BabyNames.com showed its support for Black Lives Matter in uniquely powerful post

While millions of people are speaking out about and protesting police brutality and systemic racism, many websites, companies, and brands are adding their two cents, as well. But one site that you might not have expected to speak up has shared a particularly powerful message. BabyNames.com posted a list of names of Black Americans who have been killed by police or in racist attacks by civilians on its homepage. Writer and host Bijan Stephen put it best in his tweet with over 700,000 likes: “ok baby names dot com go off.”

BabyNames.com’s message is written in white letters on a black background, which makes it a stark contrast to the rest of the website, which is brightly colored in white, pink, and blue.

The list begins with the harrowing statement, “Each one of these names was somebody’s baby.”

Then, more 100 names are listed, starting with Emmett Till, a 14-year-old who was lynched in 1955 after a white woman made up a story about him touching her, and ending with George Floyd, who was killed in Minneapolis on May 25th while being arrested for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill. Other Black people whose recent killings ignited the current round of protests and demands for change are also listed, including Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and Jamel Floyd.

On June 6th, BabyNames.com tweeted about the change to its site, writing “Say their names. #BlackLivesMatter” along with a screenshot of the homepage. The account has also been tweeting about updating the list with more names.

Say their names. #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/hyEj58lueT

— BabyNames.com (@babynamesdotcom) June 6, 2020

BabyNames.com founder Jennifer Moss spoke to HuffPost about the decision and explained, “I saw the names listed on NPR, and they broke my heart. I knew then I wanted to include them in our company’s statement.”

She added, “I am a parent, and it just came from my heart.”

Already knowing the list is there is one thing, but if you type in BabyNames.com simply looking for a baby name, it could be an even more emotional experience. Seeing the names of those who have died in the context of names that signify new life being brought into the world is intense, to say the least. “My goal was to make people understand that they aren’t just names,” Moss told HuffPost. “They are human beings and were loved.”