Reddit’s name has a clever connection to the phrase “read it”, and co-founder Alexis Ohanian has revealed that the wordplay was part of his vision for the platform from the very beginning. More than two decades after the name was chosen, the pun has resurfaced online, leaving social media users amused by how long it took some of them to notice it.
Reddit's Official X Post Sparks Online Banter
The conversation began on October 22, when Reddit’s official account on X shared a joke that brought attention to the platform’s name.
“I'd tell you a joke, but you've probably already Reddit.”
The post played on the similarity between “Reddit” and “read it”, suggesting that users had already come across the joke on the platform. The seemingly simple one-liner quickly attracted responses, with users joining in to share their own puns and witty observations.
While some embraced the wordplay, others jokingly expressed concern about the increasingly creative jokes that could follow. The exchange soon turned into a light-hearted discussion about a pun that had been hiding in plain sight since Reddit’s early days.
Alexis Ohanian Reveals Why He Chose the Name Reddit
The joke took an interesting turn when Alexis Ohanian, Reddit’s co-founder, reshared the post and explained the thinking behind the platform's name.
According to Ohanian, the wordplay was something he had anticipated when Reddit was being established in 2005. Despite facing resistance from others who reportedly disliked the name, he stood by his choice, convinced that people would eventually use the phrase “I read it on reddit”.
“21 years ago, I named ‘Reddit’ and everyone said it was a horrible name, but I insisted that one day people would say ‘I read it on reddit’ and used my CEO-privilege to overrule everyone + kept the name. Now the company twitter account (unbeknownst to them) is making the joke. Heh,” he wrote.
His post revealed that the pun was not merely a coincidence but part of the reasoning behind his original decision.
Social Media Users React To The Long-Running Pun
Ohanian’s revelation prompted several users to admit that they had spent years browsing Reddit without realising the connection between its name and the phrase “read it”.
Others praised the joke as an exceptionally long-running setup, with the punchline taking more than two decades to come full circle. Some users also used the opportunity to poke fun at Reddit’s reputation for hosting discussions where people often reinforce similar opinions.
