An Australian journalist named Kirsten Drysdale made headlines recently when she revealed that she had legally named her newborn son "Methamphetamine Rules." Drysdale, who works for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), explained that the unusual name was a result of her attempt to uncover how the government rejects inappropriate names.
Drysdale had been working on a news segment for the ABC's WTFAQ program, where she aimed to investigate the process of legally naming a baby. She wanted to understand if the registrar's office provides default names for children if a parent's submission is rejected. However, when she tried to get answers directly from the office, she received no response.
Determined to find out, Drysdale decided to come up with the most outrageous name possible for her own child, under the assumption that it would be rejected. She settled on "Methamphetamine Rules," believing it would surely be deemed inappropriate. Drysdale saw this as a lighthearted and curious attempt to get an answer to her question.
In Australia, many states and territories have restrictions on names that contain sex acts, slurs, curse words, or anything considered offensive or contrary to the public interest. However, to Drysdale's astonishment, the New South Wales Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages did not reject the name. Her son's birth certificate, with the name "Methamphetamine Rules," arrived weeks later.
Drysdale expressed shock about how the name was approved, stating, "I don't know how it slipped through." She speculated that perhaps someone was overworked or that it was an automated mistake. Drysdale even humorously suggested that maybe the registrar thought “Methamphetamine” was a Greek name. The registrar's office has not provided a clear answer, but they acknowledged the slip-up as highly unusual and have updated their process for approving names.
It has been reported that the name will be changed to a more “normal” name in the coming days. The registrar spokesperson stated that the vast majority of parents do not choose obscene, offensive, or contrary-to-public-interest names for their newborns. Drysdale, however, has chosen not to disclose her son's real name publicly, emphasizing that it has nothing to do with drugs and is a beautiful name. She plans to share this story with her son as a unique 21st birthday present.
Drysdale's situation has sparked discussion about the naming process in Australia. The New South Wales Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages has strengthened its processes to prevent such oversights from happening again. They clarified that names registered at birth remain on the registry forever, even if the name is formally changed.
While there are clear restrictions on naming in Australia, each registrar evaluates names on a case-by-case basis. Offensive terms, swear words, sex acts, and slurs are generally prohibited, as are official titles like Doctor, Queen, King, and Prime Minister.
Drysdale's story will be featured in the upcoming episode of the WTFAQ program, which airs on ABC TV and ABC view. The program aims to investigate viewers' burning questions and provide answers. Drysdale's experience highlights the unexpected outcome that can occur when trying to uncover the inner workings of government processes.
