Former The Challenge competitor Ashley Cain has defended the name choice for his newborn son after more than a few individuals criticized the decision.
On Friday, Cain, who appeared on MTV’s War of the Worlds season, introduced the world to Aliyas Diamond Cain.
In an Instagram post, he shared details of Aliyas’s birth on January 16 and a message to his son.
“I will love you, appreciate you, guide you and protect you with all of my heart, for the rest of my life,” Cain wrote.
“& you will have the most beautiful guardian angel heaven holds watching over you and protecting you too,” he shared, adding, “Welcome to the world son.”
His newborn son’s middle name, Diamond, is a tribute to Cain’s late daughter, Azaylia Diamond Cain, who died in 2021 after battling acute myeloid leukemia.
Critics blast Cain over ‘disrespectful’ name choice
Along with his IG caption, Cain added a comment defending the decision to use Diamond for his newborn son’s middle name.
“What the letter ‘A’ holds is a family tradition, being the first letter of my father’s and all of my uncles first names. The name ‘Diamond’ is from my grandma and their mother. It’s our family name along with Cain, it’s our Vincentian roots, all the way from our small island and from our great people,” he wrote.
Many commenters criticized the decision, with some calling it “disrespectful” and others indicating it was “narcissism.”
“Asaylia would NOT be proud of this, my gosh the disrespect to her mumma,” one individual wrote.
Another commenter criticized Cain, saying, “the level of disrespect towards the mother of her first child is off the charts. Major narcissistic moves. Scandalous behavior.”
“Unfollowing for how shocked I am with this name and the disrespect,” wrote another.
Cain’s ex is reportedly ‘heartbroken’ over news of his child with another woman
As of this writing, Cain has not disclosed the name of his newborn son’s mother. According to The Daily Mail, he indicated it was a woman he’s not currently with but has known since he was 18 and has dated on and off over the years.
Cain was previously with Safiyaa Vorajee, the mother of his late daughter Azaylia. The couple split in March 2022, nearly a year after Azaliya’s passing.
Per The Mail’s report, Safiyya expressed she was heartbroken over Cain fathering a child with another woman as she claimed he had asked her to try for another baby together. Safiyya said she’d been hoping for a reconciliation with Cain.
Safiyya reportedly has received positive and supportive messages from followers and fans after Cain’s recent news.
On Saturday, Safiyya shared an update in which she told followers, “Once you master the love within yourself, nobody can take that from you.”
The couple’s daughter, Azalyia, received an acute myeloid leukemia diagnosis when she was just eight weeks old. With that, there were tumors discovered on her stomach, kidneys, and lungs.
Azalyia underwent chemotherapy and received a bone marrow transplant but died on April 24, 2021, after her courageous battle with the disease.
It was reported that same year that Cain launched a charity in his daughter’s name to fight childhood cancer. He shared an Instagram post recapping The Azalyia Foundation’s achievements in 2022.
Along with appearing at various events, Cain has continued to share social media posts in which he reflects on the tragic death of his daughter and provides supportive messages to inspire others.
The Challenge: Battle For a New Champion airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on MTV.