A baby shower invitation has gone viral after a woman shared it on Reddit, revealing an unusual name chosen for an unborn baby. Traditionally, parents reveal a baby’s name after birth, often to avoid negative reactions or superstition.
The Reddit user posted in the group r/tragedeigh, saying: “I’m speechless… I just got invited to a baby shower.” The invitation read: “Please join us for a baby shower to celebrate the upcoming arrival of a little bundle of joy. In honour of Chernobyl Hope.”
Although the time and place were redacted, the invite ended with: “We can’t wait to celebrate together.”
Many commenters expressed disbelief. One said, “I refuse to believe this is real lol.” The original poster (OP) added, “I have a feeling they don’t understand what Chernobyl means. When I asked where they got the idea, they said it just sounded nice.”
Others doubted the story. “This has to be fake. There’s no way this is real,” one user commented. But the OP insisted, “Imagine my shock when I received the invite.”
The OP later revealed the parents planned to use the nickname ‘Cherry’ for their daughter. They added, “This invitation was sent in a group chat and also personally to me. I just can’t believe they would name a baby girl Chernobyl. I will try to tell them my thoughts.”
Some Redditors called the name one of the worst they had seen. One wrote, “This has to be a top ten worst name posted here.” Another said, “Finally, a child named after a literal tragedy!”
Others hoped the parents might reconsider. “Thankfully, it’s just the baby shower. There’s still time for someone to talk sense into them,” one commenter said.
However, a few noted the name wasn’t entirely unheard of. “I worked with a lady named Chernobyl. She went by Che,” one user shared.
Another added, “The kid might think it’s cool to be named after a show, but she’ll learn the real story behind her name later.”
What Does ‘Chernobyl’ Mean?
The name ‘Chernobyl’ is most famously linked to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, a catastrophic accident that took place on April 26, 1986, near Pripyat, in the Soviet Union. During a late-night safety test, a power surge caused a reactor explosion and fire. This released massive amounts of radioactive material into the air.
Two workers died immediately in the explosion. In the following weeks, 28 more people died from acute radiation sickness. About 600,000 cleanup workers, called ‘liquidators,’ were exposed to high radiation doses. Studies estimate thousands more people have been affected by the disaster over time.
Due to this tragic history, ‘Chernobyl’ is generally seen as an unfortunate and painful word — not one commonly used as a baby’s name.
However, some have pointed out that ‘Chernobyl’ originally referred to a type of mugwort plant, a medicinal herb. One defender wrote, “The word ‘Chernobyl’ was originally the name of a common mugwort plant.”
Yet, others disagreed strongly. “There’s a reason we stopped naming children Adolf after 1939, even though the name was once common,” one user commented.
“This is so, so bad. They have to be told. Maybe give them a book about Chernobyl as a baby shower gift. Because no,” another person replied.
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