WHEN parents come to naming their child, one thing they may not initially consider, is the legality of their choice.
However, there are rules around the world which render some names as illegal, including a select few in the UK. This is what we know.
Are there any banned baby names in the UK?
Names that contain obscenities, numerals, misleading titles, or are impossible to pronounce are likely to be rejected by the Registering Officer, when registering a child's name at birth.
This is to prevent the child from harm.
For example in 2016, a mum in Wales was banned from calling her daughter Cyanide, after the stuff that killed Adolf Hitler.
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However the name of the lethal poison was banned by the Court of Appeal due to the emotional harm the child could suffer.
What can you not legally call your child in the UK?
Britain doesn't have any hard and fast laws about banned names, unlike Iceland who only accepts names chosen from a pre-agreed list which is issued by the government.
Authorities will only step in when parents are thinking of choosing an offensive baby name.
But in almost all cases, so long as the name isn't fraudulent, you can call your baby whatever you want.
The very few forbidden names in the UK include Martian, Monkey and Akuma, meaning devil, according to MomJunction.
Chow Tow, meaning smelly head, and Rogue are also on the list.
What baby names are banned or illegal around the world?
Different countries have different rules when it comes to what you can call your baby.
Some have rules banning special characters, like @, from baby names, or only accept names in the national language.
In 2018, a French couple were banned from calling their baby daughter Liam after French authorities stepped in saying it "would be likely to create a risk of gender confusion" and “therefore contrary to the interest of the child and could harm her in social relations”.
By where do other countries stand on certain names?
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Portugal
Portugal has a strict 83-page list of approved and unapproved names. Here are some that didn't make the cut for the approved list...
- William
- Catherine (but Caterina is allowed)
- George
- Charlotte
- Thomas or Tom (Tomas is allowed)
- Emily
- Michael
Denmark
Denmark also has a specific register.
There are around 7,000 approved baby names on the list, and you have to seek permission if you want to choose a different moniker.
More than 1,000 names are reviewed every year, and almost a fifth are rejected - usually because of their unusual spellings.
Name suggestions like Jakobp and Ashleiy have been banned in the past.
Iceland
Iceland has a specific naming committee who oversee the "introduction of new given names into the culture of Iceland".
These names aren't on the official list, but parents can put in a request to get them added to the register...
- Sarah
- Harriet
Hungary
Hungary also insists on native spellings for certain names.
So, while Stefán is approved, one of Britain's favourites names wouldn't be allowed...
- Stephen
Germany
Germany's naming laws are among the strictest in the world, with names needing approval from local authorities before they can be chosen.
Names should indicate the baby's gender, with gender-neutral names needing a second name added on to make it clear if the baby is a boy or a girl.
The name parents choose should also not be silly, and not be chosen based on a product or object.
Banned names include:
- Matti
- Adolf Hiter
- Osama bin Laden
America
Laws around baby names depend on the state you're in, with some, like Kentucky, having no rules at all.
Other places, like California, ban names which don't use the English alphabet, meaning 1000 is banned as a name but One Thousand isn't.
The few names banned in America tend to be titles, like:
- Duke
- Judge
- King
- Master
- Queen
- Majesty
Australia
Oz has a handful of rules, including laws banning names which are obscene or unpleasant.
Really long names are also not allowed, as are names which are slang terms for genitalia.
Banned entries include:
- LOL
- Batman
- Ikea
- Ranga
Saudi Arabia
In 2014, Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry introduced a list of 51 banned names which aren't in line with the country's social traditions.
Most of the names on the banned list had religious connotations, but foreign-sounding options were also prohibited.
- Linda
- Maya
