BBC
Why do some countries regulate baby names?
Gender confusion prevented a German boy being Matti, because the sex of the baby wouldn’t be obvious. And you won’t find any Germans named Merkel, Schroeder or Kohl, either, because surnames are banned as first names.
The name 4Real fell foul of authorities in New Zealand, because names cannot start with a number.
A judge there also made a young girl a ward of court so that she could change the name she hated – Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii.
When Japanese parents register their newborns, the local authorities can say no if they don’t think the name is appropriate. In 1993, the name Akuma, meaning “devil”, was not permitted.
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Good.
Blake on February 3, 2013 at 10:09 PM
So stupid parents don’t abuse their children with stupid names.
In countries like Iceland, it has to do with the alphabet of the language spoken.
Resist We Much on February 3, 2013 at 10:09 PM
Americaland might do well to regulate: Jayden/Jaiden, Dakota, Madison, and anything containing an apostrophe, ‘L’ and ‘Q’.
Jeddite on February 3, 2013 at 10:11 PM
They do it… (wait for it)… (wait for it)… for the children!
Glenn Jericho on February 3, 2013 at 10:12 PM
Children are not toys and some people seem incapable of grasping that.
sharrukin on February 3, 2013 at 10:19 PM
Why not? They regulate everything else.
forest on February 3, 2013 at 10:21 PM
because they can’t regulate baby daddies?
….i got nuthin…
ted c on February 3, 2013 at 10:26 PM
Because children are not online avatars; if you name them “Sucky McFail”, they will be stuck with that humiliation for the better part of two decades. As sad as it is to have regulations on baby names, the need is very much proven.
RWM made a very good point as well about alphabets.
MelonCollie on February 3, 2013 at 10:36 PM
LOL at all the small government conservatives on HotGas defending Federal approval of people’s baby names. Bunch of frauds you are.
SuperBunny on February 3, 2013 at 10:47 PM
TRYING TOO HARD.
Jeddite on February 3, 2013 at 10:50 PM
“For the children…”
Drained Brain on February 3, 2013 at 10:57 PM
It’s not your fault son. I blame the environment that led your parents to victimize you.
irishinfidel on February 3, 2013 at 10:57 PM
If only they regulated their spending with the same fervor.
aryeung on February 3, 2013 at 10:58 PM
Because too much power is not enough.
thebrokenrattle on February 3, 2013 at 11:06 PM
I figured some names like Adolf, Benito and Tojo (Hideki, actually) sorta regulated themselves out of popularity on their own.
viking01 on February 3, 2013 at 11:08 PM
Do the names Track and Trig pass the sanity test?
Mark1971 on February 3, 2013 at 11:09 PM
Because self-appointed aholes want to intrude on every aspect of everyone else’s life? You want to regulate the name I give my own kids? Go eff yourself.
Bishop on February 3, 2013 at 11:11 PM
BTW In Japan the first names are the surnames.
viking01 on February 3, 2013 at 11:17 PM
Mark1971 on February 3, 2013 at 11:19 PM
That’s why the Chinese guy named Lo Hung is always smiling, no matter if you say his name and get the surname wrong he always comes out a winner.
Bishop on February 3, 2013 at 11:22 PM
My friends J’cque’vious, Myckynzyee, and # think these rules are ridiculous.
Transpo on February 3, 2013 at 11:25 PM
Who’s defending it? I gave cited the 2 primary reasons that they do it.
You can name your child “M’Asshole” and I won’t stop you nor would I want the government to either. Just don’t blame me if he grows up and shoots you.
Resist We Much on February 3, 2013 at 11:28 PM
Who’s defending it? I gave cited the 2 primary reasons that they do it.
You can name your child “M’Arsehole” and I won’t stop you nor would I want the government to either. Just don’t blame me if he grows up and shoots you.
Resist We Much on February 3, 2013 at 11:29 PM
I
gavecited the 2 primary reasons that they do it.Resist We Much on February 3, 2013 at 11:30 PM
I remember seeing an ad many years ago for the Fu King Chinese Restaurant.
I wish had stopped by so had anyone asked where I dined I could answer:
“…. at the Fu-King Chinese restaurant.”
viking01 on February 3, 2013 at 11:31 PM
It’s prounced Az-weep-ay!
Bah! No one remembers that SNL skit.
lorien1973 on February 3, 2013 at 11:38 PM
Probably your real name.
Jackalope on February 3, 2013 at 11:42 PM
Nicolas Cage
Jackalope on February 3, 2013 at 11:45 PM
Sih-fy-lus is a beyootiful name.
viking01 on February 3, 2013 at 11:53 PM
There was a news story early in 2012 about a parent in the U.S. who named his kid “Adolf Hitler Campbell.” That kid will be screwed up his entire life as a result.
AngusMc on February 4, 2013 at 12:03 AM
Would it stop this?
Sekhmet on February 4, 2013 at 12:20 AM
i feel so sorry for kids with idiot parents who treat them like a joke… isn’t it obvious, you guys, that this needs to be regulated? and yet some of you don’t even want this to be regulated, which is just sad. you actually care more about idiot parents than the kids who are hurt by them.
maybe you should. it’s nice to know that you could not care less about kids who have parents who treat them like pets and give them silly names for their own amusement. and kids are bullied because of their names, which they had no control over, and you could not care less. YES this should be regulated, anyone with a freaking brain would see the logic in that. it’s like you didn’t even think at all before you posted. you saw the words “government regulation” and instantly had a negative reaction to it, but if you actually thought about why this particular thing is regulated, you’d realize that this is very necessary. just… wow. and usually i like your posts but this one was pure stupidity.
yeah because obviously those names are just as awful as naming a kid “hitler” or naming them after a number. (or “Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii,” i mean wtf.)
Sachiko on February 4, 2013 at 2:40 AM
Why stop at regulating the names? What sense does it make to stop a couple from naming their child “Demon Spawn” but trust their day to day decision-making to raise the child? If you’re doing it “for the children,” why not go all the way?
Quisp on February 4, 2013 at 5:53 AM
Sometimes the control it to maintain the culture as well. You lose your cultural identity when European names are entered into non-European culture. But as North America does not have a dominate culture like Japan or Iceland something need to be regulated for cohesion. Just like language. The powers that be are trying to create a french word for #Hashtag that is in french. Every word needs a french translation. Stores like Walmart are having problems as of late in Quebec with the language police as the name Walmart is to English of name. Even if it is world wide name.
tjexcite on February 4, 2013 at 7:32 AM
If a parents wants to name their child Beyonce and that child then grows up to be a hooker and later a singer, that’s their business.
CorporatePiggy on February 4, 2013 at 8:42 AM
I’m pretty sure you have to avoid names that sound too much like official titles in some Commonwealth countries: Baron, Duke, Bishop, Deacon, King, Knight, Prince, Lady, etc.
(Sorry, Baron!)
s_dog on February 4, 2013 at 9:04 AM
This is the key. Morons who reproduce are the main reason why some countries feel the need to regulate baby names. (The other major reason is ‘cultural purity’.)
I say that you shouldn’t regulate the names. You should, however, be allowed to cite child abuse in extreme cases.
I also believe that a child should be able to petition the court when they turn 18 to immediately change their name to something normal and have all their records converted to the new name, and the judge should be allowed to levy punishment on the parents – primarily that they must pay the administrative costs of the change, and the child should be allowed to take them both behind the court house and beat them senseless with a baseball bat. (Note the absence of a /s tag here.)
GWB on February 4, 2013 at 11:03 AM