Australia's first baby elephant named "Luk Chai"

The moniker, which means male child in the Thai language, was the winner in a naming competition run by Sydney's Taronga Zoo that drew 30,000 entries.

 More than 12,000 people a day have visited Taronga since the male Asian elephant went on show compared with 4,500 a day prior to the July 4 birthday.

 Luk Chai was born to Thong Dee, a former Bangkok street elephant.

Sydney Morning Herald Tribune online reported that more than 30,000 entries were received for the naming competition run by Sydney's Taronga Zoo. Ten offered the name finally chosen by the zoo's keepers.

The male Asian elephant calf has become a major draw card at Taronga Zoo with visitor numbers more than doubling from 4,500 a day to about 12,000 since it was born on July 4 to Thong Dee, a former Bangkok street elephant.

NSW Premier Nathan Rees announced the winning name at the zoo's elephant enclosure on Monday.

"Communities across NSW have embraced this competition and I would like to thank everyone who participated," he said.

"The only thing that has been lacking to make this picture complete is a name.

"The name recognised the young elephant's Thai heritage, as well as his boisterous, inquisitive nature."

Keepers also chose the name Luk Chai because they thought it would be easy for the young elephant to recognise, Mr Rees said.

The word Chai could also mean triumph, he said.

Since an unsteady first public appearance at the zoo, just two days after his birth, Luk Chai now has the run of the popular elephant enclosure.

He was shepherded around his new home by his mum and the other elephants on Monday, to the delight of the Middle Harbour Public School students attending the naming ceremony.

"Welcome to the world, Luk Chai," Mr Rees said.

"I hope you give many decades of happiness. I read that the average life expectancy of these elephants is in the order of 60 years."

 "Welcome to the world, Luk Chai," New South Wales Premier Nathan Rees said at a party in Luk Chia's honour. "I hope you give many decades of happiness. I read that the average life expectancy of these elephants is in the order of 60 years."