How Jenna Bush Hager's Nickname Story Unfolded
On a recent episode of the fourth hour of Today, Jenna Bush Hager left her cohost Hoda Kotb completely surprised when she revealed the quirky nickname her husband, Henry Hager, had for her during the early days of their relationship. It was a Wednesday, June 26, and the conversation started off with a lighthearted discussion about how celebrities, like Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco, use sweet and sometimes unusual nicknames for each other on social media.
The Conversation Starter: Celebrity Nicknames
The topic of nicknames came up when Jenna and Hoda were chatting about how Selena Gomez’s boyfriend, Benny Blanco, called her “my wittle” in a recent Instagram Story post. Jenna, now 42, couldn’t help but ask Hoda, 59, if she liked being given a nickname. Hoda responded with a chuckle, saying she was fine with terms of endearment like "honey" or "sweetie," adding that as a young girl, everyone used to call her "Hodie."
Unveiling the "Shiny Cat" Nickname
When Hoda turned the question back to Jenna, asking what Henry, 45, called her, Jenna didn’t hesitate to share the unique moniker her husband had for her. “Well, he called me shiny,” Jenna said, which left Hoda visibly confused. Jenna continued, explaining that Henry referred to her as “shiny cat” when they first started dating, although she didn’t elaborate on how this peculiar nickname came about. Can you imagine being called "shiny cat" by your partner? It's certainly one of a kind!
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While Jenna admitted she calls her husband “Hank,” she revealed that Henry now refers to her as more conventional terms of endearment like "honey" and "baby." But these new nicknames have a side effect—they make their three children, Mila, Hal, and Poppy, roll their eyes and say “ew!”
A Family Nickname Debate
Things took a fun twist when Jenna shared how her eldest daughter, Mila, who is 11, wanted Jenna and Henry to have Kardashian-Jenner inspired nicknames for each other. Mila suggested calling her mom "Kylie Jenner" and herself "Stormi," inspired by Kylie Jenner’s daughter, Stormi Webster. However, this suggestion sparked some sibling rivalry, as Jenna's son Hal felt left out and insisted that Mila be called "Rainy" instead, and he wanted to be "Stormi." Jenna mentioned that her kids have another name for her, but she wasn’t willing to share it on air.
