She named her daughter after a fungal infection and refuses to change it: “She liked the way it sounded”
A baby shower prank leads to a baby name inspired by the same fungus that creates dandruff...
When most parents search for the perfect baby name, they turn to those that have been passed down from generation to generation, beloved characters, or lists curated by naming experts. There are plenty of websites dedicated to helping prospective parents find the perfect name...
However, others take a more non-traditional path and can end up with a name inspired by an unlikely source: a fungal infection.
PEOPLE Magazine reported on the story of a 20-year-old brother (and soon-to-be uncle) who was trying to help his sister find the perfect name for her daughter.
He told PEOPLE that during his sister’s baby shower, he gifted her a list of funny and obscure names that sound enough like real names. In the end, it was one of these names that won the heart of these new parents. He explained that while some names on the list “were a little bit obscure,” he included others like ‘Viagra’ and ‘Hernia’ to make it more playful and an obvious joke... so he thought!
What fungal-inspired name did they choose?
Malassezia. According to Merriam-Webster, Malassezia is “a genus of lipophilic typically nonpathogenic yeastlike imperfect fungi including one (M. furfur synonym Pityrosporum oribiculare) that causes tinea versicolor and another (M. ovalis synonym Pityrosporum ovale) that is associated with seborrheic dermatitis."
Now, don’t get me wrong. Fungi are incredible and essential to many ecosystems, having first appeared on the Earth over 1.5 billion years ago. However, for those without a scientific background, let me take a moment to break down that technical definition. Malassezia, is a type of naturally occurring fungus, more specifically yeast, that lives on the skin of humans and animals, surviving off the oils we produce. Though it is typically harmless, the National Institutes of Health found that it is one of the causes of dandruff.
The brother told PEOPLE that he was gobsmacked when he heard the news. Aside from it being a fungus, he also took issue with the challenging pronunciation, which is sure to be a feature of little Malassezia as she grows up.
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