Actor Darren Criss got a lot of heat for giving his new son an unusual name.
Criss announced the arrival of his and wife Mia Swier's newborn on his Instagram page under the guise of a new hit song release, writing:
"M & D just delivered their follow-up single."
"⭐️ Brother László Criss ⭐️"
The caption accompanied a photo of the duo's "latest hit" bundled up in a Star Wars R2-D2 blanket and wearing huge sunglasses.
The Glee actor and Swier, a writer, also have a 2-year-old daughter named Bluesy Belle.
Criss noted that their second child's "release date" was June 3, 2024.
"Out now," Criss wrote and repeated his son's name for everyone who did a double take.
"… and yes his first name is Brother 💛"
M & D's new single got mixed reviews.
One Instagrammer wrote:
"If you need to say 'yes his name really is…', chances are you picked a bad name."
The sentiment was echoed by another user who said:
"If you have to clarify that’s it’s his name maybe it shouldn’t be his name."
Another expressed concern for the boy's future, saying, "The future girlfriend/boyfriend is gonna be calling him brother😭."
And one person observed:
"Some people need to remember (or outright realise) their babies are actual human beings they are choosing to name 🤦🏻♀️😬"
Not all of the comments were digs at the name choice.
"We love little brother brother. Congrats!," wrote a fan.
Another played along with the hit song theme and wrote:
"Congrats on your sophomore album! 🥰"
Users on X (formerly Twitter) also shared some thoughts and reactionary memes in response to the baby Brother news.
Criss explained the origin of his daughter Bluesy Belle's name in a 2022 appearance on The View, saying:
“Her parents are musicians, but she’s named after her grandfather’s eyes."
"My father had very blue eyes," Criss said of his dad, Charles William Criss Jr., who passed away in 2020.
Criss playfully announced he and Swier were expecting in a December 2023 Instagram post with a photoshopped image of a Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again movie poster superimposed with their faces.
The foreground showed Swier holding up two positive pregnancy tests.
"And COMING SOON…," Criss teased with a movie-release theme, adding:
"Let’s hope the sequel is better than the photoshop."
Welcome to our world, Brother László Criss!
