Coming up with a name for a baby is a crucial decision that may dictate how easy a time they have growing up. Some names gain negative stigma’s later which can’t be helped, like Karen, for example. However, there are some instances where it’s entirely avoidable.
A Reddit user shared their older cousin’s plans for their child’s name on the r/tragedeigh subreddit, complete with a picture of their messenger conversation. Their chat went viral, with over 25k likes. The cousin opens the conversation, saying, “Almost forgot to tell you, but I’ve chosen a name for the baby!” The poster reveals that one name on the table was Serena, and asks if that’s what they picked.
The cousin then replied with a bizarre choice: “Vaselinea.” The poster was taken aback and asked, “Like this thing?” with an image of a tub of Vaseline. The cousin agreed, but clarified the pronunciation. “I wanted that “nia” sound at the end,” they replied. “It’s pronounced like ‘vah-suh-lee-nia.'”
The Cousin Reportedly Doubled Down On The Name
The comments section on the post is a treasure trove of witty puns and advice. There’s usually at least a few people ready to play devil’s advocate on social media, but the vast majority of the 3000 responses agree that Vaselinea is a horrific name. One comment with over 7000 likes says, “The only place you should have difficulty choosing between Vaseline and Nivea is in your shopping basket. Not your child’s name. Yikes!” Another user thought it was funny that the poster replied with a picture of vaseline, and the cousin didn’t see the problem.
The poster also responded to a comment, alleging they asked the cousin why they didn’t go with Serena. They claim the mother-to-be replied Vaselinea was “more elegant.”
Many of the responses are lighthearted, but some replies point out that bad names can be harmful. One poster replied, “The kid will get bullied hard with anal jokes in teenager years. I know it. My 14 year old me would do it.” Another despairs, “This is true abuse. Naming a child a lubricant??? What is wrong with people?”
One poster points out that “Nia” is also a perfectly acceptable name if the cousin likes that sound so much.