Who are Sharmaine and Vanessa, and why are they trending?
Curious about Sharmaine and Vanessa? These names have been making the rounds on social media lately and drawing some laughs.
Sharmaine and Vanessa are not specific people—the former is a fruit, while the latter is a fly popularized by TikTok user Baet.
In one of his viral skits, an orange laments being named after its color, joking that it deserved a more creative name.
"Naiinis naman ako 'te kasi parang 'di naman ako pinag-isipan. O 'di ba ikaw ang pangalan mo ay mango, pero dilaw ka naman. Parang obvious naman kasi sa 'kin te, orange, wala na bang ibang pangalan? Kaloka naman," the orange persona said.
@eko06004 Gawan yan ng paraan #fyp ♬ original sound - BAET
When asked what name it would rather have, it replied, "Sharmaine."
"Ay, ang ganda. Ipa-notaryo natin 'yan," another persona quipped in the background.
Baet also jokingly called out a store selling oranges as "Sharmaine," saying it's still in the process of notarization.
Now, how about Vanessa? It's in another viral video, where a fly said it can relate to "Sharmaine." It joked that it could have been named something more interesting like "Vanessa" instead of being called a fly.
@eko06004 I feel you sharmaine #fyp
♬ original sound - BAET - BAET
Social media memes
Social media users joined in the fun, including SM City Legazpi that's now selling "Sharmaines" in their fresh produce corner.
"Certified and notarized: Sharmaine at your most loved mall, SM City Legazpi," the management wrote in a Facebook post showing photos of their oranges at the supermarket.
A TikTok user also used "Vanessa" in a sentence. "Hoy, 'yung ulam, vina-Vanessa na," it wrote. "[N]agalit mama ko sa'kin kasi sabi ko 'Ma, si Vanessa nandito sa lamesa.' Nagtaka siya kung sino daw 'yun," another user added.
"When life gives you Sharmaine," a social media user quipped, referencing Park Bo Gum and IU's hit K-drama, When Life Gives You Tangerines.
Introducing Melanie
Baet is famous for his random skits, often creating dialogues for inanimate objects such as fruits, vegetables, and insects. In his recent video, a supposed friend of Sharmaine gave an update, saying it had found a lawyer for the notarization. However, a new character—an avocado—entered the scene.
To its dismay, Sharmaine said, "Ay, ano ba 'yan, hindi naman 'yan ang hinahanap ko. Ang sabi ko, abogado, hindi avocado."
Offended, the avocado asked why they were looking for a lawyer. They explained that they needed one to change the orange's name to Sharmaine.
In response, the avocado related to the situation and said, "Pareho lang naman pala tayo ng problema. Ayoko ng ganitong pangalan, parang hindi pinag-isipan, katulad niyan, pinagkamalan mo 'kong abogado eh avocado naman baga."
When asked what name it would rather have, the avocado answered, "Melanie."
Now you know why "Sharmaine" and "Vanessa" are suddenly everywhere. Perhaps "Melanie" will soon have her moment, too.
