Most couples give really good thought when it comes to naming their child. Some purchase baby name books, search online for inspiration or decide on names that carry significant meaning. Others, however, choose to put their country’s laws to the test to see how far they can go.
Australian journalist Kristen Drysdale and her husband Chris are on cloud nine since welcoming their third child.
Unfortunately, instead of consulting a baby names book, the mom paid too much attention to the silly question, which she couldn't simply let go: What is the most bizarre name I could give my child?
Image credits: ABC News
In fact, it was an audience member of her ABC show, WTAFAQ, who asked her about the limits of odd baby names, a question Kristen understood as a challenge.
“We thought, what is the most outrageous name we can think of that will definitely not be accepted?” Kristen told News.com.au.
She didn’t think much before arriving at her answer: Methamphetamine Rules.
“It was really a lighthearted, curious attempt to get the answer to this question.”
Suspecting the atypical name would be rejected by the New South Wales Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, the Mackay-born presenter wanted to test what the default name given to her son would be.
To her surprise, a birth certificate arrived at her house with the name Methamphetamine Rules Drysdale.
Australian law has a few logical restrictions regarding baby names: the name can’t be obscene, offensive, or too long, contain a symbol without phonetic significance (like @ or !), or an official title or rank (for instance, Doctor, President), and it can’t be contrary to the public interest.
Despite these restrictions, the unusual name managed to slip through. “I’m not sure if someone was overworked or it was automated somewhere,” Kristen said.
Though Kristen believed the name wouldn't pass Australia's naming regulations, she was surprised to see her son's birth certificate arrive at her door
Image credits: ABC News
“Or possibly, maybe, someone thought Methamphetamine was a Greek name. They haven’t really given us a clear answer.”
After the bizarre situation hit the news, a spokesperson for the government department shared that they had “strengthened” their system to ensure that nothing similar happens again.
They also commented that “the vast majority of parents do not choose a name for their newborn baby that is obscene, offensive, or contrary to the public interest.”
But don’t worry. Now that Kristen has satisfied her curiosity, she has started a legal procedure to change her son’s name. The baby won’t have to deal with judgemental comments at school and will only find out about this after his 21st birthday.
“Fortunately, there’s no lasting harm done to my beautiful baby boy,” Kristen shared on the BBC’s Newshour. “There will be an internal record that this happened, but he will have a birth certificate with his real name on it.” The TV presenter chose not to disclose her son’s actual name.
Following the shock, the journalist said that she has started legal procedures to change her son's name
Image credits: ABC News
Obviously, things are different in the US, with laws regarding baby names being far more lax. How else could Nick Cannon have named two of his children Powerful Queen and Beautiful Zeppelin?
There have also been other cases of unusual names that have caught social media users’ attention. Only these haven’t been modified.
In a viral video, TikToker Trewley-Precious shared her niece’s name, which is just as original as hers. Her 500,000 followers were shocked to hear of the girl’s name: Adorabella.
An English teacher posted her list of students on Facebook, and readers were left speechless at one of the names: Skyaya. According to the educator, the name is pronounced “Shakira.”
But the unusual names list goes on and on. Buzzfeed reader Ebrenz recently shared that one of his classmates, born in the middle of the Y2K scare, is called Yedoska, the Spanish pronunciation of Y2K. Another user commented, “My brother’s middle name is E. My mother didn’t realize that she had to spell the whole name, which was supposed to be Edward. So she just put E. on the birth certificate.”
Names like "Cinderella" and "Katniss" have been featured on the Social Security Administration's list of 2022 baby names
Image credits: thesun.co.uk
The Social Security Administration’s list of baby names that parents chose in 2022 features really unique ones, such as fictional characters Katniss and Cinderella, as well as abstract nouns like Brilliance and Chaos.
The list proves that rare baby names aren’t just reserved for A-list celebrities.
“Years ago, parents may have chosen a name because they liked the sound or it had a family connection, but today more than ever, baby names are seen as an opportunity to showcase style, culture, and hopes and dreams parents have for their child,” says Sophie Kihm, from name consulting site Nameberry.
Another motivation for parents choosing original names is wishing their children to stand out from their peers and develop their individuality.
One thing is for sure: Elon Musk and Grimes’s children will meet friends with some interesting names on the playground.
People online were not a fan of Kristen's decision
