“Dancing With the Stars” professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy is a father and welcomed his first child with wife Jenna Johnson on January 10, 2023. They named him Rome Valentin Chmerkovskiy and have embraced parenthood. Chmerkovskiy recently gave a glimpse into their family life and how he is as a father with a new Instagram post.
The family took a trip to New York City and shared highlights from their travels on social media for fans to see. The pictures include a short clip of Chmerkovskiy walking with his toddler on his shoulders, Rome interacting with a horse, and the toddler chasing a pigeon. Chmerkovskiy kept the caption simple, letting fans know the date of their trip. “Rome x NYC 5.12.25,” he wrote.
DWTS Fans React to Val Chmerkovskiy’s Photos of His Son
Fans have reacted to the post and commented on how adorable Rome is. “He is so full of happiness and joy, and he’s oh so cool,” one comment reads. Another fan shared, “You and Jenna expand his learning so wonderfully as you make memories together. ” The comment section is also filled with messages praising Chmerkovskiy and Johnson for how they are as parents.
Fans of the professional dancing couple love getting a glimpse into their personal lives, and seeing their son, Rome, grow up has been special. The unusual name choice for Chmerkovskiy and Johnson’s son was chosen because they love the sound of the name, are big fans of Italy, and got engaged in Venice, but also for another simple reason: the length. “I felt like with a last name that has so many vowels and syllables … let’s keep it to four letters,” Chmerkovskiy told Access Hollywood of choosing the name. He also joked that calling their son “Budapest” didn’t sound as good.
Val Chmerkovskiy & Jenna Johnson’s Son Is a Performer
Chmerkovskiy and Johnson have also shared information about their child in interviews, including an update on his dancing skills and speech. “He is just talking so much, which is wild how quickly it just shifts when they start picking up on so many words,” Johnson told People in February 2025. “His big milestone that I think we’re both really proud of, he can count to 10, which is crazy.”
In the same interview, Chmerkovskiy revealed that their son is already following in their footsteps. “He loves to dance, loves to sing. He is a performer,” he told People. Lucky for the couple, Rome is their biggest supporter. “What’s fun is he loves watching us dance,” Johnson said. “If we ever have a video of us dancing, he loves watching it over and over and over again. So we’ll see what he wants to do.”
