An influencer came in for intense criticism after giving her baby an unusual name inspired by a popular Disney character.
The landscape of baby naming has experienced a dramatic transformation in recent years.
Traditional names like John, Mary, William, and Elizabeth are increasingly giving way to a new wave of creativity and individuality.
Gone are the days when a classroom was filled with multiple children answering to the same name.
Nowadays, parents want something that stands out, conveying a sense of individuality.
For one mom, this led to a backlash, and she was forced to defend her choice.
Unusual baby name divided influencer’s followers
Indy Clinton is an Australian fitness and lifestyle blogger who has gained a huge following due to her honest approaching on parenting.
When she initially found out she was expecting her second child, Clinton planned to call her Paloma, but in the end, opted for something entirely different.
While some of Clinton’s followers said they loved the name the influencer chose, others said it would lead to the child being ‘ridiculed.’
“Imagine being an adult named this. These baby names are mad these days,” one person said.
Sarcastically, a second commented: “Are you naming humans that will be adults one day? Or kittens?”
“Definitely bring up the fact that kids are cruel. A unique name isn’t something to shy away from but a unique name that is indelibly tied to a character may not be desirable to your kid,” a third person replied.
“Now imagine being in middle school with a Disney name.”
Defending the infant’s name, one fan wrote: “People need to shut it. She can name her baby anything she wants. I think it’s adorable.”
In agreement, another added: “Congratulations! It’s a wonderful name for your baby.”
“So happy, love the name,” a third person commented.
All three children have rare names
All three of Clinton’s children have pretty unique names that the influencer has picked with care.
Her other two kids are named Navy and Soul Valerie.
When Clinton welcomed Soul, she took to social media and shared a controversial list of other contending names she had in mind.
Clinton said: “These are all my baby names… You guys are going to hate them, but I’m going to tell you anyway.” Continuing, she added: “My top name if she wasn’t going to be called Soul, I wanted her to be Cherub, and Ben wanted her to be Dingo if she was a boy.”
Other unique names Clinton and her partner pondered were Heart, Hazy, Halo, and Shiloh.
What was the controversial baby name?
Clinton named her daughter Bambi, just like the 1942 Disney classic.
The influencer said her little girl’s ‘sweet, curious nature’ and ‘big brown eyes’ reminded her of the beloved cartoon deer, per MailOnline.
“When I was giving birth, I was convinced Bambi was the most unique, unusual name that nobody would use,” Clinton explained.
“We were set on calling her Paloma at first. That was her name, and nothing was going to change that. But I was reading the book to Navy [her son] one night and it came to me. I sat up and yelled, ‘What about Bambi?’ and from then on it stuck.”
Clinton was unfazed by people’s criticism of her choice – she said ‘unique names are the new trend’ and ‘people will criticize anything.’
She added: “She couldn’t be a Paloma now – she’s my Bambilicious.”
