Why Kim & Kanye's Choice Of Baby Name Is Ruffling Feathers

If you were hoping that Kim Kardashian and her husband Kanye West would suddenly have a change of heart and go a less creative route in naming baby number three, you thought wrong. The power couple, who recently welcomed their daughter via surrogate, have decided to name her Chicago West, presumably after Kanye’s hometown. When TMZ broke the news, they made sure to note how “unique” the name is, a fact that has not been missed by fans either.

On Twitter, users seem to have mixed reviews about the name Chicago West, with some people hating questioning the name, and others praising it for its originality and reverence to West's hometown.

Personally, I’m thrilled with the name. I think it flows well and I wouldn’t expect anything less from the couple who proudly named their first two children North and Saint. Perhaps it’s because my classmates couldn’t properly pronounce Sesali for years, but I have always supported names that are non-traditional, weird, unorthodox, different. But truthfully, I don’t think that’s the case.

Names like Brooklyn, London, Persia, Asia, and Paris have been around for decades. I’ve heard of people named after Dallas and Georgia. Alec Baldwin’s daughter is named Ireland. And how could we ever forget that Sarah Palin named her daughter Bristol, after the city in Alaska? Varied reactions to Baby Chi’s title begs the question of whether or not it’s the name, or the identity of the parents that warrants such strong reaction. Kanye is Black and Kim has become a polarising figure around issues of race herself. I hardly doubt Madonna or Angelina Jolie (who have also opted for eclectic baby names) would be receiving the same skepticism for such a decision. One Twitter user was quick to point this out.

So no, I will not accept any slander against Chicago. I support people of colour pushing back against the status quo and giving their children creative names that give others pause. Chicago West is a beautiful name, and I’m not just saying that because I’m a Chicagoan, too.