TikTok Mom Has an Epic Meltdown After Son’s Unusual Name Is Ripped Apart on the Internet

@lianajadee/TikTok

When my cousin was pregnant with her first child, I learned something about baby names. She said that once you’ve chosen one, you shouldn’t share it with anyone until the baby is actually born. She believed that if you told people what you had already decided, it might lead to them trying to dissuade you from your choice.

But apparently — at least in the age of social media — even sharing your child’s name after they’re born can lead to a level of scrutiny that can induce a complete emotional breakdown.

Matt and Abby Howard said baby names had gotten 'out of control' on their podcast.

The controversy began when US podcasters Matt and Abby Howard of The Unplanned Podcast had a conversation about unique baby names. The two claimed that baby names had gotten “out of control” and “ridiculous” in 2023.

The couple never mentioned mommy influencer Liana Jade's son Koazy, pronounced "Cozy," by name, but in the video, the couple claimed giving your child one of these type of names is a “red flag.” They took it a step further saying that giving your child a name that doesn’t already exist “isn’t the flex you think it is.”

The trouble began in the comment section.

You may be wondering if Matt and Abby didn’t mention Koazy, just how his name got dragged into all of this. It was the comment section. Underneath Matt and Abby’s video, several people mentioned the name Koazy, calling it “off the wall.”

Naturally, Liana got wind of her child’s name being dissected elsewhere on the internet. She posted a response video on TikTok.

Liana addressed the video and the comments in an emotional video.

Through sniffles and a cracking voice, Liana shared her feelings about the whole thing. In the video, she shared the story of Koazy’s name.

“Basically, our baby is called Koazy,” she explained. “I know it’s not everybody’s cup of tea. But people have kind of pulled it out of context saying we’ve called him Koazy because he was cozy in the womb. No. It was a name we already had.

"And as I was getting so heavily pregnant, people were saying oh he’s cozy in your belly. And it kind of confirmed for us. It was a ‘meant-to-be’ kind of thing. Wasn’t trying to name him anything for a flex,” she said, referencing Matt and Abby’s criticism.

'I knew everyone wasn't going to love the name,' Liana said.

@lianajadee

♬ original sound - Liana

Then Liana shared her thoughts on those in the comment section where she found all of the people who didn’t like her baby’s name just ripping at it.

“I knew everyone wasn’t going to love the name. So I’m not going to sit here defending it," she said. "It’s just different when there’s a comment section open on such a big influencer’s video. Of people, fully grown adults, slandering my baby’s name. I think it’s quite cruel.”

Liana said she would have done things differently if she were Matt or Abby.

As an influencer herself, Liana said if she was posting a strong opinion like the one Matt and Abby shared, she would be “very mindful of who was being named and how that could have an effect on other people.”

As far as we know, Matt and Abby haven’t addressed Liana specifically, but they have closed the comment section on their post.

Liana's son is hardly the first child to be made fun of for his name. Children with ethnic and culturally rich names living in the West have been experiencing this type of torment for generations. With the world becoming smaller and more connected, hopefully we'll all begin to understand how hurtful and unnecessary this type of ridicule can be.