Love Island star Paige Thorne forced to clarify newborn baby’s very unique name following cruel backlash

A Love Island star has clarified how to pronounce her baby’s unique name after she was inundated with troll comments telling her to change it.

Paige Thorne, 29, who appeared on season eight of the ITV dating show in summer 2022, announced the birth of her first child, a baby boy, with her boyfriend Drew Wedlake, on Thursday (1 October).

She shared a sweet snap to Instagram of the little one wearing a white babygrow and beanie, as well as a slew of pictures of the new parents holding their firstborn.

Announcing his moniker, Paige penned in the caption: “Fateley Hayes Wedlake, we never knew a love like this existed.”

However, since then, she’s been forced to post a follow-up TikTok, instructing people exactly how the name is pronounced,

It comes after social media users cruelly didn’t hold back when making their thoughts known about the unusual name - and some were seriously brutal.

One person wrote: “like fatally injured?” while a second added: “Why would you call him that?”

A third agreed: “It’s just very, very close to fatally,” and a fourth demanded: “Paige, it’s time for you to change it before it's finalised. You got a 30-day grace period with the registration people.”

A fourth added: “You’re so lovely, but it does actually sound like fatally,” while a fifth wrote: “He’s going to be an adult one day; why would you do that?”

And a sixth warned: “He will be called FAT-LEE at school.”

Responding to the mean comments, Paige filmed a video where she set the record straight, explaining: “My baby’s name, this is how you pronounce it - Fate-lee. So, that’s that. Okay, it’s adorable. If you don’t like it, keep your opinions to yourself; be a better person.

“Like, ew, ew, if you have negative energy towards it, but it’s Fate-lee. Fate for short, not fat. Why would you even think that?”

She continued: “But thank you for everyone who is loving it and giving us loads and loads of lovely messages. I really appreciate it. I’m feeling very loved, but just thought I’d clear up his name, how you can pronounce it and what it can be shortened to. Fate or Fate-lee, thanks.”

Others also rushed forward to defend the new mum, with one person writing: “Imagine just having a baby, and then having to explain your newborn's name to the internet. Congratulations on baby Fateley.”

A second agreed: “I think it’s adorable. People having such negative thoughts about a baby,” and a third wrote: “It annoys me how people can’t just scroll.”

While a fourth penned: “Her child’s name has nothing to do with any of you,” and a fifth added: “So unique I love it, and Fate for short is so cute.”

A sixth wrote: “Lovely name. Never understand why people go out of their way to say they don't like someone's baby's name!!!”

While a seventh agreed: “TELL THEM MOMMA!!!! Imagine hating on a week-old's name. Think shame on yourselves … I really like it.”