While we're discussing interesting news: "Girl" in Iceland?

SusieBW · January 2013

Did anyone see this article about this girl in Iceland known legally as just "Girl?"

https://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/03/16320630-teen-legally-known-only-as-girl-battles-to-use-her-own-name?lite

It blows my mind that Iceland has a set list of names that people must select from in naming their children, and that people generally just accept that to be the case! This poor girl. I love her name, too. I think there is a good chance that she will not win her court case, based on the strict naming laws they have, but the fact that Iceland's nobel-prize winning author used her name in a book should do something to support her case.

WDYT?

SusieBW · January 2013

SweetPea927:
I didn't read yet, so not sure if this was mentioned...but here's a random fact. In Iceland, people don't have last names! We had a prof in grad school that had to make up a last name. So he used xxxson because he was the son of xxx.

Yup, that fact is mentioned. Even the president is known just by his given name, and the phone book lists everyone by first name. If there is such a limited universe of first names to pick from, wouldn't this get overly confusing?

I'm completely fascinated by all of this.

mnewlee · January 2013

I read this this morning. It's crazy. I wondered the same thing, With less than 2000 first names to choose from per gender how do people not get confused?

It is crazy that they only have such a short list to chose from. I can't imagine having to ok my baby name with the government. I hope she wins her case because she really did have a pretty name with a pleasant meaning.

babybmom · January 2013

I had no idea about their surnames. That is crazy.
I really like her name!

manda26 · January 2013

This is so fascinating! Who would have known.
I see they allow Elvis now! That reminds me, I dated an Elvis and have known 4 guys by that name. And its really not a name you hear often, except maybe in DR

Pips09 · January 2013

This is ridiculous, but apparently they don't mind Big Brother Government there.

solsburyhill · January 2013

I wonder if the name Blaer will become all the rage now.

jen4ny · January 2013

That is really interesting. I never knew they had to choose from a list of names. Could you imagine not being able to name your baby what you want?

SusieBW · January 2013

jen4ny:
That is really interesting. I never knew they had to choose from a list of names. Could you imagine not being able to name your baby what you want?

I got the feeling from the article that most people just accept this and likely even want to name their child from the list. It's probably also a part of their culture that you don't want to name your kid something not on the list because you might embarrass them or cause them some kind of shame later in life (Hmm, maybe this would be a nice lesson for some American parents, too). And when I really think about it, there are about 1800 girl names on the list - pretty much every name that I considered for DD are within the top 1800 American girl names, according to the US Social Security list, kwim? So unless you're picking a REALLY unique name, you're probably going to be on the list anyway. But I totally agree with you that if you did want to choose some really unique name and the government said you couldn't - oh hell no.

One of the criteria for new names being approved and added to the list is that they not be such that they could cause the child embarrassment ("Hashtag", "La-a", anyone?). The fact that Blaer is 15 and has gone by that name for her whole life without embarrassment should certainly weigh in her favor on her appeal, too. It's definitely in her favor that she is the one taking the appeal as an older minor child than if her parents had appealed when she was born. I think it's a really pretty name.

SusieBW · January 2013

cmoosey:
I wonder what happens when an American or Brit or whoever moves to Iceland with a name like Carrie. So, would I become Arrie or have to legally change my name to an icelandic name from their list? I also wonder what other letters are not in their alphabet.

I think it's just Icelandic folks who are being baptised/named as Icelandic citizens. So you would get to keep your C name, but if you became an Icelandic citizen and had a baby there, you couldn't name her that.

alli&dan · January 2013

solsburyhill:
I wonder if the name Blaer will become all the rage now.

I had already added Blaire to the list of girl names for baby 2.0. Hopefully SO won't see this story, because he's against popular names.

bets2011 · January 2013

I'm glad I don't live in a country that dictates what I can name my child. That benig said, I think the name of the girl in question is terrible. It's the English equivalent of naming your child Breeze. Didn't we have a whole thread on here once making fun of someone for naming their kid Breeze?

MsCrispy · January 2013

I agree with previous posters that are glad that we do have the freedom to name our children. However, I actually understand the rule. I think embarrassment is a poor excuse, but some names do lead to discrimination, which is a problem.