Money for “Muhammad”?

A charity in Egypt will give money to local parents who name their newborns “Muhammad,” “Mahmoud,” or “Ahmed” in honor of the prophet Muhammad. (All three names are derived from the same Arabic root, hamida, meaning “to praise.”)

The charity, located in a village in Gharbia governorate, will give each participating family a monthly stipend of 300 Egyptian pounds (a little over $19 U.S.) for one year.

Why? The charity gave two reasons. The first was to offer some financial support to families during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second was to counter “the blasphemous campaign…in France to disorder the prophet’s prestige” — a reference to the current tensions between France and the Muslim world over caricatures of Muhammad.

Sources: In Egyptian village: Monthly salary for newborn named after Prophet Muhammad, Macron says he understands Muslims’ shock over Prophet cartoons, Behind the Name

Free Domino’s Pizza for a baby named Dominic

pizza and baby

If you live in Australia and are expecting a baby any day now — and you really, really like Domino’s pizza — then here’s a contest for you!

Domino’s will be giving over ten thousand dollars’ worth of free pizza — the equivalent of a $14 pizza every month for 60 years — to one Australian family that welcomes a newborn baby on Wednesday, December 9th, and names that baby either Dominic or Dominique.

Why? It’s to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the company, which was founded in Michigan in 1960 (though it’s only been in Australia for 37 of those 60 years).

So: if you live in Australia, welcome a baby on Dec. 9, and name that baby either Dominic or Dominique, send Domino’s an email at “dombaby (at) dominos.com.au” and be ready to produce a certified copy of the baby’s birth certificate. Good luck!

Source: Domino’s will give you 60 YEARS worth of pizza if you name your child Dominic or Dominique

P.S. This isn’t the first time Domino’s has used a baby name contest for marketing purposes. Earlier contests have featured the names Brooklyn and Dorothy, for instance.

Update, Dec. 22: The winner, a baby boy named Dominic Julian Lot, was born in Sydney to parents Clementine Oldfield and Anthony Lot. (9Now)

Baby name story: Twifia

"18 years free internet" (Twifi's baby name offer)

A baby girl born in Graubünden, Switzerland, in either late September or early October was given the second middle name Twifia.

Why?

Because Swiss internet provider Twifi was offering 18 years of free internet to any family willing to name their baby either Twifia (if a girl) or Twifius (if a boy).

The parents wish to remain anonymous, and have not revealed the baby’s first two given names.

But the father was quoted as saying, “The longer I thought about it, the more unique the name became for me, and that was when the thing got its charm.”

And what if the company — which was launched in August, and has just four employees — goes belly-up before the baby turns 18? Twifi CEO Philippe Fotsch promised he would continue to pay for the family’s internet personally. “It’s a matter of honor.”

Sources:

Image: Screenshot of Twifi’s “18 years free internet” page

Would you name your baby Harland for $11,000?

KFC sign

These days, not many babies are named Harland. But we may end up seeing more Harlands than expected in 2018 now that KFC is spotlighting the name as part of a marketing campaign.

KFC wants to give $11,000 to a U.S. baby born this September 9 who has the first name Harland. If more than one eligible baby is entered into the contest via the Name Your Baby Harland contest page, then the baby born earliest in the day will be declared the winner.

So why that name, that date, and that amount? Col. Harland Sanders was the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, September 9th was his birthday, and $11,000 represents the “11 herbs and spices” in KFC’s original fried chicken recipe.

Do you think anyone will enter?

Update, Nov. 3, 2018: We have a winner! Baby girl Harland “Harley” Rose was born on Sept. 9 to parents Anna Pilson and Decker Platt of of Southern Pines, North Carolina. (Source: Lexington Herald-Leader)

KFC’s Twitter announcement (Oct. 30, 2018) was written in the voice of the Colonel: “I’m as pleased as pumpkin punch to announce the winner of our Baby Harland Naming Contest and the Harland who will be ushering in an all-new generation of Harlands, little Harland Rose.”

P.S. Here’s my running list of for-profit baby names.

Source: KFC will give $11,000 to first baby born on Sept. 9 who’s named Harland

Top image: Adapted from KFC signs – Old and New by Brent Moore under CC BY 2.0.