Couple Trolled Online For Seeming To Name Their Kids Tiamarie & Jackdaniel After Liquor
A couple who claim that they named two of their children after liquor brands accidentally are pushing back after they were trolled online for naming their son and daughter Jackdaniel and Tiamarie.
The Daily Mail is reporting that the parents, from Hull in the north of England, say that people shouldn’t judge, and at least their kids don’t have boring names. Steve Mennell, 36, and his wife, Sarah, 35, have five children together, and say they had no clue that the names of their two oldest children were associated with alcoholic beverages.
They revealed that their son, Jackdaniel, 11, is named for a famous Canadian runner named Jack Daniels, and their daughter, Tiamarie was named after a Spanish holiday. Their three other children are named Sydney, Princess, and Albert. The couple, who run a children’s party company, say they get more teasing about their youngest child’s name, Albert, because people think it sounds like an old man’s name.
The online trolling started after the children’s mother, Sarah was quoted in an article saying that she had already spent approximately $300 on school clothes for fall. Her husband, Steve, said that’s when the “mean” comments started, and contrary to the online barbs, the couple hardly drink alcohol at all.
Dad hits back after criticism for calling kids Jackdaniel and Tiamarie https://t.co/zcDVWvbMEQ @Femail
— Don’t be a rollercoaster ? (@SasquatchInABag) July 11, 2019
The Mennells were offended, but some of the comments on Twitter were clever, including one who made guesses on the names of the other children, listing Stellaartois, Ronbacardi and Jonnywalker to name a few.
“Is there a Smirnoff and Bombaysapphire too?” they asked.
The couple is responding to say that people should be able to name their kids whatever they want without jokes.
“It’s 2019, Tiamarie and Jackdaniel are just normal names. Kids should have a different name; there are so many Archies, so many Lilys,” the Mennells said.
The family believes that online legislation preventing online bullying now seems necessary, and an online petition is pushing to make online trolling a criminal offense.
While many on Twitter believe that the names had to be a joke, others wondered if someone should call social services to make sure the parents aren’t too fond of their drink. Another added that luckily they chose Jackdaniel and Tiamarie and not “Crème-de-Menthe-Frappé or Monkey Shoulder.”
Other people felt bad for the children saying that there are plenty of names which aren’t “boring,” but are also not associated with bar drinks.
While the parents are concerned about online bullies, many of those commenting on Twitter say that it’s the parents who are setting up their children for bullying.
