Look, I've covered my share of strange Hollywood stories over the years—from Nicolas Cage almost playing Superman to the time someone seriously pitched a Batman musical. But nothing quite prepared me for the moment when DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn had to weigh in on someone naming their actual human child Aquaman.
Yes, you read that right. Trisha Paytas, the YouTube personality who's built a career on being gloriously, unapologetically unpredictable, recently revealed that she and husband Moses Hacmon named their third baby Aquaman. Not Arthur. Not even a subtle nod like Atlas or something vaguely aquatic. Just straight-up Aquaman.
And now James Gunn—the man currently tasked with rebuilding the entire DC Universe—has thoughts.
When Real Life Becomes More Surreal Than Comic Books
In a recent Entertainment Tonight interview that felt like it belonged in an alternate dimension, Gunn was asked about Paytas' naming choice. “I saw that, yes. I think that's cool! I mean, I hope he does okay in school,” he responded with the kind of diplomatic concern that only comes from years of navigating Hollywood's more… creative personalities.
The director's reaction was refreshingly human, actually. “Tommy gun, BB gun, raygun, I'm like, ‘Okay, we get it,'” Gunn shared, referencing his own childhood struggles with his surname. There's something oddly touching about one of the most powerful people in comics worrying about playground bullies targeting little Aquaman Paytas-Hacmon.
Because yes—that's the full name. Aquaman Moses Paytas-Hacmon. The middle name Moses presumably honors the father, while the hyphenated surname ensures maximum syllable count for future roll calls.
Frank Grillo, who was also present and plays Rick Flag Sr. in Gunn's DC Universe, seemed more optimistic about the kid's prospects. “He's going to be fine. Especially if he lives in New York, where I grew up, he'll be great,” Grillo noted, apparently subscribing to the theory that New York kids have seen everything.
The Method Behind the Madness
Trisha Paytas revealed the name during her July 22, 2025 episode of the Just Trish podcast, explaining that she'd been “a massive fan of the DC superhero growing up.” This continues her family's tradition of movie-themed names—her other children are named Malibu Barbie and Elvis, which suddenly makes Aquaman seem almost conventional by comparison.
There's something fascinatingly American about this whole situation. We live in a culture where celebrity baby names trend on social media, where Comic-Con is a legitimate cultural force, and where the head of a major studio has to publicly comment on whether a YouTuber's baby name choice will traumatize the kid. It's peak 2025 content.
Gunn's concern about school bullying isn't unfounded, though his suggestion that classmates might shorten it to “AQ” feels optimistic. More likely, creative children will find far more inventive ways to torture poor Aquaman—though honestly, kids today might just accept it. This is the generation growing up with classmates named after Fortnite skins and TikTok trends.
The Bigger Picture
What strikes me most about this story isn't the absurdity—though there's plenty of that—but the genuine warmth in everyone's reactions. Gunn could have dismissed it or stayed silent. Instead, he offered both approval and genuine concern for the child's wellbeing. There's something refreshingly decent about that response.
James Gunn has spent years navigating the intersection of pop culture and real life, from his early Troma days through the Marvel machine and now his DC reconstruction project. He understands better than most how fictional characters become part of our actual lives, how Superman t-shirts become security blankets and how Batman inspires both billionaires and vigilantes.
Maybe naming your kid Aquaman isn't that different from parents who choose names like Hunter or Phoenix or any of the other aspirational monikers we saddle children with. At least Aquaman has decades of heroic stories behind it, even if Jason Momoa's version probably wasn't what Paytas had in mind when she was a kid.
The interview ended with Gunn wondering aloud whether the name would work, while Tim Meadows chimed in with reassurance. It was the kind of genuinely human moment that reminds you these are real people having real conversations about the absurd intersection of celebrity culture and actual child-rearing.
Will little Aquaman thrive or struggle with his superhero moniker? Time will tell. But if nothing else, he'll never have trouble getting people's attention at parties.
