Would you let complete strangers decide your baby's name?
One brave California mom-to-be is allowing Internet voters to choose the name of her unborn child in exchange for a $5,000 prize.
Natasha Hill, a 26-year-old art teacher from Los Angeles, won a contest hosted by Belly Ballot - a Texas-based startup that allows expectant parents to pick baby names with friends and family members.
Per competition rules, voters will be presented with a list of five boy names and five girl names selected by the company and by advertisers sponsoring the contest.
Belly Ballot founder Lacey Moler has promised that product names or names that are "too crazy" will be disallowed.
Hill, who is due to give birth in September, says she plans to use the cash to pay down credit card debt and start a college fund for the child.
“I’m so excited to have won!” she posted on the Belly Ballot blog.
“The whole Belly Ballot concept is so social and fun, and can’t wait to see what everyone votes for!”
Hill's boyfriend, Craig, is somewhat less enthusiastic about the idea, fearing that voters may deliberately select the strangest name possible.
"He thinks people are going to use it as a chance to do something pranky," Hill told NBC San Diego.
Bearing in mind that one man promised to name his own child Batman if he got 500,000 likes on his page, Craig may have a point.
Although Natasha and her boyfriend are unable to back out of the agreement under the terms of the competition, they do have one fallback option.
"There's always a nickname," Hill said.
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