Baby Names Getting Crazy - Article

[visitor1]

NEVAEH and Narnia got through but Queensland authorities have drawn the line at parents calling their children Gummy Bear, Coca Cola and King John 1.

They were among the names rejected in 2008 by the Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, which is part of the Department of Justice and Attorney-General.

"Parents are able to decide their own spelling when choosing a name for their baby, however in Queensland there are certain regulations governing what the name can be," Attorney-General Kerry Shine said.

"You cannot choose a name which includes an official title or rank ... it also cannot be a trademark, or consist of or include symbols without phonetic significance."

He said all of the names rejected were change of name requests by adults.

There were no baby names knocked back this year, with the traditional Jack and Ella again the most popular.

Less traditional was Nevaeh - heaven spelt backwards - which was endowed on 17 babies, and three families chose Hermione for their daughters, inspired by the Harry Potter books.

Mater Mother's Hospital midwife Julieanne Wilkinson said they recently had an Alani - Inala spelt backwards - a Fenix and a Chilli.

"Another mum named her baby Kyson, because her name was Kylie and he was the son of Kylie," Ms Wilkinson said.

Queensland University of Technology psychology lecturer Marilyn Campbell said parents risked doing their child serious psychological damage by giving them unusual, or hard-to-spell names.

"Your name is such an important part of your identity and when you're always having to correct people saying it, and when you're having to spell it, it can be quite degrading," Dr Campbell said.

'The stranger the name, the more frustrating for a child who starts to think 'why did my parents do this, why did they put this on me?'."

Child psychologist Paula Barrett agreed strange names created a sense of "social anxiety".

"Most children don't like to be different. It's all about fitting in when you're a child," Dr Barrett said.

In New Zealand, a nine-year-old girl called Talula does the Hula from Hawaii, recently won the right to change her name.

Family Court Judge Rob Murfitt also expressed his dismay at the trend to give children bizarre names.

Among those blocked by registration officials included Sex Fruit, Twisty Poi, Stallion and Fish and Chips - for twins.

Those allowed included Number 16 Bus Shelter, Midnight Chardonnay and Violence.

Top 10 girls' names:

1. Ella
2. Mia
3. Emily
4. Chloe
5. Isabella
6. Charlotte
7. Lily
8. Ava
9. Olivia
10. Sienna

Top 10 boys' names:

1. Jack
2. Cooper
3. Lachlan
4. William
5. Riley
6. Thomas
7. Joshua
8. Samuel
9. Noah
10. Ethan

[QueenMab]

In New Zealand, a nine-year-old girl called Talula does the Hula from Hawaii, recently won the right to change her name....


....Among those blocked by registration officials included Sex Fruit, Twisty Poi, Stallion and Fish and Chips - for twins.

Those allowed included Number 16 Bus Shelter, Midnight Chardonnay and Violence....

Number 16 Bus Shelter was ALLOWED?! I find this story really quite disturbing... if someone wants, seriously, to call their child 'Sex Fruit' or 'Fish'.... what sort of parent are they going to be? Obviously not a very sensible or considerate one.

I am so glad that poor New Zealand girl has won the right to change her name - what were her parents thinking? Even if, and I am giving her parents a huge benefit of the doubt here, for some reason, they thought 'lets just get this all on her birth certificate, her name is really Talula...' when she said "You know what guys? My name sucks, I want to change it..." she shouldn't have had to WIN the right to do it.

Does anybody else think that Midnight Chardonnay should have been on the shortlist for Kim of 'Kath & Kim's Eponyray??

[Arimeh]

"Your name is such an important part of your identity and when you're always having to correct people saying it, and when you're having to spell it, it can be quite degrading," Dr Campbell said.

'The stranger the name, the more frustrating for a child who starts to think 'why did my parents do this, why did they put this on me?'."

Errr no... people get my name wrong ALL the time - always think its Melinda.. or Melissa or whatever.. do I blame my mother??? NO... I just think the people who get my freakin name wrong after I have said it, or SPELT it to them - are bloody idiots who don't listen. I certainly don't think any negative thoughts about my mother who LOVED my name.

I'm proud that my kids have original names - and if people make fun of them because of their names - so be it - its certainly not going to be the worst thing that they'll ever experience in this life.

[visitor1]

My surname is always spelt wrong..FFS....how hard is it!!!

I think kids need their own names...im sick of the over used ones....unusual isnt always bad.

[QueenMab]

Mel, surely you have to admit there is a difference between an original name, like your kids have, and a ridiculous name, like the bus shelter one...?

[visitor1]

Bus shelter is going a bit far....

I mean kids names are hard to think of...but its not like you walk down the road and call your baby the first thing you see....*Phone Booth*....*semi trailer*

[Arimeh]

QM - yeah for sure, but the comment was made for all unusual or hard to spell names - which my kids certainly fit into that category.

[QueenMab]

Bus shelter is going a bit far....

I mean kids names are hard to think of...but its not like you walk down the road and call your baby the first thing you see....*Phone Booth*....*semi trailer*

Yeah Kimbaz, like in Anchorman... "I love... lamp."

[feeb]

what posses people to be so rediculous!!!!!!!!

[Rouge]

I'm not a fan of made up spellings, never have been. But each to their own. I have had people say to me they don't like kids being named after cities, which doesn't bother me (even though that didn't enter our mind at all) as I said each to their own I like some alternative spellings though (like as in from other origins).

I always find it odd the names people try and inflict on their poor children, and I'm really glad that some don't get approved. I feel bad for some of the celebs kids like "Pilot Inspektor" (Jason Lee's kid).

[Pandora]

How would they knnow Hermione was inspired by harry potter? Maybe they're just English?

[visitor1]

I didnt even know names got approved.

I thought it just happened regardless....??

[briggsy's girl]

names have to be screened to prevent legal infringement (like in the coca cola example)

[visitor1]

So....all names are checked when you register a birth?

Is they how they are screened and approved/not approved?

[briggsy's girl]

yup - they'd be screened while processing the registration

[visitor1]

Wow...i learnt something new tonight then!

[Pandora]

it depends on the country too, and some hospitals in the US.
Frank Zappa's kid, Dweezil for example: They had him at a Presbyterian hospital who asked what they were planning to name the baby, and when they told them they refused to let them have the abby there, so they had to call him Ian, and changed it later

[Astrid]

I'm not a fan of made up spellings, never have been. But each to their own. I have had people say to me they don't like kids being named after cities, which doesn't bother me (even though that didn't enter our mind at all) as I said each to their own I like some alternative spellings though (like as in from other origins).

I am pretty much the same, except I have not even thought about the city connection to names, so no opinion there.

I find with all the different spellings that even with common names that people are double checking the spellings. I am amazed at how many people ask how to spell Maggie. I do admit to being afraid to call up to RSVP for a 3yo party as I had no idea on how to pronounce the little girl's name. I did not want to cause offence to the parent, as I have heard/read many parents complaining that people do not pronounce their child's name correctly.