Sometimes common sense is the least common of the senses, and there are parents who choose rather unfortunate names for their children. The choice of the baby’s name is a decision that must be well considered, bearing in mind that the child will carry it his entire life. Sometimes by looking for the most original or extravagant name, it ends up hurting you.
To avoid giving a child an inappropriate, offensive, or possibly mocking name, some countries prohibit giving newborns certain names that could make them look ridiculous.
Mexico
There is currently a list of 61 denigrating or pejorative forbidden names likely to provoke ridicule towards the child.
Names such as Scrotum, Aceituno, Cesárea, Fulanito or those whose combination causes a play on foul words such as Jorge Nitales or Amilcar Cajada.
The list also includes names associated with technology such as Facebook and Twitter, Email, Anglicisms such as Usnavy (for US Navy) and even names derived from films and novels such as Robocop, James Bond, Rambo, Batman or Harry Potter.
Norway
Here are some very particular rules: it is forbidden to use a surname already registered in the Norwegian Population Register as the baby’s name , so the most common surnames, such as Olsen, Larsen, Haugen, Johansen, Hansen, cannot be used.
Malaysia
In 2006 the government published a list of names that did not comply with the country’s religious traditions, which also included Ah Chwar “Serpent”, Khiow Khoo “Hump”, Sor Chai “Loco” or “Woti”, which means to have sexual intercourse.
In addition , insults, names of food dishes, animals or royal characters are prohibited , as well as Chow Tow, a burlesque expression in Malaysia that means “stinky head”.
China
The at symbol was banned in China. @ in English translates to “at”, a sound that sounds like “ai ta”, which in Mandarin means “loves him”. The explanation did not move the authorities, who used the example to illustrate the bad habit of using strange names in the Chinese language.
Portugal
The Portuguese government is quite strict with the names: they have a list of 82 pages with all the names that cannot be given to children in that country.
Among the most prominent are: Vikingo, Nirvana, Rihanna, Sayonara, Jimmy, as well as names that have to do with gender issues and Portuguese traditions.
If you want to give an Anglo-Saxon name to a baby, it must be changed to the version in your language, as for example in the case of Catherine, who would become Caterina.
Denmark
In this country there is a list of seven thousand pre-approved names . If you want to put a name that is not included, you must ask for a special permission (this includes ethnic names, spelling different from the norm or compound surnames). If the University of Copenhagen and the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs will review it and decide if you can use it or not. Some 250 names are rejected each year in Denmark.
If you think of Donkey, Anus, Pluto, Jakobp or Monkey, forget it …
Also, like Germany, Denmark has a rule against the use of gender-neutral names such as Taylor, Ashley, Morgan, Miatt or Jordan.
New Zealand
This country tops the strange names podium . In 2013 they published a list of names that parents had tried to give their children who had been rejected. Among them are Anal, Full Stop (full stop) and other names that have been prevented such as Justice (Justice), King (king) or 4Real.
Other names banned in New Zealand, and don’t ask me if they are for a boy or a girl, are: Fish and Chips “Fish with Potatoes”, Yeah Detroit or Sex Fruit.
The name Lucifer has also been banned by the authorities of the country, as in Germany or Switzerland.
Another extravaganza: “Talula dances the hula-hop in Hawaii” (in English Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii) is a name that belonged to a nine-year-old girl until a judge decided to change it during the process for her custody considering that she left ridiculous girl.
Swiss
If your baby is born in Switzerland, you will not be able to register him with the name of Judas, Lucifer, or place names, such as Paris, or brands, such as Chanel.
Sweden
Years ago, a couple wanted to name their baby “Brfxxccxxmnpccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116” (literal), a captcha code that was pronounced Albin. Of course it was rejected and banned.
In Sweden they also do not allow names that may be considered an offense to others , or are uncomfortable for some to use, and include in their list terms like Metallica, Superman, Ikea ”and Elvis.
Germany
In addition to prohibiting gender-neutral names , as we said before, they also do not allow calling the child the same as an object or product, or giving him a surname as a first name. They also don’t allow names of controversial characters like Adolf Hitler or Osama Bin Laden.
Iceland
In this country they have strict grammatical prohibitions . Names must follow the linguistic structure of Iceland, whose alphabet does not contain the letters C, Q or W, so any name that contains these characters is prohibited.
Likewise, names must contain endings that conform to the grammar used in that territory. Names like Zoe, Harriet, Duncan, Enrique or Ludwig are prohibited.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has published a list of 51 banned names , including Alice, Maya and Abdul Nasser, the latter for being related to the Egyptian nationalist Cold War ruler, Gamal Abdul Nasser.
Spain
Article 54 of the Civil Registry Law and Article 192 of the Civil Registry Regulations are the ones that determine the limits to the freedom of choice of name.
“Names that objectively harm the person are prohibited. Names that make identification confusing are prohibited and this prohibition certainly extends to the proposed name, which corresponds to a special surname. “
Names like Judas, Hitler, Cain, as well as words like “Caca” or “Crazy” are prohibited.
“No more than one compound name or more than two simple ones may be entered”
It is not allowed to call a girl María del Mar Ana Isabel, since they are two compound names, but instead she can be called María del Mar or Ana Isabel.
” The diminutives or familiar and colloquial variants that have not reached substantivity, those that make the identification confusing and those that lead as a whole to error regarding sex are prohibited.”
Manolito or Joselito are not allowed, except those who have achieved their own identity such as Pepa, for Josefa, Lola, for Dolores, Sandra for Alejandra or Alex for Alejandro
“The same name as one of his siblings cannot be imposed on the newborn unless he has died, as well as its usual translation into another language.”
It is not allowed to call a son Thomas and another Thomas, for example. It is reasonable.
“Names forbidden as extravagant are those that by themselves or in combination with surnames are contrary to the decorum of the person.”
You cannot give the child a denigrating or pejorative name like Robocop or Pocahontas, nor names that in combination with the surname are such as Esteban Quito or Elsa Pito. It would be a sure mockery for the poor boy.
“If they have a usual translation into any of the Spanish languages, they will be consigned in the version chosen by whoever has to impose the name.”
The previous prohibition to impose proper names in non-Spanish languages on Spaniards is abolished. Before, for example, Mary had to be translated to Mary. But from one of the modifications of the law it is allowed.
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