Where did Atom Araullo get his name?

Atom Araullo has become a household name, after years of excellent journalism and storytelling.

But did you know his name is actually Alfonso Tomas Araullo? How did his unique nickname "Atom" come to be?

In an episode of "The Howie Severino Podcast," Atom clarified that contrary to what some people think, his name doesn't stand for the August 21 Movement, the protest group formed after Ninoy Aquino was assassinated on August 21, 1983.

"I was born in 1982 so it has nothing to do with the August 21 movement. I was born before Senator Ninoy was assassinated," the journalist said.

Atom explained his nickname came from his whole name, Alfonso Tomas.

"Well, my whole name is Alfonso Tomas. 'Yun ang origins noon. Alfonso is the name of my lolo on the father side and then Tomas is the name of my other lolo sa mother side. And naisip ko na ipangalan ako sa aking mga lolo at 'yung combination noon is 'Atom.' Ganoon lang siya ka-simple," Atom said.

[Well, my whole name is Alfonso Tomas. That's where it originated. Alfonso is the name of my lolo on the father side and then Tomas is the name of my other lolo on the mother side. And I thought I should be named after my grandfathers and the combination of that is 'Atom.
It's that simple.]

It also seems serendipitous that Atom later on grew up to study Applied Physics at the University of the Philippines where atoms, or the smallest unit of matter, is also studied.

"So medyo fortuitous lang na nag-physics ako at medyo marami ring mga atom
na ping-uusapan doon," he added.

[So it was kind of furtuitous that I studied physics and there are a lot of atoms discussed there as well.] — Kaela Malig/LA, GMA News