Baby Names Getting Crazy - Article

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

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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....

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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??

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"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?'."

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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.

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.

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...?

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*

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.

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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*

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

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

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).

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

I didnt even know names got approved.

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

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

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

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

yup - they'd be screened while processing the registration

Wow...i learnt something new tonight then!

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

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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).

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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.

i have a name that isnt common but not unusual and people get it wrong all the time.
my kids have very different names but i dont like the idea of them having 5 sarahs in one class. so yes i know it sucks to have to spell and pronounce for every one but you get over it and realise that each name is beautiful
""What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

Was telling dh about bus stop etc he went WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I like some of the unusual names. But some mentioned were just ridiculous.
Since having Ashlyn I have noticed an interesting trend in the pronunciation of her name. People I know always get the name right straight away. People I don't know, and asked her name just out of interest, always say Ashley. Doesn't matter how much I emphasis the 'lyn'.

I grew up having to spell my name for everyone and it never did me any harm. :D

DH was the one that pointed out the article to me...cos he was researching names and to see if our DS's name was unusual....which it isnt....and its widely heard of!

lol Kim :) If he had to ask if it was unusual it probably isnt hehe

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Less traditional was Nevaeh - heaven spelt backwards - which was endowed on 17 babies...

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...so, would 'Dog' be acceptable too then?? :rolleyes:

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...so, would 'Dog' be acceptable too then?? :rolleyes:

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I think "puppy" would be cuter ;)

:lol:

Personally I'm not a fan of made up names and certainly not of just plain stupid ones like "Bus Shelter" - I wonder if they decided to call the kid that because that's where they concieved?

As for the cities one - some cities are named after people so it was a name before it was a city/state etc like Victoria and Adelaide are both named after Queens.

I'm also not a big fan of made-up names and prefer them to have some meaning. DH and I have considered many celtic names as they are meaningful to both sides of our family (welsh ancestry on both sides), are 'real' names and have translations that help with the choice. Of course it is still tricky to choose so we took a family poll. We gave all the close family a list of our preferences and asked their opinions. At the end of the day we will choose when we see the baby but it is nice to hear from the people that will be most involved in her life.
Criteria - nothing too common
- not readily 'teasible' (i.e. Halula)
- can be shortened to something nice or not shortened at all
- means something cool
- sounds good with the surname (i.e. number of syllables etc.)
We are still working on it. An on-line search of the most unusual names was interesting.
It is funny how the popular names of the day seem to seep into your subconscious when choosing names. Casting a wide net has been good to get past those.
Bron ;)

omg I cant' believe a parent would want to name their kids fish and chips!! That is so wrong!!

I took it to mean that the really weird names were adults changing their names. Maybe 18 year old twins at schoolies deciding they'd prefer be known as fish and chips!!

My name is not particularly unusual, but my parents chose the less common spelling - Bonny instead of Bonnie. My entire life I have had to correct the spelling - at school (where my name was continually spelt wrong on paperwork, certificates etc even though the correct spelling was made clear many names), with relatives (my own grandmother continued to spell my name wrong well into my childhood), friends, and of course people who don't know me who just assume that my name is spelt with an 'ie'. I don't blame my parents - I like the way my name is spelt, but it does get incredibly frustrating when you constantly have to correct people. It hasn't affected my life in an extreme way, but it is annoying - and I didn't want that for my kids. That is why I am not big on unusual names or unusual spellings of common names.

Alot of it can come down to culture. My name is not common in this country and my whole life I have had to spell it and correct pronouciation. But in the country that it originates from its a very common name.

I had someone recently say to me that they cant pronounce their friends kids name properly cause they are Maori names that are too difficult to say. But I said to them, "well only if your not familiar with them or the maori language". I felt like this person was saying these names shouldnt be used cause they are too difficult, but in NZ Im sure most people would even have a basic understaning to pronounce them - why shouldnt they (and other names people consider 'weird' be used? Somethings only strange when your not used to it.

But as for Bus Shelter etc - WTF!?!

My name is spelt as it is pronounced but I've had heaps of people ask me how to spell it (plus I've been called every other name that sounds similar to it). I also had a really long first name and would have trouble as a little kid spelling it correctly!! Fortunately it was shortened by my mother to another name, so I grew up having a nickname as my preferred name.

I have a slight accent when I talk, and have been corrected by parents who think I am mis-pronouncing their children's name (hailey - Hal-ee, Keiran - can sound like karen), and it positively drives me INSANE!!

I think whatever you call your child, if you provide someone with the pronounciation, then you have to also be willing to accept their accent, and a person's potential inability to pronouce it as you want it to be pronouced. Some people just can't help it.

After almost 40 years with this name, I am to the point where I don't really care what people call me, I understand that they all have their different emphasis, and I answer to most things.

Number 16 bus stop though is a bit over the top!

ok. so based on the named after place of conception theory...

my kids are called .... tent... holiday villa... friends place....

hey, i figured it out, maybe my house has anti-baby vibes..????

But seriousy, BUS SHELTER. that is just cruel and ridiculous.

My name is Welsh. It's a nice name (now - I hated it for a while at school when no-one could pronounce or spell it!). But boy do I get nicked off when my own mother, who chose the spelling, can't get it right! My name is NOT spelt with a K! You should know - you picked it! And I don't like the pronunciation of it you use - but then no-one uses that aside from DH when I'm really cross with him, so answer to most pronunciations. My sister calls me Queenie; that's fine, sounds enough like my name. I call her Pam, which isn't her name either, so we're quits.

I also dislike having to spell my name all the time. "No, not a K, a C" or "Yes, a Y and not an E... no, not EY, just Y..." Sometimes I long for a normal spelling just to shut people up! Which is why I've picked normal names for my children. They can have strange nicknames, or go by their middle name(s) if they so wish as they grow up. DS does have a nickname unusual for his name because I don't think the usual one suits him.

I guess "Bus Shelter" will never have to spell his name. But he will get "no, seriously, what's your name?" or "Young Man, if you don't answer the question that will be detention for you!" or the like.

RH - i have one of those super dooper simple first names - but it's one that can be spelt about five different ways, and is also the shortened version of at least five others - so i am ALWAYS having to spell my name too. i think no matter what, people will always clarify spelling (or stuff it up if they don't) and you just get used to it. i had a long surname that had odd spelling, so got used to spelling that one out - married and took on a nice simple surname - and people still stuff it up - i get bridges or biggs - really - it's not that hard!

"My name is Welsh. It's a nice name (now - I hated it for a while at school when no-one could pronounce or spell it!). "
Please let me know what your name is. We are in the process of choosing Welsh girls names and really like Tirion so far.
Bronwyn