ABC WTFAQ host Kirsten Drysdale’s bizarre name for newborn son is approved by NSW Births Deaths and Marriages
- Presenter thought her baby’s name would be rejected
- Drysdale methamphetamine rules became official weeks later
- Intended as a light-hearted, curious attempt to get answers
An ABC presenter who provided a shocking name for her newborn baby purely for research purposes has recalled her horror when she discovered it had not only been officially approved but also registered on his birth certificate.
Television host and comedy writer Kirsten Drysdale was curious about what types of baby names can and cannot be used legally as she prepares for the recent birth of her third child.
Currently hosting ABC’s WTFAQ program – which tries to answer viewers’ burning questions – unable to get straight answers from authorities, she decided to put the NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages Register to the test .
The register on its website that it does not register names that are considered offensive, not in the public interest or could be confused with an official title or rank.
A preview of this week’s episode shows Drysdale coming up with the inappropriate name “Methamphetamine Rules” and filling out the online form while cradling her newborn.
ABC journalist Kirsten Drysdale was shocked to hear she was given the green light to name her third child ‘Methamphetamine Rules Drysdale’
“That was pretty easy and probably that name won’t come through, so now we’re waiting,” Drysdale explains to the camera.
The decision backfired five weeks later when the official birth certificate arrived in the mail with “Methamphetamine Rules” listed as her son’s first name.
‘It worked! Drysdale methamphetamine rules are official! Here is his birth certificate,” a shocked Drysdale told fellow host Chas Licciardello.
‘My husband is not happy!’
Licciardello was equally surprised that the name had been approved.
‘Oh my God, I can’t believe it. OK, this is definitely not what we expected,” he says.
Drysdale’s husband Chris was far from impressed.
“You’re ad******ed,” you hear Licciardello say in the background.
Drysdale examined the registry for an explanation and was told that registry staff were reviewing all information, including names.
When she told them what had happened, the registry office admitted that the name she had given for her son had “unfortunately… slipped through the cracks.”
Licciardello joked that Drysdale’s baby boy looks more like a ‘Ketamine’ as the presenters ponder their next move.
“You’re changing his damn name!” Drysdale’s angry husband replied.
She replied, “Yes, we probably should.”
Kirsten Drysdale’s husband was unhappy that his newborn son’s name had been registered
Kirsten Drysdale has since submitted her son’s real ‘normal name’ to NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages. The photo shows the original birth certificate
Daily Mail Australia has contacted NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages for comment.
Drysdale hopes her son’s real, “normal” name will be approved soon.
“We thought, what’s the most outrageous name we can think of that absolutely won’t be accepted?” she said news.com.au.
“It was really just a light-hearted, curious attempt to get an answer to this question.”
Her son’s name remains secret for the time being.
“It’s a nice name and I can tell you it has nothing to do with Class A drugs,” Drysdale said.
“We think it is a very unique 21st birthday gift to tell him this story.”
Viewers were equally stunned when they heard what happened
“Crazy that in NSW you could name your baby Meth but here in Vic I shouldn’t name my child after Honor Blackman, Prince Rogers Nelson or Barron Hilton,” one man commented.
Another said: ‘This is bloody hilarious.’
A third wrote: ‘Not surprising if you know how government processes work.’
WTFAQ airs every Wednesday at 9pm on ABC TV and ABC iview.
WTFAQ host Kirsten Drysdale decided to explore the burning question as she prepared for the recent arrival of her baby