Claim: J.J. McCarthy and his fiancée, Katya Kuropas, recently welcomed a baby boy into the world. This came just a few days after the Michigan product led the Vikings to a close win (27-24) in his NFL debut against the Bears. However, while the most recent news about the baby brought plenty of happy headlines, it was the name they chose for their son that sparked a new debate.
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The name the couple decided to go with is Rome McCarthy. That immediately led some NFL fans to wonder if the Minnesota Vikings QB was nodding to his biggest rival’s star receiver, Rome Odunze.
Source of the rumor: Polymarket Football on X, among others, reported and spread this claim. With over 75k followers, Polymarket Football’s post has surely convinced many fans that the report is true.
“JJ McCarthy is naming his child after Bears WR Rome Odunze. Welcome to the world Rome McCarthy,” wrote the e-media outlet.
JJ McCarthy is naming his child after Bears WR Rome Odunze
Welcome to the world Rome McCarthy pic.twitter.com/JDWHQOTBVq
— Polymarket Football (@PolymarketBlitz) September 12, 2025
Verdict: While it’s a funny coincidence and makes for a great joke, there haven’t been any reports suggesting this is true. Given that the birth was announced on Friday, McCarthy and Kuropas have yet to share how they came up with the name. But as evidence suggests, fans are eagerly awaiting to learn what led them to choose Rome.
It is worth noting that McCarthy was teammates with a wideout named Roman Wilson at Michigan, who is now with the Pittsburgh Steelers. One fan under the above post even suggested that the baby’s name could be inspired by Wilson, not Odunze.
“No, it’s named after his college receiver Roman Wilson,” they commented.
Again, this hasn’t been confirmed, but it’s a definite possibility. For now, we just have to be patient before learning the inspiration for the name. It will most likely be revealed in time.
McCarthy is still scheduled to start this Sunday night against the Atlanta Falcons. He traveled home with the team on Monday, took part in game planning on Tuesday, and then practiced on Wednesday. He was also in meetings on Thursday before leaving to join Kuropas at the hospital. On Friday, he returned to practice as usual.
So, don’t worry, Vikings fans, he should be ready to go for primetime. Plus, he might have some newfound “dad strength” that he could tap into.
At the end of the day, though, we’re sorry to burst the bubble, but the baby boy was not named after Odunze. Sometimes, fans joke that an athlete is the father of another athlete when one plays better than the other. That could be what’s going on here. Regardless, it’s an interesting name choice by McCarthy and his fiancée, and it’s bound to raise questions.
