Diane Kruger chose a sweet, fitting name for her daughter. The actress shared with PEOPLE that her three-year-old, who she shares with partner Norman Reedus, is named Nova Tennessee for two important reasons.

“I had her late in life at 42, and [Norman] had a child when he was much younger,” Kruger explained. “‘Nova’ in Latin means new beginning, and a nova star keeps changing and is reborn. And we love Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains; we do motorcycle trips there.” Her daughter’s nicknames include “Noonoo” and “Neenee.”