James Gunn Reacts to Trisha Paytas Naming Son Aquaman: Will the Kid Survive Schoolyard Teasing?
Jordan Collins here. Okay, I’ll explain, but try to keep up. You probably should already know the latest in celebrity baby naming drama, but here it is just in case you missed it. In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight on July 27, Superman director and DC Studios co-chairman James Gunn shared his candid thoughts on YouTuber Trisha Paytas’s bold choice to name her newborn son Aquaman Moses Paytas-Hacmon. Yes, Aquaman.
Gunn admitted he finds the decision “cool,” but he can’t shake his own schoolyard nickname nightmares. When asked if the name might subject baby Aquaman to teasing, Gunn quipped that his own surname led to unflattering monikers like “Tommy Gun,” “BB Gun,” and “ray gun” back in his school days. He even wondered out loud, “Are they gonna call him AQ?” before rhetorically asking if kids still make fun of each other these days.
You might be thinking, Isn’t that a bit dramatic? Well, Gunn’s co-interviewees Frank Grillo and Tim Meadows threw cold water on his fears, insisting the little guy will “be just fine” with a superhero-inspired name. Of course, the broader context is that Trisha and her husband Moses Hacmon already have two daughters, Malibu, 2, and Elvis, 14 months, so they’re no strangers to unique monikers.
On the July 22 episode of her Just Trish podcast, Paytas explained the inspiration behind Aquaman. She revealed her longtime fandom of the Aquaman films and comic-cons, alongside Moses’s deep connection to water—he’s a Cancer, a water sign. Before settling on Aquaman Moses, the couple flirted with “Water Snake,” a poetic nod to a poem Moses penned and the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac. “I loved Water World,” Paytas noted, “and ‘Water Snake’ felt poetic, but Aquaman just hits different.”
This isn’t the first time celebrities have startled us with offbeat baby names. Gwyneth Paltrow once revealed that Coldplay’s Chris Martin suggested Apple for their daughter, citing its wholesome, biblical connotations, per Oprah Winfrey. Elon Musk and Grimes famously christened their first son X Æ A-12—shortened to X Æ A-Xii to comply with California law—which Grimes detailed on Twitter as “the unknown variable” and an homage to artificial intelligence and aviation history. Their daughter, Exa Dark Sideræl, arrived in March 2022, with Grimes unpacking the name’s cosmic and computational references in a later post.
Cardi B and Offset also joined the unconventional naming club when they welcomed Kulture in 2018, with Cardi noting that creativity and personal meaning drove their choice. Celebrity baby names continue to be a trend that keeps fans talking and headline writers busy.
So there you have it—Aquaman Moses is swimming onto the scene with his parents’ blessings and Hollywood’s watchful eyes. Will Gunn’s concerns prove prophetic, or will Aquaman Moses breeze through recess unscathed? Only time will tell.
Glad I could clear that up for you.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! Online, Entertainment Tonight, Just Trish podcast
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
