Getting ready to welcome your baby into your home is one of the things that parents dream of. You can design the nursery to look like a soothing oasis or like a jungle full of fun pictures and toys. While the design aspect is fun and purchasing all sorts of things that your baby will need from adorable onesies to kitschy mobiles is to, perhaps one of the most important things that you will spend time obsessing about is what to name your child. Should it be something traditional, unique or completely out there?
One mom took to Instagram to document her process when it came to selecting a name for her upcoming baby, and to say the names were untraditional is an understatement. Some Instagram users thought that the names were so out there, that she should actually have her naming privileges revoked completely. Names are a touchy subject, but when social media users get involved it is free for all when it comes to people sharing their opinions. Check out this story and decide who you agree with.
Meet The Mom
It all began back in 2012 when McKinli and Devan Hatch were getting ready to welcome their first child together into their home. McKinli had a son from a previous relationship named Titan.
She liked that Titan had an out of the ordinary name as she felt that it made him unique. Knowing that she was going to give him a sister, she felt that this new baby should have an unusual name just like her brother’s.
As a blogger who focused on issues regarding parenting and wellness, McKinli had been a long time social media user. Thus, it was not unusual for her to share personal information like baby names through her Instagram account.
Like all influencers, she decided to set the scene for the grand unveiling of her new daughter’s name by using a chalkboard with the choices and crossing out the ones they did not select. As she stood next to the chalkboard with all of the names in the running written on it she could not wait to see what her family and friends had to say about each one.
The Choices
There were five names in total on the chalkboard, and each one was very unique. They were Taylee, McKarty, Nayvie, Maylee, and Lakynn. The most important thing to her and her husband Devan was that their daughter has a name unlike anybody else’s. They wanted her to have a name that was all her own.
She did not want her daughter to have a nickname in school or at work because there were three other people with the same name. Thus, Devan and her composed these five names together which seem to be an amalgamation of two names each.
The Choice
McKinli and Devan were finally ready to announce their baby name and crossed out all but one of the names on the chalkboard. The only name that remained was Lakynn. Perhaps because it was the most obscure name on the list was why it was chosen.
Certainly, no other child would have the name Laikynn Kay Hatch which is what the couple decided would be the full name. At first, her family and friends were supportive but as the picture was shared across social media platforms, it quickly went viral. Was the name too unusual for this baby girl or was it just right?
New Baby, New Name
With Titan and Laikynn people thought that might be the end of the weird game circus McKinli had started but it was actually just the beginning. When 2017 rolled around, McKinli found out she was expecting yet again. This meant it was time for another name reveal and much more importantly, that the selected name be just as different as the first two.
McKinli is not unique in her desire for her children to have special names. Celebrities have long since made the trend popular with Gwyneth Paltrow naming her daughter Apple, and Fred Zappa naming his Moon Unit.
Not Alone
This trend for choosing unique names is by no means new, but problems can arise when the name is so completely out there that people think it’s not real. In 2018, a story made headlines when Southwest Airlines crew members could not believe that a mother would name her child Abcde.
It caused quite the stir when it was made public, and the mother of the said child was extremely disgruntled that staff was so unaccepting of her choice of name.
The Return Of The Chalkboard
Not one to be thrown off by the opinions of other people, McKinli decided to continue with her search for the perfect baby name. Once more she returned to social media with her chalkboard for another grand reveal.
Not one to quit with a good thing, McKinli did not want to mix up her baby name announcement method. But she knew that this name needed to be even more unusual than before when she found out she was having a boy.
The Names
This time around the names they selected as options for their baby boy was pretty conventional at first. They liked: Taysom, Ollie, Grayson, Asher, and Tatum. Taysom was probably the most unusual on this list as there are at least one or two people with the other names on the list at any given time.
Tatum Channing being one of the most well-known of course. That is why it was so surprising that McKinli and Devan ended up choosing it. It was not that unusual.
Why Tatum?
The reason McKinli and Devan choice Tatum was not so much because it was unusual, but because they thought that it was alliterative. Basically, Titan and Tatum sounded nice together, therefore, it was the best choice.
When the couple posted that Tatum was the choice they thought they would find widespread support, instead they were met with confusion and even a bit of scorn. The online community could not figure out why they were choosing such untraditional names. Did they want to make their child’s life difficult?
The Twittersphere
What was particularly confusing to McKinli was why the online community was getting up in arms over her selection of baby names. She was sharing all of this information with her close friends and family via her social media profiles.
Who was taking this information and why? Flowers for Algernon was the Twitter user who somehow got a hold of McKinli’s naming process and decided to discuss it for the world to see. This user was not sharing this out of the kindness of his heart.
Public Ridicule
The Tweeter posted the two photos of her baby name choices side by side and declared that she should definitely not be allowed to pick baby names any more. He uploaded the pictures on March 30th, and within hours hundreds and then thousands of people began commenting and retweeting.
As you can see, it was not exactly positive thoughts that people were sharing which was not what poor McKinli had intended when she decided to share her good news.
