Idk man they drive me nuts. Is it supposed to be barnacles? That's not even how you spell barnacles and the final skin has nothing to do with barnacles it's a fucking flower. I know that in the past staff has just kind of taken the user given names and gone with it. I also know that boobitis is also not a word and not really related to the final skin. But God damn I hope barnakles isn't actually adopted as the official name. (I'm not a fan of bright bite so much either but maybe it's just me)

Lobster Face also has nothing to do with lobster, it's a rose.

We had Deathslug and Death Worms last year. Also, Virus? Most boring name ever.

There are good names, and then, there are some dumb ones. It's that way every year.

lol I kinda of wish we'd use the names that are on the VIP page. I found it frustrating to have to go to the survival thread just to look up what strain is actually what. Then hope that I didn't misread the darn name as I clicked on the one I want. I never can remember the user created names beyond a small handful.

It's barnankles. A combination of barnacles and ankles, because people thought it looked like barnacles growing on the HA's ankles at first.

But I agree with you, I'm not really a fan of the names either. People said it's part of the fun naming the strains something wrong that doesn't even make sense before the final stage is revealed but... I disagree.

edit:

Idk itis is inflammation. I mean don't get me wrong. I love boobitis. I was infected with it in 09 and carried it until the day it was made in to a removable skin. I love the fact that the staff used that super silly name for it. Nothing against it, honest. Just if my complaint is wahwahwah barnankles isn't a word wahwahwah then I feel like I have to at least mention that one too lol

I do hate lobster face too and I think the issue does lie in trying to name something before you know what the end stage is.

Idk it's dumb and it doesn't matter but I just ... hate barnankles. Like ... it doesn't flow? Idkidk

Naming the viruses before they are fully revealed is tradition. Sometimes we end up with crap names, but it dates back to before we could pick anything. I kind of like that we have a tradition. It's a community thing, makes it feel like we have a little mini culture going on.

I actually really like Barnankles. I love puns/play on words. Bright Bite is super boring to me. I liked Snot Moth.

I personally like to watch the naming process and a lot of the names I think are cool. My only issue is Faceworm I guess - I will keep calling it Swan Flu and nothing can stop me. XD

ppl still call virus strains whatever they want, before and after they're named. I know I call lobster face rosacea instead, and barnankles 'devils fingers' (because barnankles is a God damn tongue twister for me). people call bright bite snot mouth, etc etc. But naming them is a community tradition, regardless if what we call it sucks or doesn't fit in the end.

there'll probably always be people who hate the virus names and there will be people who love it. it's a matter of personal opinion really. you're more than free to just call it what you want tbh, chances are if you use the VIP names or another suggested name, people will still know what you're talking about.

Everything to do with the progression of viruses is the best, ESPECIALLY the naming. I was actually super disappointed last year when the file names leaked for those viruses, cause I never would have called it something as simple as angler had I known that would happen (actually ended up naming the file carniflora in case it happened again this year, but it didn't and Doom Bloom is wonderful.)

Barnankles was like the perfect name to me. Brought up early, very catchy and fun to say, and just weird enough to work.

I will agree on Bright Bite, though. I stumble over it and say bright bright instead. EVERY TIME. Snot Moth was adorable.

I don't especially a few of the names as well. Really sad that Snot Moth didn't stick as official.

This year there was a poll to elect names, so keep an eye out for it in next years strain tracking thread so you can participate in the process. Ping all of your friends and groups there and hopefully we'll get better representation of userbase name desires next year. :)

The poll was unofficial so there's still hope that the staff might choose other names that were also popular! Fingers crossed for Snot Moth.

Eh, considering they actually had a poll this year for each of the names. Certainly is more fun for me than last year's names. death slug is one thing, but just 'angler'? or hell, 'virus'? pretty boring, imo. :T

though i guess i can't really complain, 3/4 of the names i voted for (including barnankles, i think it sounds hilarious) won...

I also wish Snot Moth had been chosen xD Bright Bite seems too boring. I actually like Barnankles though. And I think Doom Bloom and Blood Rush are perfect.

I don't hate any of the names and i even voted for Barnankles in the poll, because it was my favorite of the options listed to choose from at the time. But i saw someone suggest Octopustules for it in the thread later (sorry, i don't remember who) and now i just really wish it could be that instead. X'D

I don't like Bright Bite but I didn't like most of the names suggested for that one. I do like Barnankles, Doom Bloom, and Blood Rush a lot though

Honestly, I don't pay attention to the names anymore. I could care less what they are. Pandemic isn't about the skins for me, or the viruses, even though those are the two major points of it. I just like the hearts and contests. Perhaps I'd like it more if there were plots and activities and explanations behind the new viruses but there's not. It's not exciting anymore.

Pandemic doesn't really need a plot, I mean, actual, real life pandemics happen in the real world without reasons, HELLO EBOLA, ZIKA AND JUSTIN BIEBER.

I love that we get to name them, and I think it's really fun that they're based on the first stages and not the last. They're more poetic, and they go along with the sinister nature of a virus. Something like Blistered Hearts - oh, it started out with a couple heart blisters, now it ate all your flesh away and you're a skeleton. It would be so boring to me if it was just named with some skeleton pun.

I voted for Barnankles to be called Bacon Legs though. XD

I still thinking the naming tradition is fun even if some don't turn out how you might want them, Bright Bite was the dud for me this year and I was really rooting for Snot Moth but you can't win them all.

I'm just glad we got to choose this year instead of people using the file names like last year. Charchari sticks out like a sore thumb among the other years names and I have to look it up every time I use it lmao. I usually just call it Sharkbite and that's another good thing you don't HAVE to use the official names.