He's Baby Gronk. She's Livvy. He's got drip and she rizzed him up (and we've got it translated) (2024)

“Baby Gronk,” “Livvy” and “rizz” are the words of the week. But many online, even the most internet savvy, don’t know what they mean —let alone why they are being grouped together and have gone viral.

Technically, it all began in March, when the parents of a 10-year-old football player known as Baby Gronk uploaded a video to his YouTube and his social media pages. In it, Baby Gronk, whose real name is Madden San Miguel, is seen meeting Louisiana State University gymnast Olivia Dunne, known as Livvy to her over 7 million TikTok followers.

TikTok user Henry De Tolla, known online as h00pify, shared a clip from the original video, adding his own commentary and sprinkling slang throughout. “Livvy just convinced Baby Gronk to commit to LSU,” De Tolla says in the video. “Livvy rizzed him up.”

Months later, De Tolla’s video went viral thanks to one Twitter user’s repost. As of Thursday, it’s amassed more than 2.3 million views on TikTok and has been shared and reposted across Twitter and Instagram.

Some who watched the video questioned their age and their sanity, wondering why “Baby Gronk” and “Livvy” are trending and what “rizz” is referring to. Others appeared mesmerized by De Tolla’s delivery in the video, which features him looking unblinkingly into the camera while speaking in an enthusiastic yet monotonous cadence.

Even De Tolla, who is a rising junior at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where he plays lacrosse, admits his video is a bit silly.

“If you don’t know what these words mean, it just sounds like I’m speaking gibberish almost,” De Tolla, 21, said in a phone interview.

NBC News broke down the key terms in De Tolla’s viral TikTok video so you don’t have to.

Baby Gronk aka Madden San Miguel

Madden is a football prodigy who is known on social media by the moniker “Baby Gronk,” referring to a “baby” version of retired NFL star Rob Gronkowski, who is also known as “Gronk.”

Although Madden is still years away from graduating high school, The Athletic reportedthat Madden’s father has shepherded him across the country for unofficial visits to different colleges and universities.

Madden is also familiar with social media fame. He’s been called a “future football SUPERSTAR” since he was 6 years old and has more than 319,000 followers on his verified Instagram account.

Madden’s father, Jake San Miguel, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In an interview with The Athletic this week, he said Madden met Dunne on LSU's campus.

"We know her. (Through) mutual friends," he said.

He went on to describe the internet as "the new billboard," noting that while Madden's goal is "to go to the NFL ... the NFL is rare."

"So my goal is to build him a platform and a following where he is making money now and it’s going into a savings account," he said. "... That way he can live a good life without struggle or worry. It’s the insurance behind sports. You don’t have to go pro anymore. Like Livvy Dunne, she’s set for life already because of the internet."

De Tolla said he’s been in touch with San Miguel, who complimented him on the TikTok videos.

“His dad called me Tuesday night. He was one of the people who first told me about everything that was going on on Twitter,” De Tolla said. “He obviously likes the videos because they’re good publicity for him too.”

Livvy

Olivia “Livvy” Dunne, 20, is a junior NCAA gymnast at LSU and a social media star. She is among the highest-paid college athletes in the country, according to Sports Illustrated Lifestyle, and said she makes seven figures through social media and endorsements.

In De Tolla’s videos, he suggests Livvy has been deployed to charm Madden into committing to attending LSU when he is of age to play collegiate football.

Dunne did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Rizz

“Rizz” derives from “charisma” and is slang for charming or seducing another person. The word was popularized by YouTuber Kai Cenat in 2021, according to Dictionary.com.

In one of De Tolla’s videos, he says that Dunne “rizzed” Madden while convincing him to attend LSU. In another video, he jokes that Madden “rizzed up” Dunne and the 10-year-old stole the gymnastics star from her boyfriend, the “drip king.” “Drip” refers to swagger and style.

“Rizz” has proliferated on TikTok, becoming a common part of the platform’s vernacular. The hashtag #rizz has 15 billion views.

Why are people asking if Livvy rizzed up Baby Gronk?

While it’s all fun and memes on social media, Dunne did not flirt with or try to seduce Madden.

