Babies are already being named after the coronavirus pandemic

The coronavirus crisis has inspired a wave of virus-related baby names as new parents pay tribute to the monumental moment of giving birth during a pandemic.

While parents are often inspired by their favourite film character or the names of lost loved ones when choosing the perfect moniker, the coronavirus outbreak has influenced couples around the world to chose novel names related to the crisis.

After giving birth to twins during lockdown on 27 March, a couple in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh named their babies Covid and Corona.

The mother, Pteeti Verma, told news agency Press Trust of India that a difficult birth inspired their choice: “The delivery happened after facing several difficulties, and therefore, me and my husband wanted to make the day memorable.”

“When the hospital staff also started calling the babies Corona and Covid, we finally decided to name them after the pandemic,” she added.

In a similar vein to other virus-themed names, another Indian couple chose to call their child Lockdown. Speaking to NDTV, the father said: “I named him after Lockdown as we all are reeling under [the] Covid-19 pandemic. In my view, prime minister Narendra Modi has taken the right step to impose lockdown in the entire nation to save us from the deadly virus. My boy will remind everyone to take precautions against Covid-19, to save themselves and the nation.”

In a bid to raise awareness of the importance of hygiene during the pandemic, a father from Uttar Pradesh, India, named his newborn baby Sanitiser on Sunday 19 April. Describing the choice as a “contribution” to the fight against Covid-19, Omveer Singh told India Today Television: “We have named our baby ‘Sanitiser’ because it is being used by everyone at present to deter the spread of germs on our hands.”

Parents on forums such as Mumsnet have been sharing ideas for other virus-inspired names that are more subtle. Suggestions like Hope, Faith and Patience have been made as positive odes to such a historical period. One user wrote: “I think Patience reflects it perfectly - we have to be patient as we wait for it all to pass over.”

Other ideas include Tina, which means “follower of Christ” according to its origins, but has been suggested as a shortened version of quarantine. Demi has also been put forward, which is short for pandemic, as well as Rhona, which is slang for coronavirus, but also a traditional Celtic name that translates to “powerful”.

Another Mumsnet user suggested the name Florence as a nod to the temporary NHS Nightingale hospital in London, which is named after the famous nurse Florence Nightingale. The ExCel exhibition centre, which normally hosts lifestyle shows and conferences, was converted into a hospital which officially opened on 3 April.

Despite being such a worrying time for women due to give birth during the pandemic, The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Midwives has reassured women that there is no evidence to suggest pregnant women are at greater risk from Covid-19.

Like everyone else, pregnant women have been advised to follow social distancing measures, but may have also been told to self-isolate for 12 weeks if they have a heart condition. In a statement the bodies said: “[This self-isolation for 12 weeks] is a precautionary measure to reduce the theoretical risk to the baby’s growth and risk of preterm if the mother becomes unwell.”