WASHINGTON - Facebook's announcement Thursday that the company would henceforth be called Meta unleashed a torrent of hilarity on Twitter from companies, people and even the social media giant itself.

• Facebook announces changing parent company name to ‘Meta’

While critics pummeled Facebook over the change, claiming the rebranding aims to distract from the company's scandals, the internet still had a good laugh.

Here are some highlights of the meme and pun-fueled wisecracks:

- 'Changing name to Meat' -

Meat jokes were all the rage, with US hamburger chain Wendy's tweeting shortly after the news: "Changing name to Meat."

Remaining true to its word, the chain did just that -- but only on its Twitter profile.

A tweeting wit under the handle @NicoTheMemeDude queried: "Is this the beginning of the Meataverse?"

To which Wendy's retorted: "very meta."

Meta's newly minted Twitter account, which already accrued 13.5 million followers, cordially chimed in: "Nice to meat you, @Wendys."

- 'Sounds like a drug' -

Though Meta will just be the name of the parent company, and the app will still be called Facebook, some observers were concerned.

"How can you tell anyone that you're on Meta. Sounds like a drug," wrote @careaware.

- 'Meh was taken' -

The social network's new name spurred plenty of disappointment too.

"Why did Facebook pick 'Meta'? 'Meh' was taken," wrote @maxgoff.

- Meta... World Peace? -

A former pro basketball player who many know as Metta World Peace, the distinct handle he gave himself in 2011, was quickly pulled into the fray.

"Facebook's new full name is Meta World Peace," wrote @darrenrovell.

"i only recognize one metta @MettaWorld37," @MylesMaNJ opined, to which the former Laker, born Ron Artest, replied simply: "lol".

- 'Very... meta' -

For lots of people, meta will forever describe something that refers back to or is about itself, like a film about people making a film about filmmaking.

"Everyone posting about Facebook on Twitter is very... meta," wrote @JohnRush32.

- 'Not the problem' -

Despite the jokes, Facebook's critics were not amused by the name change, which they argued dodges the real issue.

"The name was never the problem," wrote an activist group calling itself The Real Facebook Oversight Board.

• New name for Facebook? Critics say reports meant to distract from controversy

to-jm/sst

© Agence France-Presse

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