ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. -- Mark Ciptak is doing more than putting up a yard sign for the McCain-Palin ticket. He's named his daughter Sarah McCain Palin.

But he might get some flak at home. The Tennessee man said he ignored the name he and his wife had picked out for his daughter, who was born Friday night, which was Ava Grace.

Ciptak said when he filled out the paperwork for his new daughter's birth certificate, he substituted Sarah McCain Palin.

Ciptak, a blood bank employee for the American Red Cross, said his wife will still take some more convincing. He told his wife of the name Monday, after he was contacted by the Kingsport Times-News newspaper, which learned of the name through a routine birth announcement area hospitals give to the media.

Ciptak told the Kingsport Times-News he hopes to get the word out about the McCain-Palin ticket, thanks to little Sarah McCain Palin.

A representative of the Vital Records office told the newspaper that under Tennessee law, a birth certificate name can be changed within one year if an affidavit is filed with the office.

Although Ciptak has heard from many news agencies after selecting the political name, he hasn't heard from the baby's namesakes themselves.

"There's no hard feelings if they don't call because they've got other things to worry about. This is something they don't really need to speak on," Ciptak told the Kingsport Times-News.