The generational slang divide has officially hit the Today show set. Jenna Bush Hager revealed that her three kids, Mila, Poppy, and Hal, have assigned her and her husband Henry Hager a new household nickname: “Biggie.” While she initially thought it was a playful joke, Hager quickly discovered the internet culture origins behind the moniker and was not amused.
The nickname stems from the viral TikTok term “Big Back,” a phrase heavily circulated online to describe someone with a large appetite or gluttonous eating habits. During a recent broadcast, Hager explained her reaction after realizing exactly what her children meant, detailing the kids’ new nickname “Biggie” and her quotes about drawing the line at the slang spreading any further. She admitted to finding the term somewhat offensive once the context became clear.
Co-host Sheinelle Jones appeared visibly taken aback on the air when Hager explained the actual modern Gen Z slang definition and internet culture context of the phrase “big back” to the audience. The phrase originally existed in older slang but saw a huge resurgence across social media platforms over the last couple of years, morphing into a mainstream, often derogatory, running joke among younger audiences.
This is not the first time the Hager children have pulled from pop culture to rebrand their mother. In April 2024, her oldest daughter Mila started referring to her as “Jenn-er” and later simply “Kylie,” a moniker directly inspired by reality star Kylie Jenner. But while the Kardashian-adjacent nickname was brushed off as funny, “Biggie” is officially getting retired in the Hager house.