Popular Opinion
As people are wont to do on anonymous social media sharing platforms, they quickly latched on to the thread and began to include their criticisms, thoughts, and any other piece of information they felt in regard to her choices.
Some users even began to list what they thought were funny takes on her baby names that should also never be chosen. Brexxxytte could be used as a name but that definitely falls under the ‘too unusual’ category.
Put A ‘Y’ In It
There was one thing in particular that Twitter users really zoomed in on and that was the fact that McKinli liked to add the letter ‘Y’ wherever she could in these baby names.
Perhaps that is what she thought made them more unique, but also that much harder for a young child to spell. User @adderachel really sums it up in her statement regarding McKinli’s use of the letter, although she could have been a bit kinder.
More Options
Some users were concerned that McKinli did not actually have enough baby names to choose from or that she did not understand how pronunciation can also make a name unique. If you add an accent to a name it can very easily change.
Such as one of the name listed here: Sharpie. If McKinli wanted to use that name she could add an accent to the ‘e’ on the end so that it is pronounced “shar-pay” adding that extra layer of uniqueness.
Growing Up
Some people as they grow up absolutely hate their names, maybe they feel it does not fit with their sense of self or it is so weird they go by a nickname.
Some users were concerned that this would be the case for little Laikynn and Tatum and wanted the parents to seriously think about the fact that these kids might pay to change their names in the future. People were largely concerned about how these weird names might affect them as they go to school.
Jayci
One tweeter by the name of @warneagle used the name Jayci as an example of a weird name to give a kid and how if they were named that they would change it as soon as they were able.
This tweet would create a further thread with a woman who was actually named Jayci and did not appreciate being called out like that. Now, McKinli’s baby names were causing other people to rethink their own.
It’s Not Easy
Not everyone decided to attack McKinli’s baby name choices in the mean spirited manner that Flowers for Algernon started. Jayci, another fellow strangely named woman decided to lend her support to McKinli for the names she had chosen.
Basically, it is a parent’s right to select their child’s name and nobody has the right to make fun of another person for it, especially in a public forum like Twitter when it had been meant to be a private moment.
Pregnant Again
Two years after the first two naming announcements made it into the Twitterverse, McKinli and Devan brought out some more chalkboards to let friends and family know that she was expecting yet again in 2018.
It was going to be hard to top her first three baby names, so she and Devan sat down to think about what they should name this new child. Should it start with a “T” and it should definitely have a “Y” somewhere in there right?
A Surprise
This time around McKinli and Devan decided that they would wait for the birth to see if it was a boy or a girl. Thus, choosing a baby name just doubled in difficulty.
They would have to come up with two lists and then reveal both the gender of the baby and the name at the same time. Not one to pass up a chance to interact with her Instagram followers, McKinli asked them for suggestions.
It’s A Boy!
Another baby boy was welcomed into this growing family which McKinli announced on her Instagram page. Now, the real question everyone wanted answering was what is the little boy’s name?
They wanted on bated breath expecting something totally wacky and strange. McKinli and Devan had settled on the name Madden as they felt that it was special enough to fit their little boy. Her followers did not dislike it the way they did Titan and Laikynn.
Relief
Basically, her followers and her haters, breathed a sigh of relief when they heard that her new baby boy had a more conventional name rather than something full of the letter “Y” and starting with a “T.”
It was nice for McKinli to be given some positive feedback rather than a whole bunch of negative opinions on why she should not be naming her own children. It is not an easy process after all.
Moving Forward
All of the hate McKinli received was really unwarranted, and she was a big enough person to not rise to any of the hate thrown her way. Throughout the whole ordeal, she and her family remained steadfast and she continued to enjoy her pregnancies and naming her children whatever she wanted.
All this couple wanted was for each and every one of their kids to know that they put a lot of thought into their names to show just how individual they each are.
Love Is All Around
The one thing that all of her critics need to realize is that she was not trying to give her children odd names out of malice or to get followers on social media. It was just because she loved them and wanted them to have the power of a special name which is how she and Devan saw it.
Her name is by no means conventional and she adores it, that is all she wants for them. If you check out her Instagram account you can see just how full of love this family is
Hair Tutorial
McKinli has managed to build up her social media following to an amount that she can now earn a living from the account. Media ‘influencers’ can advertise and promote businesses or products and in turn get paid for it. To help support her family, this is exactly what McKinli does.
One of the brands she currently works with is Lange Hair and to ensure she was creating an ad as well as adding more content to her blog, she films hair tutorials using Lange’s products.
New Member
Posing with her son and their new addition, McKinli and her family have just welcomed a gorgeous new puppy into their lives. The Golden retriever seems to have settled in quite nicely and made have already found his favorite family member as he gives her son a giant lick on his nose.
Taking to her social media account, she said, “The kids meet their new best friend today & my heart might explode! A few more weeks of puppy training and we will be able to take him home!”
Fitness Industry
McKinli has always documented and openly discussed her love for health and fitness. After competing in a fitness competition when she was younger, she is a well-known name in the industry. When the time of year comes around for all of the expo’s, McKinli always attends.
