Web designer names his son HTML in honour of his profession

A Facebook post has gone viral after a newborn was given a unique name in the Philippines by his father who is a web designer by profession.

The post appeared on Facebook last Thursday to announce the birth of a newborn who is introduced to the world with his unique name Hypertext Mark-up Language Rayo Pascual – or HTML for short.

The newborn’s aunt has reportedly introduced her nephew as ‘HTML’ through a Facebook post.

According to Dailymail UK, the child’s web developer father Mac Pascual is thought to be responsible for choosing the unusual name as a tribute to his profession.

Pascual told a local news site Inquirer.net that uncommon names run in his family, explaining that his own name is short for Macaroni 85. He revealed that one of his sisters’ official names was Spaghetti 88 besides claiming that her two children are called Cheese Pimiento and Parmesan Cheese, though they go by Chippy and Peewee for short.

HTML was born healthy, weighing 2.25 kilograms (4.9 pounds) at the Bulacan Medical Mission Group Cooperative Hospital, about an hour’s drive north of the capital, Manila, Inquirer.net reported.

The infant’s mother, Salie Rayo Pascual, said that she is delighted to welcome her child and said relatives were pleased with the choice of name.

HTML’s aunt, Sincerely Pascual – full name Sincerely Yours Pascual – shared a snap of the newest addition to her family on Facebook, writing: ‘Welcome to the world HTML.’

The post has been shared more than 8,978 times and inspired numerous jokes from social media users.

‘[That baby] will grow up to hack the Pentagon. It’s in his name,’ one comment reads.

Several users suggested some computer-based names for any future children: ‘Results-based management system’,  ‘JavaScript’ or ‘Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)’. Others were concerned that his unique name could make life difficult for HTML.

‘In the future, he could be targeted by bullies and ridiculed,’ one user wrote.

‘Parents should be sensible and responsible in naming their child… it’s child[sic] lifetime and identity and why make her/him suffer for obvious reasons… it’s not actually a human name!,’ another commented.

A third Facebook user said: ‘If I were that child, I’d sue my parents one day.’

HTML joins other babies whose obscure names have drawn attention.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk and singer Grimes raised eyebrows when it was announced in May 2020 that their son would be called X Æ A-12 Musk. Seventeen years ago, actress Gwyneth Paltrow and singer Chris Martin drew derision for naming their daughter Apple.

While music superstars Beyonce and Jay Z were mocked back in 2012 for choosing the name Blue Ivy for their first child.