A mum has sparked quite the conversation online after sharing a list of her child’s classmates’ names, among which one stands out and has really got people talking.
Choosing the right name for a baby is often a matter of careful consideration for parents, who look to family traditions, respected friends and loved ones, or even their favourite books and movies for inspiration.
However, in a quest for originality, some parents go beyond the conventional, resulting in names that are either strikingly unique and beautiful, or others which have been given perplexing spellings that defy logic and make them difficult to pronounce.
One couple’s unconventional choice of homage – the 1995 cult classic film ‘Se7en,’ featuring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman tracking down a serial killer whose crimes are based on the seven deadly sins – has become a focal point of discussion. The movie’s dramatic climax, in which Brad Pitt’s character is sent a decapitated head, prompts him to repeat: “What’s in the box?”
The tortured line and Pitt’s devastating delivery became part of cinematic history. The film has seemingly inspired a set of parents to name their child Se7en, substituting the letter ‘v’ with the number 7.
This unusual name came to light when a mother, prepping Valentine’s Day cards for her daughter Susanna’s class, received the class list. She quickly shared it on Reddit, curious about what others might think of the standout moniker.
She wrote: “The list of the kids in my daughter’s class (my daughter is Susanna). One of these names does not belong.”
The list of potential baby names featured traditional choices like Catherine, Ellie, Eleanor, Henry and Valentina, alongside less conventional options such as Ozzy and Bodhi. However, it was the name Se7en that sparked the most debate among Reddit users.
Many found the inclusion of the number ‘7’ in place of a ‘v’ illogical and difficult to pronounce.
One user humorously pronounced it as “Se-seven-ven”, leading another to retort: “That’s a stup-stupid-pid name”. A third speculated: “I wonder if the parents were/are fans of the band brokeNCYDE. Se7en was the name of one of the vocalists. It was stupid then, and it’s stupid now”.
Another comment read: “Not only is it a stupid name, they spelled it wrong making it even stupider.”
Some pointed out the connection to popular culture, with one saying: “There is also a film with that name” and another jokingly referencing Brad Pitt’s line from the movie: “I would yell ‘what’s in the box!?!’ every time this kid opened a present.”
One user imagined being the child’s teacher and said: “If I were that kid’s kindergarten teacher I would shout that at them every day.”
Others logically assumed the parents were referencing the Brad Pitt/Morgan Freeman film, while some made light of the situation with comments like: “The child’s gonna be a se-serial-rial kil-killer-ler.”
Another added: “That’s how I would pronounce it. Se-seven-en. I have a pet peeve against businesses that put digits in their names. (Clothing store near me called Elem3nts. I always pronounce it Elem-threents.) But I never thought anyone would be stupid enough to name their child that way.”