New Zealand Bans Odd Baby Names

Ivana_Stolichnaya · July 2011

Interesting how a country is now stepping in and slapping rules on what parents can and can't name their children.

https://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/20/new-zealand-bans-weird-baby-names/?hpt=hp_bn2

atack · July 2011

This is extremely interesting to me.

While I agree with most of the names they "banned" especially nonsense names with: Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116, pronounced Albin....really what is this?

I also even can justify king, general, baron, judge being banned...but Lucifer, why would that be banned it's just weird, but it's also the name of a cat in Cinderella...

ubermoose · July 2011

Fundamentally, I don't think the government should dictate names. When people turn baby naming into a joke, though, I see where they are coming from. If there is a law, I think they should reserve it only for the most outlandish/offensive of names.

For example, I would draw the line at Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116, 89, Violence, and Number 16 Bus Shelter. I have serious concerns about Lucifer and Messiah, but I think those migh be harder to enforce for religious reasons.

If someone wants to name their kid Elvis, Lego, or Duke, it's obviously not my style, but I don't think that should become a government issue.

moxie9 · July 2011

I despise censorship of all forms. Even if there are some rather oddball choices being selected for baby names, I don't think there's an easy place to draw the arbitrary line of what is or is not okay to name a child. I think, realistically, there should be no ban on names but rather make the process of changing one's name easier and less costly. If my parents had named me Catwoman, I think they have that right, but I have the right at an age of the government's choosing to quickly and painlessy become Moira or Agatha.

anna7602 · July 2011

New Zealand isn't alone. There are quite a few countries out there with naming laws. I don't know all of them off the top of my head, but I know Argentina has a list of "acceptable" names, Spain under Franco outlawed any non-Christian names and England doesn't or didn't at one time allow titles as names (ie Queen).

It's a weird issue for a government to intervene in.

monimonimoni · July 2011

Heh. I'm in NZ and I'm pleased about this. Some of the names over here are freaking ridiculous.

Ruby_Soho · July 2011

monimonimoni:
Heh. I'm in NZ and I'm pleased about this. Some of the names over here are freaking ridiculous.

This.

If parents are going to choose a stupid name then I for one am glad someone is stepping in to say, "hey, do you maybe want to rethink that?". Generally what they do is contact the parents and see if there's a particular reason for choosing a name. If it's an odd name but a family name or there's a good reason for it then it most likely gets approved. But really, naming you kid Lucifer, after the Devil, isn't very fair to your child.

lavieboheme73 · July 2011

atack:
This is extremely interesting to me.

While I agree with most of the names they "banned" especially nonsense names with: Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116, pronounced Albin....really what is this?
I also even can justify king, general, baron, judge being banned...but Lucifer, why would that be banned it's just weird, but it's also the name of a cat in Cinderella...

It's not just weird, it's another name for Satan, although not a very commonly used one any more.

ames71 · July 2011

I really despise government getting involved in the personal decisions of it's citizens. In spite of that, I'm breathing a sigh of relief for the babies of New Zealand.

Ninasama · July 2011

Japan is similar. They have a list of kanji characters that can be used for names and those are the only ones that can be used. They also blocked a family from using the characters to make the name "Akuma" which means demon.

austenreader85 · July 2011

How about just an application to take your baby home? Some of the names parents have come up with make me wonder their ability to parent.

monimonimoni · July 2011

Ruby_Soho:
monimonimoni:
Heh. I'm in NZ and I'm pleased about this. Some of the names over here are freaking ridiculous.
This.
If parents are going to choose a stupid name then I for one am glad someone is stepping in to say, "hey, do you maybe want to rethink that?". Generally what they do is contact the parents and see if there's a particular reason for choosing a name. If it's an odd name but a family name or there's a good reason for it then it most likely gets approved. But really, naming you kid Lucifer, after the Devil, isn't very fair to your child.

Yes Yes Yes

Exactly this.

MrsP7309 · July 2011

Ruby_Soho:

monimonimoni:
Heh. I'm in NZ and I'm pleased about this. Some of the names over here are freaking ridiculous.

This.

If parents are going to choose a stupid name then I for one am glad someone is stepping in to say, "hey, do you maybe want to rethink that?". Generally what they do is contact the parents and see if there's a particular reason for choosing a name. If it's an odd name but a family name or there's a good reason for it then it most likely gets approved. But really, naming you kid Lucifer, after the Devil, isn't very fair to your child.

I completely agree. I thought about this for a while, and ended up coming to the conclusion that our rights end when they infringe upon someone else. Burdening your child with the name 'Lucifer' or 'Number 16 Bus Shelter' is infringing upon someone else, and I don't think it matters that said someone else shares DNA with you.

PrincessFiona9 · July 2011

I think I remember an article that said Italy had banned names too....I believe they made the parents change the name of the baby girl.

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