This year she joined Real Athlete Life at FitConto advertise the launch of their new website along with some other friends of hers. The trio wore matching outfits that were designed by the company who’s stand they were working on.
New Home
Early this year, the Hatch family moved into a new home and McKinli has been having a great time working on the property and bringing it all together for her family. Tatum’s room was one of the first to be completed, with a super cool and rustic look. McKinli spoke about the design saying, “First room in the house that is 100% done! When I saw this cute buffalo print bedding from @beddysbeds I knew it would be perfect for Tatum’s room!!”
She continued, “Not only is the print adorable, but it zips up on the side (think sleeping bag) so it is easy to make in the morning! Tatum is so close to being able to do it himself!”
Tall Girl Problems
McKinli used the hashtag, #tallgirlproblems on her social media account when she uploaded a picture of herself in a new jumpsuit. Struggling to find one that actually fits her, she explained, “Fun fact: this is the first one piece I’ve worn in years!
Not because I don’t like them, but because it is so hard to find one that fits my long body! #tallgirlproblems.” She teamed the white and black stripy jumpsuit with coral colored earrings.
Time For A Vacay
McKinli and her husband are always planning their next getaway and in February, the pair visited Puerto Vallarta. Touring around they had one of their best days in Sayulita. This was a particular favorite of theirs as they fell in love with the cool hipster vibe of this small surfer’s town.
Although she has never surfed, nor does she want to, McKinli spoke about how enjoyable the place was, “It was full of bright colors, fun shops, good food & apparently awesome surf (I’ve never attempted surfing, so I don’t know that for sure)! Highly recommend making a stop there if you go!”
Adrenaline Junkies
As well as taking vacations, the married couple also like to partake in anything that gets their adrenaline running! Spending a day in the outdoors, they decided to rent a dust buggy and go out into the countryside and drive it around.
Protecting themselves from the dust with goggles and a bandana mask, they smile for the camera and look forward to their next adrenaline junky adventure. Where will they go next and what will they do?
McKinli The Decorator
As McKinli makes her way around her new home, choosing furniture to go in certain places as well as what wallpaper and flooring she will install, she opted for this floral wallpaper for her daughter’s room. After decorating Tatum’s room and loving the wallpaper she used, McKinli wanted to do the same for Laikynn’s room.
She took to her social media and explained, “We loved Tatum’s wall so much that we decided to do Laikynn’s too!! ? @rockymountaindecals has thee cutest prints and it was so easy to do!”
Disney Land
Disney Land is the perfect place to go with your family, and that is exactly what the Hatch’s did before they welcomed their new addition. It is not only children who love this magical place, but adults have a great time there as well, after all, it is the “happiest place on earth”.
The family all opted for Mickey and Minnie Mouse jumpers and McKinli said, “Happiest Place on Earth with the people that make me the happiest!”
Baby Number Four
Shortly after annoucing the news about their new family member, McKinli wanted to ensure that her body remains in the shape in which she feels most comfortable. She posted an open question to her followers asking, “How easy do you think it’s going to be to get back in shape after baby #4!?”
She continued, “I need some serious motivation so I am debating between doing another show OR training for a marathon (I’ll start with a half)…. I’m no runner as of now so I’m leaning towards a show, but a marathon is on my bucket list… then again so is a pro card! Have you ever ran a marathon!??? Any tips from you runners out there is greatly appreciated!”
Flying High
Living in Utah, the Hatch’s are surrounded by beautiful mountains and McKinli could not believe her luck when she got the chance to take a trip in a helicopter over her local area. When one of her followers asked about the experience, McKinli gave her details of where they went.
She told her, “We just went to American Fork Canyon & down Provo Canyon & landed at the Provo airport! We’re lucky to live so close to these mountains here in Utah.”
The Launch
It was in August last year that McKinli announced the re-brand of her business, which was once named BB Styled, she uploaded a post and explained to her followers why she did it. “Mckierae is officially launched! I’ve had some questions on the rebrand, so I figured it’s easier to explain it all at once. A couple months back, my business partner on BB Styled and I decided it was best to part ways (everything ended on good terms). Since BB stood for “blonde & brunette” and there was now just the “blonde”, I decided a name change might be a good idea. From there we decided to re-brand the entire boutique- new site, new prices, new inventory!”
She continued, “Mckie Rae came from Devan’s nickname for me (Mckie), and Rae rhymes with my kids’ middle names (Kay, Jay & Gray). I want the boutique to reflect a lot of my own style so I decided to make the name a little more personal.
It has been tons of hard work and a crazy few months! I seriously wouldn’t have been able to do it without my awesome employees and Devan, who stepped in as co-owner on the boutique! I’m beyond grateful for all of them! Check out the new site and let me know what you think! I’m so excited for where we are taking the company! Big things are coming!!”
Baseball fan
McKinli is a big baseball fan and has always supported the University of Utah team, the Utah Utes. Taking a spot on the field, her husband wore a rather disagreeable jumper (if you are a Utah fan that is).
It looks as though McKinli could be the team’s lucky mascot, as they went on to win this game. Go Utes!