A journalist in Australia legally named her baby “Methamphetamine Rules” after a “lighthearted, curious attempt” to determine how the government goes about rejecting names deemed inappropriate.
Australian ABC journalist Kirsten Drysdale was pregnant when she was working on a news segment focusing on the question, “What can I legally name my baby?” according to News.com.au. Drysdale said she was trying to figure out if the registrar’s office provides children with default names if a parent’s submission is rejected.
Drysdale said she tried to get answers directly from the office, but received no reply. She decided to come up with the most “outrageous” name possible for her own child, under the assumption the name would be rejected and she could uncover the registrar’s default names.
In Australia, many states and territories prohibit names that contain sex acts, slurs, curse words, or would be considered offensive or contrary to the public interest, News.com.au reported.
“We thought, what is the most outrageous name we can think of that will definitely not be accepted?” Drysdale told News.com.au this week.
“Methamphetamine Rules we thought would surely get rejected, and then when it does, we can find out what name the Registrar chooses,” she added. “It was really just a lighthearted, curious attempt to get an answer to this question.”
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The New South Wales, Australia Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, however, did not reject the name and Drysdale’s newborn son was legally named “Methamphetamine Rules.”
She received his birth certificate weeks later and expressed shock about how the name was approved.
“I don’t know how it slipped through,” Drysdale said. “I’m not sure if someone was overworked, or if it was automated somewhere.
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“Or possibly, maybe they thought Methamphetamine was a Greek name,” she said. “They haven’t really given us a clear answer.”
The registrar’s office told local media that the slip-up was “highly unusual” and has already updated its process on approving names. “Baby Meth’s” name should be changed to a “normal” name in the coming days, News.com.au reported.
“The Registry has since strengthened its processes in response to this highly unusual event,” the registrar spokesperson said. “The vast majority of parents do not choose a name for their newborn baby that is obscene, offensive or contrary to the public interest.”
Drysdale isn’t releasing her son’s real name, noting it doesn’t have anything to do with drugs.
“Baby Meth’s real name… I’m not publicly disclosing it, because I don’t want it to be attached to this,” Drysdale said.
“It’s a beautiful name and I can tell you has nothing to do with class A drugs,” the journalist mom continued. “We think it’ll be a very unique 21st birthday present to tell him this story.”
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