Jenna Bush Hager Discloses Mom Laura Bush's Desire to Change Daughter Mila's Name for This Reason

Jenna Bush Hager recently shared a story about a single request her mother, former First Lady Laura Bush, made after the birth of her first daughter. During the December 4 episode of Jenna & Friends, the 44-year-old reflected on the moment her parents, former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush, learned she planned to name her eldest child Margaret Laura "Mila" Hager.

According to Bush Hager, Laura Bush expressed concern about how some Texans with Southern accents were mispronouncing "Mila," stretching it into "My-la." The former first lady suggested altering the spelling to "Mela," similar to names like "Lela," to make it easier to pronounce.

You want me to change the spelling of my childs name because in Texas theyre saying My-la? Bush Hager laughed. Guest host Scarlett Johansson jokingly asked if such a change would help, to which Bush Hager admitted she hadnt seen that version of the name before.

Jenna and her husband, Henry Chase Hager, welcomed Mila on April 13, 2013. The couple later had two more children: daughter Poppy in 2015 and son Hal in 2019. Bush Hager frequently shares insights into motherhood, often posting humorous or heartfelt moments on social media and during her appearances on Today.

During Thanksgiving, she shared a family photo on Instagram with the caption: The luckiest! Happy Thanksgiving, all! In October, she also discussed modern parenting in her Voices at the Table newsletter, including a touching moment from her daughter Milas schoolwork.

On a recent assignment where Mila answered the prompt I want, she wrote that she wished the world to be peaceful and scary stuff to be fake and that she wanted to meet my mom when she was my age. Bush Hager reflected on how deeply moved she was by her daughters thoughtful words, noting that her childrens creativity and innocence bring her a sense of hope and comfort.

Author: Connor Blake