Vaccine names have never really been a hot topic in Canada, because, like, why would they be? All most people care about is that their inoculations are safe, available and effective.

After all, there's not much to talk about. It's not as though any vaccines have splashy monikers like "SpikeVax," or confusing jibberish labels with old-timey-British-butler-name vibes like "Comirnaty" or anything.

Except that it IS like that — exactly, like that, thanks to Health Canada's formal authorization of name changes for the COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca.

The federal government announced Thursday morning that, moving forward, the Pfizer vaccine will now be named Comirnaty. Moderna will henceforth go by the brand name SpikeVax, and AstraZeneca now "Vaxzevria."

pic.twitter.com/gdJBRqnIHP

— Don Falconer (@TheFalconer) September 16, 2021

People all over the country have been popping off on Twitter ever since the news of this name change authorization dropped, many to express disbelief over the fact that these names are real.

I thought this was a joke, but ok. (name changes for vaccines)

Comirnaty - aka Pfizer vaccine
SpikeVax - aka Moderna vaccine
Vaxzevria - aka AstraZeneca vaccine https://t.co/j5LGtk5u7E

— 🇨🇦🍁Cheryl X2 Vaccinated🍁🇨🇦CANADA🍁🇨🇦 (@mini_bubbly) September 16, 2021

There are now thousands of genuinely hilarious responses to Health Canada's original tweet thread.

Health Canada wants you to choose your starter!😂😭 Comirnaty🍃, SpikeVax🔥, or Vaxzevria💧? https://t.co/cCekV6YRmk pic.twitter.com/EDuAKT2tWp

— Dr. Jennifer Kwan (@jkwan_md) September 16, 2021

"Comirnaty" seems to be getting the most attention of all three, because like... what in the heck does that even mean?

Comirnaty sounds like an adjective that would describe these two: https://t.co/tdbBQQNMuN pic.twitter.com/PlotOCcwQR

— Jess MacInnis (@JessMacInnis) September 16, 2021

According to The Verge, comirnaty is supposed to be a portmanteau of the words community, immunity, COVID-19, and mRNA. 

No idea how Comirnaty ever left the focus group.

— Scott M. (@apukwa) September 16, 2021

Twitter isn't picking up what Pfizer is putting down, though — most people seem to think it's pure gibberish.

The Comirnaty sounds like a villainous secret organization in a self-published sci-fi novel https://t.co/VlsSO3rnWy

— Brandy Jensen (@BrandyLJensen) September 16, 2021

Some say it sounds a bit like "commie" and nobody knows how to pronounce it. If you lean hard into the "i" and make the "a" soft, it could theoretically almost sound like "Come here, naughty." 

let's get a beer at the Comirnaty's Daughter

— Borges how are ya? (@meh_just_a_guy) September 16, 2021

SpikeVax, which sounds like something you'd find at a convenience store next to Monster Energy Drink, is also generating a lot of buzz.

[Internal Marketing Meeting at Moderna]

Marketer 1: alright so we're finally getting to name our vaccine

[light applause]

and we need to keep in mind some people are afraid of needles so we need to be sensit-

Marketer 2: SPIKEVAX

[wild cheers, heavy metal riff] https://t.co/u9OGNXdqtM

— Chork (@cdgoldstein) September 16, 2021

Moderna's extreme-sounding name is being likened to that of a riot grrl revival band, a Pokemon starter, a superhero and a "muscle booster drug the evil gang uses in a 1992 straight to VHS C-movie action flick," among other things.

Moderna: I no longer answer to “Moderna”, I shall henceforth be known as SpikeVax, The Virus Slayer!

Everyone: sure Moderna, whatever dude https://t.co/TUFDFokePJ

— Ian Young (@ianjamesyoung70) September 16, 2021

And AstraZeneca's Vaxzevria sounds to many people like a fantasy novel character or Russian femme fatal.

The black wyrm Vaxzevria Scorched Wing has been tormenting this land for as long as even the elders can remember and Comirnaty the bird-headed sage will reveal to the Foretold Hero the resting place of SpikeVax, the only spear than can pierce The Scorched Wing's scales https://t.co/owt35kDiAe

— Nels Anderson (@Nelsormensch) September 16, 2021

Jokes abound, but people also have serious concerns about the government approving new names at this point, when many provinces are struggling to get more people vaccinated.

People scared of taking vaccines are sure to be convinced now with comforting names like “SpikeVax” and “Vaxzevria” https://t.co/0LWXbrugoa

— Mike Drucker (@MikeDrucker) September 16, 2021

"Why on earth would you authorize vaccine confusion right now? And who on earth thinks that Vaxzevria, SpikeVax or Comirnaty are good brand names?," asked one Twitter user. "Vaxzevria and Comirnaty sound like names for side-effects from vaccines." 

Health workers: People are dying from misinformation! ICUs are filling up with unvaccinated people! 7 million eligible Canadians still aren't fully vaccinated!

Health Canada: Why don't we authorize renaming the COVID vaccines to Comirnaty, SpikeVax & Vaxzevria?

Wait...what? 😡

— Dr. Amit Arya (@AmitAryaMD) September 16, 2021

In the spirit of calling things by what we know them as, many Toronto residents are now pledging to "SkyDome" the vaccine names — as in, call them what we've always called them, similar to how most people still refer to the Rogers Centre as the SkyDome.

The iconic retractable-roofed stadium was renamed after it was purchased by Rogers Communications in 2005.

I really hope this is going to be a Skydome situation where we just keep calling them the original names instead of the new terrible names https://t.co/8qC26R2CQM

— Tyler Clark Burke (@tylerclarkburke) September 16, 2021

"No goddamn way," joked one local in response to Health Canada's tweet. "Good Canadians will always call these SkyDome, Simpsons and MuchMusic thank you very much."

This,

Plus, I still say SkyDome https://t.co/9e8wA32EHX

— Rob Del Mundo (@Rob_DelMundo) September 16, 2021

While they will have new brand names, Health Canada states that no changes are being made to the vaccines themselves.

"All COVID-19 vaccines authorized in Canada are proven safe, effective and of high quality," the health department writes.

The only real difference for consumers is now telling people whether you're team SpikeVax, Comirnaty or Vaxzevria. If you have a mix of shots, you could go with something like "I'm a SpixeVax with Cominarty rising," or the simple "I have a mix of Moderna and Pfizer."