‘Teetotal’ mum who named kids Tiamarie and Jackdaniel says she didn’t know they were alcoholic drinks
A 'TEETOTAL' mum who named her kids Tiamarie and Jackdaniel says she didn't know they were alcoholic drinks at the time.
Sarah Mennell, 35, from Hull, claims she came up with their names after her first holiday as a married woman.
Jackdaniel, 12, was named after a Canadian runner and Tiamarie, 11, after a Spanish waitress.
Sarah insists she didn't just "pluck them out of thin air one night after a drink".
She said: "No alcohol or drinks are behind the kids names."
If I could turn back time and change the names I wouldn’t
Sarah Mennell
Her husband Steve's parents holidayed in Spain quite often, prompting them to go for their first trip away together.
She told Hull Daily Mail: "We didn't know at first, as Tia Maria is the drink, not Tiamarie, we just thought it’s different, not the normal names flying around everywhere, but the names stuck and we wasn’t going to change it to please others [when we realised]."
Sarah - also mum to Sydney, ten, Princess, six, and Albert, four - came up with Jackdaniel's name after his difficult pregnancy.
She claims she didn't know she was pregnant when she was "admitted into hospital bleeding", but he was "a fighter".
Sarah said: "Even though I was bleeding his legs was kicking like mad on the scan, so he got his name from the great running coach Jackdaniel because he survived this and is here today."
She felt pressured to explain her name choices because of the mocking comments she's read online.
Despite this, she said: "If I could turn back time and change the names I wouldn’t."
'CHILD CRUELTY'
The children's names came to light when she defended the cost of school uniforms in a local newspaper amid a campaign to reduce them.
It provoked mocking comments online, with Luke Dunn saying: “Their dad Johnny Walker works long hours.
"He also Fosters two kids called Stella and Glen Fiddich. Lovely family.”
Others accused Sarah, of Hull, of “seeking attention” and “child cruelty”.
Sarah insists she and Steve did not drink until five months ago, so they're "definitely not alcoholics".
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She insists she will never change their names and is not worried of how it could affect them when their older and applying for jobs.
Sarah said: "The kids have middle names double barrelled so it's up to them what name they would like to be called.
"On paperwork or applications when he is older, he would simply use Mr JD THomas Mennell.
"Tiamarie Louise can be used as Tia or Marie or Louise, it’s her choice, her close friends call her Tia."
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