We’ve all had our names mangled on a coffee cup before. But 22-year-old Mae’s one trip to Starbucks resulted in a chronological coincidence so perfect it felt like a rift in the space-time continuum. Or, a glitch in the matrix, if you believe.
TikTok creator Mae Moore (@mae_moore) has reached over 1.5 million viewers with a story that sounds more like a playground riddle than a morning caffeine run. It initially started with the Starbucks staff making a lighthearted joke about her name sounding like the month “May.”
But the story ended with Mae accidentally “stealing” an order from the month preceding her. The insane coincidence in the story proves that life is not always just a series of random events. Sometimes, the universe, or at least the Starbucks queue, likes to stay on schedule.
The Starbucks barista first made a joke about Mae’s name
Mae’s morning began normally when she pulled into the drive-thru to pick up a mobile order. Given that her name sounds similar to the month “May,” the barista made a quick joke about it. She then moved away from the speaker box without thinking much about it.
“It kind of happens all the time,” Mae explained. After 22 years of carrying that name, she has grown accustomed to the “seasonal” puns. It kind of just comes naturally with being named after the fifth month of the year.
She thought April’s order was a joke
When she finally reached the window to collect her order, the barista asked, “Mobile order for April?” Assuming the staff was just doubling down on the month-themed humor, Mae laughed and accepted the drink without a second thought.
The joke got even stranger when the barista added that a “June” was currently waiting in the car directly behind her. Convinced she was part of a store-wide improv bit, Mae even joked back that her friend “August” would be arriving shortly, too.
The Starbucks didn’t taste like her usual order, and she instantly froze
The “glitch in the matrix” moment hit once Mae pulled away and took a sip of her beverage. Realizing it wasn’t her usual drink, she checked the printed label only to find the name “APRIL” staring back at her.
Apparently, there was no “month game” being played. A real April, Mae, and June had managed to line up in perfect calendar order at the exact same Starbucks. “To this day I still swear that was a glitch,” she remarked.
Month-themed names are surprisingly common in America
While having three in a row is statistically improbable, month-themed names have a deep-rooted history in American culture. April, May (or Mae), and June have traditionally been the most popular month-themed names among Americans. They are often associated with springtime and renewal.
According to social security data, June saw a massive peak in the mid-20th century, while April became a top-100 staple in the 1970s and 80s. Newer additions like August and Nova (associated with November) are currently trending. It all proves that while Mae’s experience was a “glitch,” the American love for naming children after the calendar is here to stay.
The internet couldn’t hold it in
The comments section of Mae’s video turned into a meeting of the “Calendar Club.” Other people names after months also shared their own “riddle-like” experiences. “Sounds like a riddle. If May stole April’s drink, what did June order?” one viewer asked, leaning into the absurdity of the situation.
“As a barista do yall not know what your drink looks like,” another asked, probably feeling for the barista who might’ve gotten into trouble for handing the wrong order to Mae. But then, a user actually named April joked, “I never did get my drink that day,”pretending to be the victim of the great coffee heist.
The Starbucks drive-through escaped the matrix that day
Mae’s story is a reminder to always check the label on your Starbucks, especially if your name is part of a sequence. But if your coffee exposes a three-month lineup, you better believe you’re not just a customer. At that point, you’re more of a data point in a very caffeinated cosmic coincidence.
For the sake of the matrix, we hope Mae never runs into “April” or “June” again. Until then, if you’re named July, maybe just keep an eye out for a “August” at the hand-off station.
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