Can you imagine the name of your future child going viral? This is what happened to a couple who were expecting a baby girl. There are so many names, there’s even a list of the top 10 cutest names for baby boys and girls, but some people want to call their babies in a special way.
We are used to celebrities naming their babies with extravagant names, but these parents were viral because what they chose for their baby girl was a mixture of the worst nuclear tragedy in history and something related to optimism. This started several debates on Reddit. So, let’s see how these parent are going to call their baby and the debate surrounding it.
The name
Thanks to the internet we know many stories we wouldn’t have heard about, some of them are funny, others curious and some can even leave you astounded! This story is more of the leaving you astounded type.
All started when someone posted on Reddit – a popular social media platform where users from all over the world can post content, ask questions, have discussions and more – an invitation to a baby shower and it went viral. You might think it was because of how funny or beautiful the invitations were, but that’s far from being the case. What caught people’s attention was the name of the baby girl: Chernobyl Hope.
The controversy
Well, Chernobyl is not any name, it’s a Ukraine city where the worst nuclear tragedy in history happened in 1986. A nuclear plant exploded and released a huge amount of radiation which caused deaths, others were seriously affected and there were massive evacuations.
Today, Chernobyl is still a dangerous city to live in because of the radiation. So, this wasn’t a sad story, it was a huge tragedy that marked history and changed many people’s lives. This is why people on the internet were surprised when they saw that baby shower invitation with that name. Those parents celebrated a new life using the name of tragedy, which made people on Reddit be uncomfortable, angry and shocked.
Legality of this
In the United States, parents can call their children whatever they want to. Well, there are some exceptions like strange symbols or if it’s offensive in any way. So, in this case Chernobyl Hope is legal for the government, but most people don’t think this way.
Comments online
Reddit users reacted to the baby name with black humor, sadness and anger. There was a mixture of feelings concerning this situation, let’s see some of the comments on the social media platform: ‘’I guess it’s a nuclear family’’, ‘’If I were a guest at that shower and hear that name, I’d have a total meltdown’’ or ‘’what a legacy. Naming someone after something that has left people cancerous’’. The latter comment was from someone whose mother was affected by that nuclear tragedy and, therefore, him.
What we can learn from this story
Choosing a name for babies is a huge decision, it will be forever with them and people will see them and treat them in a specific way because of the vibes of the name. This baby girl is going to be related to a tragedy her whole life, which might be not original for some people and repulsive for others.
Many parents try to look for the most unique name for their babies, but sometimes it’s better to go for a common one than choosing one related to negative memories or that makes other people uncomfortable. I mean, there are so alternatives related to many aspects of life: nature, science, celebrities, characters, and so on, that’s why there’s no need to use Chernobyl Hope as your baby’s name.