Some parents want to be creative while naming the baby. Other times, thinking outside the box leads to fatal outcomes. In that case, Governments of different countries want to save babies from awkward situations in the future. For that purpose, some proposed a list of baby names that parents have to follow, or some countries banned a few names that sound inappropriate for them. For example, you are not allowed to name a curse word in Saudi Arabia or you can’t name “queen” in France even if the word is appropriate.
Names are an integral part of human personality, culture, or religion. A baby’s name should be named wisely because it is going to reflect cultures, traditions, and national history. That is why, the government took action and banned inappropriate names. In this article, you will get to know the criteria of different countries naming systems.
Why are Baby names banned in other countries?
Names are regulated and revolve from country to country. Some parents are willing to name their children differently than others and think out of the box. Take the example of the son of Elon Musk, “X Æ A-12 Musk”. This name won’t be accepted if he is born in a different country like Harmony. Another example includes the name Mercedes which is known as a luxury car company but it is also a very popular name in Spain. But unfortunately, it is banned in Germany. Their country provides the list of names that parents have to follow.
Although each country has specific rules about banning the names, it likely happens when the registrar feels the parents don’t have their child’s best interest at heart.
1. United Kingdom
However, there is nothing in the law that stops you from naming your child in England and Wales. The name can be anything a combination of the English alphabet and it should fit within the relevant space on the register page. However, some names due to grounds of public offense, trademark, or copyright reasons, may need to be more adequate for official objectives.
Typically, names that could be rejected include those that:
- Include numbers or symbols.
- Are obscene or offensive?
- Could be deemed a title or rank, like “Prince” or “Duke.”
- Are too long and could cause issues with official documents.
- Promote criminal activities or illegal substances.
2. Germany
In Germany, a name must follow certain guidelines for the registrar to authorize it:
- No last names (Schmidt, for example).
- No gender-neutral names (like Matti)
- No product names or brand names (like Mercedes
- No product names that start with their first names, like Adidas or Nike
Additionally, it appears that all nations follow the same rule: no names that can have a detrimental impact on the child’s wellbeing (like Lucifer).
3. Spain
In Spain, the register allowed solely Christian names until a few years ago. Fortunately, this is no longer the case, and the legislation is now more lenient. Even so, the name must still satisfy certain conditions to be authorized.
- Identity confusion cannot be caused by the name (gender-neutral or gender-exchanged names are unacceptable).
- The name cannot be identical to that of another sibling.
- The name cannot be offensive or jeopardize the child’s dignity (such as Hitler, Judas, or Loco).
- A compound name is acceptable, although it cannot consist of more than two names (José Juan Antonio de Todos los Santos, for example).
- No last name, like Martínez, can be a name.
- Fruit, celebrities, and city names (such as Pera, and Tokio) must be avoided.
4. Portugal
Names are a very rigorous matter in Portugal. The list of names that are prohibited in the nation is 82 pages long. Sayonara, Jimmy, Rihanna, and Nirvana are a few of them.
Due to their incorrect spelling (i.e., names borrowed from other nations and languages), several of the no-nos are rejected: for example, Daisi is allowed but not Daisy, Kévim, but not Kevin
5. France
Like the UK, it appears that choices made in France are unrestricted as long as they don’t conflict with the best interests of the child. The name may be banned by the court if the local registrars determine that it is not in the best interests of the child. Some banned names in France are as follows
6. Iceland
There are over 1,800 names available for each gender on the list from which parents can select their child’s name (parents from foreign countries are the only exceptions). A special committee will need to provide its approval before the chosen name may be used, though, if it is not on the list. The name should be grammatically and spelling correct by Icelandic language regulations. For instance, a name that comprises a Q or a W will not be permitted because these letters are not part of the alphabet.
8. Scotland
There aren’t any specific rules on the names that are banned in Scotland, but they do provide some tactful advice:
- The name chosen shouldn’t be particularly fanciful
- An unusual spelling of a name is likely to cause confusion
Conclusion:
Sometimes, Parents want a unique name for the baby ( which is fine) but some go too far to end up embarrassing them. In this post, countries that banned names are present with their laws that avoid troubles and possible trauma for your child. It is advisable to follow the country’s policies for better consequences in the future.