In the March 15 video, titled “LIVVY DUNNE KNOWS I GOT RIZZ,” Madden and Dunne met on what appears to be LSU’s campus.

“Hey are you that kid from the internet?” Dunne asks Madden in the 12-second video.

“Yeah, I’m Baby Gronk,” Madden replies.

Dunne asks what Madden is doing there and he replies that he’s going to play at LSU.

“You have to come here. It’s awesome,” Dunne says in the video. She then tells him he’s “so cute” and gives him a hug. That video has been viewed more than 1 million times.

Kalhan Rosenblatt

Kalhan Rosenblatt is a reporter covering youth and internet culture for NBC News, based in New York.

He's Baby Gronk. She's Livvy. He's got drip and she rizzed him up (and we've got it translated) (2024)

FAQs

Who rizzed Baby Gronk? ›

Basically, it's about Livvy Dunne “rizzing up” Baby Gronk and thus making him the new Drip King—the “rizzing up” could be interpreted the other way around, too. Unless you're well versed with the Gen Z lingo, you won't get it, no cap. Just know that Livvy made Baby Gronk the new "Rizz King." Confused?

Why is Baby Gronk called Baby Gronk? ›

The question regarding origin of the nickname has been answered with conflicting accounts; in 2021, Miguel stated that the nickname was coined by classmates during recess while they were chasing him, while Jake alleged in the same year that it came from when he was visiting Miguel's school and saw that he had an adult ...

Who is Baby Gronk's dad? ›

Jake San Miguel, Baby Gronk's father, said the nickname arose because his son weighed a lot more than anyone else his age. "We call him Baby Gronk because he weighs 20 pounds more than all the children in his grade."

How old is baby Gronks' girlfriend? ›

Olivia “Livvy” Dunne, 20, is a junior NCAA gymnast at LSU and a social media star. She is among the highest-paid college athletes in the country, according to Sports Illustrated Lifestyle, and said she makes seven figures through social media and endorsements.

What is Baby Gronks' real name? ›

Baby Gronk, whose real name is Madden San Miguel, announced on Friday he has committed to the Buckeyes.

What is a gronk slang? ›

GRONK - Australian slang, (noun) A total moron, an extremely unpleasant person or an unwanted guest!

Is Gronk a real thing? ›

Robert James Gronkowski (born May 14, 1989) is an American former professional football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. Nicknamed "Gronk", Gronkowski played nine seasons for the New England Patriots, then played his final two seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

What does "rizzed up" mean? ›

to attract someone's attention and make them like you in a romantic or sexual way, or to try to do this by behaving in a particular way: They were surprised to see someone like her rizzing up a star footballer. In his latest role, the actor rizzed up not only the leading lady but also the countless fans watching.

Who is Livvy Dunne's BF? ›

There's no shyness when it comes to the expression of love between Olivia “Livvy” Dunne and her boyfriend, professional baseball player Paul Skenes.

How is Livvy Dunne so rich? ›

Dunne is estimated to have made 2.3 million in 2023 as "TikTok's million-dollar tumbler." Aside from her massive deal with Passes, her brand partnerships include Motorola, American Eagle and Vuori. She was featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for sports this year.

What is Gronk's girlfriends name? ›

His girlfriend, Camille Kostek, recently spoke to Entertainment Tonight about the fact she was “so nervous” as she watched the event unfold.

Who is the Baby Gronk meme? ›

The Livvy Dunne-Baby Gronk meme took social media by storm, captivating viewers with its unique combination of a young football player, Madden San Miguel, and LSU gymnast, Olivia Dunne.

How did Baby Gronk meet Livvy Dunne? ›

Even he had shared about meeting Livvy Dunne through his latest Instagram post, from his IG handle @maddensanmiguel. They struck poses together, which undoubtedly took over the internet. The association between the two dates back to March 2023, when Baby Gronk met Livvy, on his expedition to search for colleges.

Who is Camille with Gronk? ›

Camille Kostek and Rob Gronkowski knew the odds were stacked against them when they first met, but love finds a way. After realizing the NFL's regulations prohibited them from becoming a couple, the pair decided to break the golden rule and continue with their relationship.

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