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A mum blasted over her choice of baby names has hit back at fellow parents for casting their criticism.

The mother has hit back at trolls who targeted her after she named her kids two very controversial names.

Giving them monikers indebted to famous alcoholic drinks, the mum has now defended herself.

Sarah and Steve Mennell opted to call their son and daughter 'Jackdaniel' and 'Tiamarie' respectively.

Ever since their story emerged, cruel trolls have poked fun at their names on social media.

They felt pressured to explain the real reasons behind their baby name choices.

The parents have spoken out after Tiamarie and Jackdaniel featured in an article about the price of school uniform, leading to readers mocking their names online.

On Facebook and Twitter, hundreds of people made cruel remarks, with many suggesting either the names are fake or their parents are clearly heavy drinkers.

Echo reader Becki Chambers said: "Senior uniforms are dear, I’ll just be spending the usual on our Fosters and Stella x."

Paul Banner commented: "Tiamarie and JackDaniel!

"I'd call social services for the names alone!! Have they got little baby JohnnyWalker too."

But the couple, from Hull, said nothing could be further from the truth.

They admitted they had no idea of the link to the spirits when they named their children, saying they would rather have tea and biscuits than an alcoholic drink - but both say they are now able to laugh it off.

There is however a poignant reason why each of their five children's names were chosen, including the names of their other children, Sydneyrae, Princess and Albert.

Tiamarie, 12, was given her name after the family holidayed in Spain where they met a waitress called Tiamarie and son, Jackdaniel, 11 was in fact named after a Canadian running icon, Jack Daniels.

Mrs Mennell, who is a party planner alongside Steve, told Hull Live : "We didn’t just pluck them out of thin air one night after a drink. No alcohol or drinks are behind the kids names.

"We didn’t drink until around five months ago when we decided to start having one night out as a married couple a month, so we are definitely not alcoholics.

"We are just a hard working family who literally like a twist in names, nothing special about it and not alcohol related. But it’s surprising how quick people are to judge. But now we just laugh it off and run with it.

"It’s quite the conversation starter when were out and about usually, but it’s actually surprising how many boys are called Jackdaniel in some way or another and we know quite a few Tiamarie’s now."

(Image: Hull Live)

Tiamarie, 12

Mrs Mennell said Tiamarie was named after the couple, who have been married for 11 years, had their first family holiday together.

She said "Tiamarie was actually decided on our first family holiday as a waitress was called Tiamarie in Spain.

"It was Spanish and my husband's parents Caroline and Albert use to go quite a lot so we decided on Tiamarie.

"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]"

Jackdaniel, 11

Discussing the reasoning behind calling her son Jackdaniel, Mrs Mennell said: "Jackdaniel is named after an athlete.

"When we was having Jack I don’t know I was pregnant. I went into hospital bleeding and it didn’t look good, he was a fighter and 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.

"We thought it was funny because the team would put 'powered by Jackdaniel' on their backs.

"Jackdaniel knows this and always has. And funnily enough he is a runner and recently did the Humber Half Marathon for his rugby team."

Some critics said their children would never be taken seriously when they were older, in job interviews for example, due to their names.

Mrs Mennell hit back and said: "I'm not worried how his name would appear to others, he get’s Jak, Jack, JD, but when meeting new people he addresses them with his full name, Jackdaniel.

"No one forgets their names easily and 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.

"The amount of unusual names used now it’s nothing new, it’s just times are changing and so are names.

"Tiamarie is actually doing really well at school, 100 per cent attendance and comes home with awards every week.

"She is attending the prestigious awards ceremony at Hull City Hall next week as she has been nominated for an award and her grades have improved, she has been moved up in classes, all with help from Kingswood."

(Image: Hull Live)

The couple also have two younger daughters, Sydneyrae, 10, who was also named after a young footballer - Sydney Rae Dwyer, and Princess, 6.

Mrs Mennell said: "Princess was named Princess because we liked the name. It just stuck during pregnancy because we used to watch Little Princess on Channel Five with the younger children at the time.

"My husband would sing it all the time and my baby would kick at the theme tune when it was on so Princess was born.

"Also Princess was born in a full amniotic sac so was very special and rare which we joked about, saying 'typical Princess'. Originally she was going to be called Bella, but we joked about her being a little princess so that name stuck, Princess Bella-vie vie which means 'achieve something.'"

The couple's youngest child is named Albert, after his late Grandfather.

Mrs Mennell said: "Albert Henry is named after his grandfather who passed away before he was born and didn’t get to see him. He died of cancer after an 11 year battle.

"Albert actually told me I was pregnant and we joked and said if it’s a boy we would call him after him so, in memory of him, he was called Albert Henry like his grandfather and his great grandfather so that family name was always kept."

"Albert is a jack the lad, his name suits him and he is so pleasant, he gets told he looks like an Albert all the time."

Despite the recent ridicule, Mrs Mennell said she would never want to change their names. She also said her and her family have not let the cruel comments online bother them.

"Our family motto is be kind to others, don’t judge and entertain and make people smile and we know while people are laughing and commenting on the names, but if people met and actually know them, the names really suit them.

"If I could turn back time and change the names I wouldn’t."t