Having a kid is a life-changing decision . Giving said kid a name shouldn’t be that hard, but for many soon-to-be parents, it’s a tough decision , almost on par with the decision to have a baby in the first place.
One Redditor came up with the perfect name for her kid. She absolutely loves it. The only problem? For a lot of people, that name is going to conjure up images of cat food.
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This mom is expecting and she has a name in mind.
It’ll be her third baby.
“I already have a Martha and a Matilda, and for this baby we were pretty much set on Max…until we came across Felix,” wrote Redditor u/BeckaPWT on the r/namenerds subreddit .
Seems like a good name, no?
It’s a name that’s Latin in origin , and means ‘happy’ or ‘fortunate.’
The name goes back centuries, and while its usage dwindled in the 20th century, it’s experienced a bit of a rebound in recent years.
Who’s the most famous Felix?
The most famous real-life Felix is probably composer Felix Mendelssohn , but sports fans of a certain vintage may remember NHL goaltender Félix Potvin — known as Felix the Cat for his cat-like reflexes. He played for five teams, most notably the Toronto Maple Leafs, across a successful playing career.
Who’s Felix the Cat?
Felix the Cat , a cartoon character created during the silent movie era, doesn’t have much cultural relevance in the modern era. But overall, the character is probably the most famous fictitious Felix.
So is the Redditor worried that people will associate her baby with Felix the Cat? Well, yes and no. The answer is kind of complicated.
Felix is also a line of cat food.
While it isn’t seen stateside, Felix cat food is a Purina product sold in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
“I said the name to a few friends and they can’t get [past] the cat food brand association,” wrote the Redditor.
Will people get used to the name?
“Now, we had the same with Max at first…everybody knew somebody who had a dog called Max,” she wrote. “Then the name sounded normal. Will the same happen with Felix? I’m hoping the name just becomes him.”
Felix is also a popular cat name.
Because Felix the Cat was a) a cat and b) in black and white, ‘Felix’ has become a popular name for black and white tuxedo cats. The cat food connotation, in the U.K. at least, probably contributes to this.
Is Felix just a cat food brand?
“I think you should go for it and tell them the name is more than a cat food brand,” wrote one commenter . “I asked my British husband, who knows just how ubiquitous the brand is over there etc. His verdict is it’s a great name and they need to get over it.”
Should she just go for it?
This might be a better question for U.K. readers, but we’re curious as to what anyone else might think, too. Should she name her son Felix and not worry about the cat food connection? Or would it just be easier to choose another name? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
