Baby Names That Have Been Banned Around The World
A lot of people have strong opinions about baby names. A lot of governments do, too.
Although some countries are quite lax when it comes to baby-naming regulations, other countries are much stricter. In places like Italy, France, Malaysia and New Zealand, the government has the right to reject parents’ baby name choices, and in many cases, select more suitable alternatives.
Naturally, such cases have made the news over the years. HuffPost took a look and rounded up a number of interesting examples. Without further ado, here are 27 baby names that have been rejected or outright banned in different countries around the world.
1. Lucifer
In 2017, German officials intervened when a couple in the city of Kassel submitted paperwork to name their newborn son Lucifer.
The country gives parents the right to choose any baby name, but the government can get involved if the chosen name would endanger the child’s well-being by exposing them to mocking and humiliation or by being offensive. According to a court spokesperson, the parents changed their minds during a closed-door hearing and instead decided to name their son Lucian.
Other countries have banned the baby name Lucifer. From 2001 to 2013, six sets of parents in New Zealand asked to name their newborns Lucifer, but all six requests were denied. Iceland recently refused to add the name to its official register.
In the U.S., a whopping 26 newborn baby boys were named Lucifer in 2018.
2. Nutella
In 2015, a court in Valenciennes, France, ruled that a couple could not name their daughter Nutella. When the parents failed to show up on their court date, the judge renamed the then 4-month-old baby Ella.
“The name ‘Nutella’ given to the child is the trade name of a spread,” the court’s official decision read, adding that it is “contrary to the child’s interest” to be named Nutella, as it “can only lead to teasing or disparaging thoughts.”
3. Ikea
Another brand name that has come under fire is Ikea....
