Baby names that take their inspiration from cities, states and countries aren't uncommon, with some popular monikers including Paris, Brooklyn, and India.
And while some place names can be great choices for people too, one mum has chosen a place-themed name for her baby that has been splitting opinions among people online.
The mum revealed she's expecting a baby boy in a few weeks and said she and her partner love the nickname Cal, so had been considering naming their son either Callahan or Calvin.
But after deciding they weren't fond of either moniker, they changed their mind - and are now considering calling their little one California.
In a post on Reddit, the mum said: "I'm due in a few weeks and we still don't have a name for our boy, but we love the nickname Cal/Callie. We'd love it to be short for something and have played with Callahan and Calvin, but we just thought … what about California?"
"Has anyone ever met a California? I mean, people name their kids Tennessee and Dakota so it can't be that weird. It also sounds really good with our last name and has an Indiana Jones ring to it.
"Thoughts? Are we nuts?"
Some commenters on the post were negative toward the name, as they claimed it was "tacky" and urged the mum to think of something different that still gave her the choice of using Cal as a nickname.
One person said: "I don't think you should name your kid California. It comes across as tacky to me. Perhaps you could consider names inspired by cities/places in California?"
While another added: "I don't like it, personally, but you're right, it's just as much a name as Indiana or Tennessee. I just feel like there are tons of handsome ways to get 'Cal' that won't potentially be embarrassing for a middle schooler."
And a third wrote: "It's feminine sounding. The spelling is feminine and comes from a Spanish story where a queen Califia ruled over a mythical island called 'California'. Being Hispanic myself, it's an odd choice to me for a boy."
But others said it was the mum's decision and if she loves the moniker then she should go for it, with one person even saying the name was "charming".
Someone posted: "If you love it, and it works, then go for it. It's no weirder than other state names. Just search through old census records and you'll find plenty."
As someone else said: "I think it's quite charming. California brings sunny and lively associations to mind which I really like. I'd say go for it."
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