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Every parent has the right to choose a baby name that works for them. But when they share that name choice with the whole of the internet, well they welcome the risk of being ridiculed, trolled, and digitally stoned because of the name choice. And that’s what happened to mom content creator Hayley Davidson.
When she posted on Facebook to announce the baby name she and her husband chose for their fifth kid, she inadvertently welcomed the masses. As in, she welcomed the worst comments from the corners of the internet, because apparently, no one is above talking trash about a baby’s name. But really, it’s more about the parents’ choice and less about targeting the infant. And then, as Hayley defended her name choice, people had even more to say.
A mom defended her outlandish baby name choice on social media.
Hayley made a lengthy Facebook post to announce the name that she and her husband chose for their fifth child, a daughter. She wrote that the name they picked is from literature and that, like other names chosen for Hayley’s other kids, it is meant to be special. Yeah, tell that to the hundreds of comments on social media condemning the name for what some see as an “Old MacDonald” reference.
“It’s time to officially introduce the newest member of our family,” Jeyley wrote in her post. “Her name is Eo (EE-oh). “Eo Lowen. I know what you’re probably thinking…Of course they couldn’t give her a ‘normal’ name. But here’s the thing. We don’t really do normal around here. Like most of her siblings, Eo’s name was inspired by literature. It comes from one of Mark’s favorite book series, and the moment we considered it, it just felt right.”
And then, the comments flooded in. Some were in support of Hayley’s decision. Others, however, pointed out how the little girl might go her entire life with questions about how to spell and pronounce her name. Some people also called the name just plain silly. But afterward, Hayley made another post to defend the name choice and stand ten toes down for it.
In that post, Hayley wrote that she plans to continue to share her life with social media despite criticisms. She also wrote that critics have shaped who she is, which makes it sound like she is undeterred by the possibility of her kids getting any flack for their names as they grow up.
“I accept that sharing does not make me entitled to kindness or immune to disagreement,” Hayley wrote. “Those people simply have the ability to share the message further and to get it in the hands of the one person that needs it. The one person that doesn’t say a word. That one person is enough.”
People still don’t believe her reason for choosing the baby name.
Although Hayley’s story being the name Eo comes from unnamed literature that she referenced in her post, users on Reddit aren’t so inclined to believe its origin. And for some, it goes back to the lyrics of “Old MacDonald.”
The user who made a post about Hayley’s Facebook post wrote, “I added their entire explanation of the name. I don’t care, all I think is ‘old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.’”
Another user added in the comments, “Old MacDonald had a farm Ei Ei O Eo.”
Others speculated on what other reference the name could be to literature. There is a character of that name in the Red Rising sci-fi trilogy book series. But does that count as literature? It’s another reason why people are seriously doubting why Hayley and her husband went with that name.
The mom was accused of using AI to write the post.
Other people are convinced that Hayley used AI, or more specifically, ChatGPT, to write the post. It does have a certain AI flair to it that borders on inspirational and confrontational. Because of that alone, some Redditors don’t take Hayley or her baby name choice very seriously.
“ChatGPT announcement, Daddy’s surname, first name from a recent pop culture book series,” a user commented on the Reddit post.
Another person wrote, “Omg why do so many people use AI to write posts?”
Someone else added, “For someone who cares so much about ‘thinking differently,’ this post sure reads like it was written by AI.”
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