Rihanna has a simple response to commenter who said they ‘hate’ her sons’ names

Singer and businesswoman Rihanna is no stranger to public scrutiny, especially when it comes to her personal life. When a commenter recently criticized her sons’ names, her effortless response caught the attention of eagle-eyed fans.

On International Women’s Day on March 8, Rihanna posted two photos on Instagram showing her cradling her newborn babies just after she gave birth. She captioned the post, “By far the most powerful thing I’ve ever done as a woman… my little miracles,” followed by the names of her sons: RZA and Riot Rose.

The Shade Room reposted Rihanna’s photos on Instagram, gushing at the precious moments she shared. Many commenters admired Rihanna’s post-birth look, noting how she effortlessly rocked pearls, gold necklaces, and sunglasses. “Giving birth in pearls and sunglasses is a serve,” one fan wrote. However, not everyone focused on her style. Some weighed in on her choice of names for her sons, and one particular comment caught the singer’s attention. User @tatianagalaxxy bluntly wrote, “I hate their names so bad.” Hours later, Rihanna responded with a simple, “ok tatiana.” 

With just two words, Rihanna managed to throw shade and shut down the comment, proof that sometimes the best clapbacks are the simplest. Other users replied to Tatiana’s comment, showing their love for Rihanna and defending her, with one writing, “You don’t have to like their names. They’re not your children. You don’t have to be nasty.”

The singer welcomed her eldest son with A$AP Rocky, RZA, in May 2022, with their second son, Riot Rose, arriving in Aug. 2023. The couple kept RZA’s name under wraps for a year, finally revealing it in a celebratory Instagram post on his first birthday. A$AP Rocky captioned the post, “‘WU TANG IZ 4 DA CHUREN’ HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY TO MY 1st BORN. RZA.” The name pays homage to the legendary Wu-Tang Clan member RZA, whose real name is Robert Fitzgerald Diggs — an icon in the hip-hop world.

In a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Rihanna revealed that the inspiration for her second son’s name came from fellow music artist Pharrell Williams, who was working with A$AP Rocky on “Riot” at the time she was pregnant. According to the singer, Pharrell suggested the name Riot Rose thinking that their second child was going to be a girl. “Pharrell is very deep. He’s not surface. He will never say anything and just leave it there with a full stop. He will have the entire history: the energy, the time, the month that it is,” Rihanna explained.

Rihanna also shared insights into her sons’ budding personalities. She described RZA as “an empath” with a love for music, books, and being in the water. Riot, on the other hand, is her “hilarious” little one, known for his joyful squeals and screams that, according to the singer, are his attempts at singing. Rihanna is embracing motherhood and the family she’s built with A$AP Rocky, praising her partner for how he is as a father, adding that seeing how his sons adore him is “the best.” As always, Rihanna proves that she’s unapologetically herself whether it’s through her music, her family, or a two-worded clapback.