He’s 4Real!

There are days when I look at Elise and imagine what she will be like in the future. And like any parent who has a daughter, it’s natural to think of who she’d eventually meet someday regardless of it being a dating or marriage situation. Naturally when I read this article the first thing I said was, gee, I’m glad I don’t live in New Zealand.

New Zealand authorities have blocked a couple’s bid to officially name their new son “4real,” saying numerals are not allowed.

Pat and Sheena Wheaton said they decided to name their new baby “4real” shortly after having an ultrasound and being struck by the reality of his impending arrival.

“For most of us, when we try to figure out what our names mean, we have to look it up in a babies book and … there’s no direct link between the meaning and the name,” Pat Wheaton told TV One on Wednesday. “With this name, everyone knows what it means.”

and finally:

“The name has not at this stage been rejected,” Registrar-General Brian Clarke said in a statement Thursday. “We are currently in discussions with the parents … to clarify the situation.”

Clarke said the rules are designed to prevent names that are “likely to cause offense to a reasonable person.” Satan and Adolf Hitler were proposed names that have been declined, he said.