From "ranga" and "carrot top" to "ginger ninja" and "Fanta pants", redheads are hoping the inaugural Australian ginger pride rally will help them reclaim the names that have been used to ridicule them.

A sea of orange and ginger flowed through the streets of Melbourne, as more than 100 redheads united to make a stand.

The event is part of a global movement combating "gingerism".

Sorry, this video has expired Australia's first ginger pride parade

Aaron Webb, cofounder of RANGA (Red and Nearly Ginger Association) says it is frowned upon to discriminate people due to their race, gender or skin colour, but in Australian culture, people still find it funny to tease redheads.

But he says rather than asking people to stop, people with ginger hair should celebrate their difference.

"We've been called things like bluey, carrot top, copper top, fanta pants, rusty crotch, all sorts of things, blood nut is another one," he says.

"We can either say don't call us those names, or we can put such a positive attribute on those labels that they're not negative any more.

"Be proud of being ginger. It's fantastic.

"You might be copping it a bit now, but later on, you will be the desirable ones and the joke will be on the bullies."

The event was organised by a Queensland ginger company.