Midas
Greek mythology
Love Island star Molly-Mae Hague had dropped several clues ahead of the announcement of her baby boy’s name, which was eventually revealed last month, emblazoned on her partner Tommy Fury’s boxing shorts. Fans — or those just interested in names — were busy trying to guess for some of these hints, given ahead of time:
Still very rare, but she had met one, the child of a family friend
Possible to mispronounce, if you were unfamiliar with the word or name
A Spotify playlist, featuring a song called “Midas”
A new, completely gold Mercedes-Benz (that she doesn't even like!)
Fans were going to hate it or be disappointed
Not the name of anyone in the public eye
A memorable moniker
Once the likes of Simba and Thumper had been dismissed, the focus went to Irish names like Tadhg and Ruairi — ones that would be easy for those in the know but tricky for those who weren’t. Other ideas included Bodhi and Shiloh, along with Hercules, for a Disney and mythology link.
From there, Midas became the frontrunner: easy to say when you know how1, mythological, and less rare than Bambi, given that it is in the Top 500 in the Netherlands and that Midas Fury was in fact the second baby Midas born to celebs in 2025, with sports analyst Pat McAffee and his wife Samantha getting there first.
In mythology, the story of King Midas is a cautionary one, serving as a warning against greed and pride. After doing a good turn for the god Dionysius, he is rewarded with the gift to turn all he touches into gold, a power he delights in at first, but soon comes to hate. He cannot eat or drink because the food and water turn golden; he cannot embrace his daughter because she becomes a golden statue. In some versions of the legend, he eventually dies of starvation.
While this might not the myth you’d want to name your baby after, today, the phrase “Midas touch” has been transformed into a positive association — that is, the ability to make a success of anything you’re involved in, particularly in the financial sense. It may have been this meaning that appealed to the boxer and reality TV star.
But what are you thoughts on Midas? Will there be a surge in babies called Midas in coming years? Did you guess Midas before it was revealed?
Many will know it as MY-duhs, though in Ancient Greek, it would be MEE-das — as it would be in The Netherlands. So even if you do recognize it, you might need to ask.