#Socialites, get a load of this! An Australian journalist has named her newborn baby “Methamphetamine Rules,” and got away with it … well for now!
ABC journalist Kirsten Drysdale recently gave birth to her third child, and when it was time to put a name on the child’s birth certificate, she opted to name her baby after an opioid, an addictive synthetic stimulant that can cause considerable health adversities, and sometimes result in death.
Apparently, Drysdale named her child after Meth as part of an experiment, looking to see if there are any names that you cannot legally give your child in the country of Australia. She said she was under the impression that if you gave your kid an unauthorized name, it would be rejected by the New South Wales Births, Deaths and Marriages Register, and they would choose a name for you.
On the new ABC show, ‘What the FAQ,’ it’s said that many people wanted to know what would happen in the case of your child’s name being rejected; so Drysdale, an ABC journalist, decided to test things out with the country’s Births Deaths and Marriages Register.
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After pushing out her third kid, Drysdale submitted his given name as “Methamphetamine Rules” to the NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages Register. She said, “We thought we would submit the most outrageous name we could think of, assuming it would be rejected. But it didn’t turn out that way – unfortunately Methamphetamine Rules slipped through the cracks.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages said that the name is “unusual,” but it had “unfortunately slipped through” registry. The representative said that they have since strengthened their policies and response to this “highly unusual event,” and that they will be working with the Australian family to change the baby’s legal name.
However, the spokesperson did note that despite the child being renamed, their initial legal name will not just be erased from records. The rep said, “A name registered at birth remains on the NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages Register forever. Even if the name is formally changed.”
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Elsewhere, Drysdale sad that before naming her child “Methamphetamine Rules,” she was debating between that name or “Nangs Rule,” which refers to the Australian slang for nitrous oxide canisters that people abuse and get high off of. But, she said she went with “Meth” because she feared that the person approving names at the registry would not know what “Nangs” meant and would approve it.
She explained, “We chose methamphetamine thinking there’s no way that anyone will see that word and think it’s OK. But [my husband and I] were wrong.” She also noted that her husband was very much against the experiment and took some convincing to agree to things.
As for what Drysdale wants to now name her child, she has not revealed yet, but says, “My husband said maybe his nickname should be ‘Speedy’, but I’m sure he will develop his own nickname that’s appropriate to his real name and his personality. He’s a very chill child, a beautiful baby boy, so not anything like a meth user.”
Looking back at the Register for answers to run back to her show’s segment, it’s now been revealed that if someone in Australia decides to name their child an unauthorized name, the NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages Register “will not choose what name parents [can] give a child.” Despite this, the Australian government’s website details that if a name for a baby cannot be registered and its parents do not provide an alternative option, the Register may assign a name.
As for what types of names are unacceptable, the Register says they will not approve names that are offensive and not in the public interest. Also, they will not approve any names that are more than 50 characters, or include symbols, or an official title or rank (ie: Queen, Goddess, Princess, etc.)
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