Mom of Quadruplets Faces Backlash Online for Giving Them 'Odd' Names

A woman blessed with a rare multiple birth sparked a social media buzz with the strange but meaningful names chosen for her newborns. She explained that the names she chose honored deep-rooted traditions, but netizens were still unimpressed.

On June 11, 2025, new mom Katie Grant Dickson proudly took to Instagram to share a heartwarming video from the hospital, capturing the moment she and her partner welcomed quadruplets into the world. But while the footage melted hearts, it was the babies' names that stirred up something far less tender, a brutal online backlash that shows no signs of cooling.

One Boy, Three Girls – And One Name That Left the Internet Stunned

In a May 28, 2025, post, Katie revealed that the babies were born at 34 weeks on May 21, a day etched into her memory forever. The accompanying video was filled with tender moments: Katie cuddling the tiny newborns, feeding them, and the emotional scene of the proud parents leaving the hospital together, cradling their precious cargo.

The sweet footage, set to John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads," showed the quadruplets in matching onesies and soft little hats, lying peacefully on a cozy blanket at home. But once viewers laid eyes on the names, the sentimental scene quickly turned scandalous.

Netizens also got to see the quadruplets in their onsies and cute hats lying on a blanket at home. The footage was posted alongside John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" as the background music.

While the clip was heartwarming and adorable, what caught the attention of netizens was the names given to the quadruplets. Katie captioned the post:

"Welcome home Pollye, Katie Wells, Leila, and Traweek!!"

While some followers were simply curious, asking to hear the stories behind the unusual names, others didn't hold back. Katie responded that all four names were family names, adding, "Our sons name is after his dad, and he is the 3rd. [sic] It's pronounced Treywick."

That explanation didn't calm the critics."No one will EVER pronounce it correctly," one person snapped. "And it won't be like a 'oh that's a nice name,' lol It'll be an odd look lol. [sic]" Another chimed in sharply, "Katie and Leila definitely got the better names? Is Traweek even a real name?"

The pile-on continued."I was just thinking this," one person wrote. "I'd be so upset if my sisters got named Katie and Leila and I got named Traweek." One sarcastic comment tore into the name with venom,"Traweek, more like tragique 😩🤦🏻‍♀️ Leila has the only normal name 😕."

Another critic didn't mince words, writing, "if it was ridiculous- I'd understand. Not all traditions need to be continued. Maybe use it for a middle name...not only is the name terrible sounding, he will have to go into every classroom, job, job interview, doctors office etc and explain his name over and over. I loved the name Harlan and it had special meaning but I didn't use it. [sic]"

The outrage deepened as more netizens condemned the choice."People don't think how it will affect the child throughout their life," one commenter lamented. "It's so unfair and sometimes selfish, not to mention kids can be cruel especially when it comes to odd names."

Another person went even further, "I'll never understand why people spell their kids names so 'uniquely'. [sic] Adding letters, dashes, hyphens, etc. is not cute. It sets your kids up for teasing and bullying, and constantly having to correct everyone."

'A True Miracle' – Mom of Four Opens up About Life with Her 'Quad Squad'

Despite the mounting online criticism, Katie is standing firm. In a new interview published on November 25, 2025, the mom-of-four revealed that multiple births run in her family — her own sisters are triplets. Still, even she was stunned when she discovered she was pregnant with quadruplets.

Now seven months into raising what she calls her "quad squad," Katie and her husband, George Traweek Dickson II, are doing their best to survive the chaos. "Every day we make it through is an accomplishment, a true miracle," she said.

But she didn't sugarcoat the struggle, saying, "The biggest surprise is that we didn't know how hard it would be!" Naming four babies was no easy feat. Katie and George had only picked out boys' names, thinking they might have all sons.

When the big reveal showed one boy and three girls, they were left scrambling. Luckily, the name for the boy came easily — George Traweek Dickson III, named after his father and grandfather. Like his dad, he'll go by his middle name: Traweek.

The girls' names took more thought, especially since the couple already has 27 nieces and nephews, many of whom had already claimed popular family names. The first girl, Pollye Elizabeth, was named after a great-aunt.

Pollye, pronounced like "Polly," is a nod to the past, while Elizabeth is a recurring name in both families. Next came Katherine Welling, affectionately nicknamed "Katie Wells." Her name mirrors her mother's and continues what Katie calls "a Southern tradition" of double names.

Lastly, Leila Stiles, named after Katie's husband's great-grandmother, rounds out the set. Though the spelling is familiar, the pronunciation is unique: "LEE-lah." At home, she's already called "Lee Lee."

Despite the harsh commentary online, Katie remains completely unfazed. "We value and respect our family tree," she said. "Tradition is a big part of our family life, and each name matches each baby perfectly."

A Family Forest – Couple of Five Names Their Quintuplets After Trees

And the Dicksons aren't alone in their naming journey. In a remarkably similar story, Ohio couple Betsy and Dan Santiso faced their own naming crisis — times five. With Betsy being an elementary school teacher, she'd seen it all: names that were mispronounced, overused, or just plain confusing.

So when the Santisos found out they were expecting quintuplets — four boys and one girl — they were determined to pick names that were unique, meaningful, and easy to say. "We wanted something unique, but not too weird," said Betsy, 35. "Or hard to pronounce," Dan, 34, added.

Drawing inspiration from nature and faith, the Santisos created their family forest. The names? Juniper (their only girl), and her brothers Cedar, Linden, Torrey, and Alder. All five were born on August 4, 2025, at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital.

"With every tree we would research its history and what it looked like just to make sure it felt right," Betsy explained. But the theme wasn't just aesthetic, it was deeply spiritual. Their older son, Rowan, two, was named after a tree symbolizing protection and strength. Now, the five new additions expand on that legacy.

For the Santisos, it represented their faith and the journey that brought them to this moment. Quoting scripture, Dan shared, "Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water, that sends out its roots by the stream."

Faith, Infertility, and Five Miracles

The couple's journey to parenthood was far from easy. After years of infertility struggles, the five tiny lives felt nothing short of divine intervention.

"Our prayer for them is that they grow to be rooted in the Lord and to see how much he's done for us," Betsy said. Dan echoed the sentiment, "We hope whatever they do in life prospers like a tree planted in water."

The quintuplets, born at 29 weeks, remained under careful watch in the NICU at Nationwide Children's Hospital. Their birth weights ranged from two pounds, nine ounces to two pounds, 14 ounces, but all five are steadily gaining weight and learning to eat.

"We just found out that they're at the lowest level of support for 29 weekers," Dan said, amazed at their resilience. Meanwhile, big brother Rowan has embraced his role with wide-eyed enthusiasm and a wild imagination. "He's been telling everyone that his mom had 20 babies!" Dan laughed.

The stories of these two families highlight the love, thought, and tradition behind choosing names for their miracle babies. Through every challenge, their journeys reflect deep faith and enduring joy in parenthood.