mariah Carey. The former couple welcomed "Roc & Roe" in 2011.

Nick Cannon's kids with Brittany Bell

Cannon welcomed his first child with journalist Brittany Bell, a 5-year-old son named Golden, in February 2017.

Cannon’s second child with Bell, a 2-year-old daughter named Powerful Queen, was born in December 2020.

The birth of Rise Messiah marked Cannon’s third child with Bell. Cannon announced Rise’s arrival in an Instagram post in September.

"Another Blessing!!!" Cannon wrote. "Probably the most difficult labor and delivery I have ever witnessed! 48 hours of excruciating pain and life risking danger to welcome 10 pounds of Love and joy." Cannon also called Bell "the rock and foundation of my Fatherhood journey … She has taught me so much about parenting, psychology, spirituality, love and just life in general."

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Nick Cannon's kids with Abby De La Rosa

Cannon welcomed his third child with De La Rosa in November, Beautiful Zeppelin. In June 2021, Cannon and De La Rosa welcomed twin sons Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir.

In October, De La Rosa shared a maternity shoot with her twin sons revealing that Beautiful Zeppelin was on the way. "I’m excited to continue to build each child up in love, truth and encouragement," she captioned the photos.

At the time, Cannon also shared the photos on his Instagram Story, per Entertainment Tonight.

Nick Cannon's kids with Alyssa Scott

Cannon and Scott welcomed a baby girl, Halo Marie, on Dec. 14. Halo was born nearly a year after the death of their son, Zen, who was born June 2021.

Zen died at 5 months old in December 2021 after developing hydrocephalus, a condition characterized by the "buildup of fluid in the cavities (ventricles) deep within the brain," according to Mayo Clinic. The excess fluid puts pressure on the brain and can "damage brain tissues and cause a range of brain function problems."

Cannon said Zen was about 2 months old when he noticed his son was having breathing issues, which he initially attributed to sinuses. Zen was eventually diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and after subsequent surgeries and procedures, the baby's tumor began to grow faster, with Cannon’s son later succumbing to the illness.

Scott honored Zen in video shared on Instagram chronicling Halo's birth. "Zen is in every breath I take. I know his spirit was with us in the room that morning. I know he is watching down on us," she wrote.

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Nick Cannon's kids with LaNisha Cole

Cannon announced the birth of his daughter Onyx Ice in an Instagram post in September. The Emmy-nominated host shares Onyx with photographer LaNisha Cole.

Nick Cannon's kids with Bre Tiesi

Cannon and Bre Tiesi, a real estate agent and model, announced the birth of their son Legendary Love in July.

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What Nick Cannon has said about fatherhood, his growing family tree: 'Clearly, I don't have a plan'

Cannon alluded to the largeness of his growing family tree on his eponymous talk show in January and said the love he has for his children is all the same.

"Parents know what I mean when I talk about just the love that you have for a child, whether it’s a child that’s here, whether it’s a child that’s no longer here, whether it’s a child that’s grown, whether it’s a child that’s about to be here," Cannon said. "It doesn’t matter how many you have. It’s this unconditional love, this godly-like love that comes over the process."

Cannon spoke about the scrutiny and ridicule he’s received as a parent. "I’m not impervious to hearing and reading what people say about me," Cannon said. “It definitely affects me because I’m a human being."

"And it’s hard sometimes because I hear people say they think I’m crazy or that something’s wrong with me or even more so when they say I’m careless or irresponsible and selfish," Cannon continued.

Last January, Cannon also shared on his talk show that he pursued celibacy at the recommendation of his therapist in order "to get my life under control," but was no longer celibate. He also got a consultation for a medical vasectomy, telling E! News' "Daily Pop" in May that he wasn't "looking to populate the Earth completely."

Four kids later, he brushed off a question about whether he'd get a vasectomy. "My body, my choice," he jokingly told Andy Cohen on CNN's New Year's Eve countdown.

"What is your plan here? What is your end game with the kids?" Cohen asked. "Clearly, I don't have a plan," Cannon told him, sharing his "joy and elation" about "the family that I have, and I embrace it and I love it."

"But I don't have a plan. That should have been clear from the jump."

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Contributing: Jenna Ryu, Elise Brisco and Amy Haneline, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nick Cannon's kids: How many does he have? See his family tree