James Gunn, the filmmaker and co-CEO of DC Studios, recently weighed in on one of the more talked-about celebrity baby names of the year after internet personality Trisha Paytas announced she had named her newborn son Aquaman Moses Paytas-Hacmon. Gunn’s reaction, equal parts amused and thoughtful, sparked further buzz online as fans and critics weighed in on what it means to give a child such a boldly themed name.
Speaking with Entertainment Tonight at San Diego Comic-Con on July 27, Gunn acknowledged that he had seen the news and said he thought the choice was “cool,” but also admitted he had real-world concerns about how the name might play out as the child grows up. “I think that’s cool. I mean, I hope he does okay in school,” Gunn said, referencing his own experience growing up with the last name Gunn and dealing with nickname-style teasing.
Gunn’s comments struck a chord because they were both light-hearted and grounded in a familiar parental worry — how a name might affect a child’s social life. He even joked about potential nicknames like “AQ” and questioned whether kids still tease one another in the same way they once did. “Won’t he get made fun of in school? Do kids make fun of kids anymore?” Gunn asked in the interview, capturing both curiosity and a touch of genuine concern.
The name Aquaman itself comes from Paytas’s long-expressed affinity for the DC Comics hero and his cinematic portrayals, particularly the popularity of the character in pop culture. Paytas and her husband, Moses Hacmon, welcomed their son on July 12, and she explained the connection to water and mythology on her podcast Just Trish. While some people have embraced the boldness of the name as an expression of fandom and creativity, others, including Gunn, have playfully pointed out the challenges that could come with having the name of a famous superhero in everyday life.
Responses to Gunn’s reaction have been mixed online, with some fans finding humor in the director’s concern and others using it as a jumping-off point to discuss naming trends in general. A few commentators highlighted how celebrity baby names have increasingly pushed cultural boundaries, moving away from traditional choices and toward monikers that reflect personal passions, pop-culture references, or unique meanings.
At the same time, voices close to Gunn in the interview offered reassurance that the young Aquaman would likely be just fine. Actors Frank Grillo and Tim Meadows, who were with Gunn during the Entertainment Tonight segment, chimed in with supportive remarks, suggesting that kids today are resilient and that a distinctive name might not be as big an obstacle as concerned adults sometimes fear.
Ultimately, James Gunn’s take on Trisha Paytas’s choice reflects a blend of pop-culture awareness and affectionate realism: yes, it’s undeniably tied to a beloved comic-book legacy, but no, it doesn’t come without potential awkwardness in ordinary life. Whether Aquaman Moses grows up proudly embracing his name or prefers something more conventional, the conversation around it highlights broader shifts in how parents — celebrity or not — think about identity, legacy, and what a name can mean in a world where fiction and reality increasingly collide.
