A new Chinese app with the shocking name “Are You Dead?” has taken China’s app market by storm, becoming the country’s most downloaded paid app within just a few weeks - especially among young people living alone in major cities.

The concept is simple: users must log in every two days by pressing a button confirming they are still alive. If they fail to do so, the app automatically contacts a pre-selected emergency contact to warn that something may be wrong.

The app was launched quietly in May last year, but interest has surged in recent weeks alongside the rapid rise of single-person households in China. According to research cited by the Chinese newspaper Global Times, the number of people living alone could reach nearly 200 million by 2030.

The app describes itself as a “safety companion for individual life,” targeting workers who live alone, students away from their families, and anyone who chooses a solitary lifestyle.

One user wrote on Chinese social media: “People living alone at any stage of their lives need something like this - as do introverts, the unemployed, and those going through difficult psychological circumstances.”

Another commented: “There’s a constant fear that those who live alone might die without anyone noticing. Sometimes I wonder: if I died alone, who would take my body?”

Wilson Hu, 38, said he downloaded the app for exactly that reason. He works in Beijing and spends most of the week away from his family. “I’m afraid of dying alone in the apartment I rent without anyone knowing,” he said. “So I downloaded the app and made my mother my emergency contact.”

Despite its success, the app’s name has sparked widespread criticism, with many saying the phrase “Are You Dead?” carries negative connotations and could even bring bad luck. Some users have called for it to be renamed to something more positive, such as “Are You Okay?” or “How Are You?”

Moonscape Technologies, the app’s developer, said it takes the criticism seriously and is considering changing the name in the future.

Internationally, the app is known as Demumu and has also gained popularity outside China, ranking highly in the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and Spain - likely driven by overseas Chinese communities.

The app costs just 8 yuan (about $1.15) after initially being offered for free.