KFC Offers $11K for Naming Baby After Col. Sanders

Not many people call their sons "Harland" these days—not even those who are big fans of Col. Harland Sanders' secret blend of 11 herbs and spices—and that's something KFC is trying to change. The company says it plans to mark what would have been its founder's 128th birthday on Sept. 9 this year by giving $11,000 to the first family to name a baby born that day Harland, UPI reports. The company says it will donate the money to the child's college education. The winner from submissions to the contest website will be announced Oct. 15 and if there is a tie, a random drawing will determine the winning Harland, reports CBS News.

In a press release, the company notes that Harland only made it to No. 3,257 on last year's list of the most popular baby names. "Even though vintage names are making a comeback, our iconic founder's name was dwindling in popularity, and we couldn't just stand idly by and let that happen," says KFC marketing exec Andrea Zahumensky. "We hope that this birthday celebration honors the Colonel and encourages the next generation of people aspiring to live the American dream." (More KFC stories.)