The name game is full of traps.
I always wanted to call my future son Alexander as it was my father’s name. I also love the name. It is strong and classic.
The trouble is, my mum hated my father to the day he left this mortal world.
If you stir her up, she will still curse him and all he ever did to apparently ruin her life.
Mum never liked another bloke after her and dad busted up over four decades ago.
I am never quite game to mention the fact that he did help provide three children (I am one of them). So, surely the fruits of their marriage were partially beneficial.
So when my husband and I had our first son, we did the smart thing and swerved Alexander as a name. I would be disowned.
We christened him Nixon: sentimentally named after my mother’s mother.
Our second son was always destined to be called August.
When he started to make rumblings to enter this world in July, I willed it that he was born on August 1.
Okay, when I say I ‘willed it’, Dr George scheduled in a lovely little procedure to induce my bundle of joy.
It was not a coincidence that my Augie was born on the first day of August.
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A new list is out, including baby names rejected by the Victorian Government because they are deemed offensive or illegal.
Every year, I love this list because it always surprises me what crazy names parents try to name their kids.
To all the parents who want to name their kid Lord or Corporal, I have some bad news for you. Those names are banned in Australia.
So are Emperor, God, Saint, Satan, Seaman and Judge. Those are actual names that have been rejected.
The most popular name list is out as well and Charlotte and Oliver are still the most popular baby names in Australia.
They have been in favour for what feels like forever.
And by the way, when we told my mum we named our Nixon after her mum, her reply to this news was, “Well, your grandmother had a very hard life and never had any luck. So, now you have jinxed your son to this fate as well.”
Okay.
Well then, we probably should have gone with Alexander.
Sami Muirhead is a radio announcer, blogger and commentator. For more from Sami, tune into Mix FM.