Baby Names That Are Banned in Various Countries

Why Countries Regulate Baby Names

It may surprise many parents to learn that in dozens of countries, the government has the legal authority to reject a baby's name. The reasons vary: protecting children from ridicule, maintaining cultural and linguistic standards, preventing the use of titles or trademarks, and ensuring names can be rendered in the national alphabet. What seems like a personal parenting choice is, in many jurisdictions, a public matter.

Countries with Strict Naming Laws

Germany has some of the strictest naming laws in the world. Names must clearly indicate the child's gender, cannot be surnames or product names, and must not endanger the child's wellbeing — names like "Osama bin Laden" and "Adolf Hitler" have been rejected. Iceland maintains an official list of approved names; names outside the list require special application to the Naming Committee. Denmark, Sweden, and Portugal also have official approval processes for baby names.

Famous Rejected Names

New Zealand famously rejected "4Real" (a couple then named their child Superman), as well as "." (a period), "King", "Queen", "Justice", and "Lucifer". France rejected "Nutella" and suggested the child be named Ella instead. Malaysia prohibits names that could cause confusion or embarrassment, such as names of animals or insulting words. Saudi Arabia has banned names deemed too foreign or contrary to Islamic tradition.

What This Means for International Families

For families with ties to multiple countries, naming a child can become surprisingly complicated. A name perfectly acceptable in the United States may be rejected in Germany or France. Parents planning international relocations should research naming laws in their destination country. Generally, Western nations outside of Europe have the fewest naming restrictions, while many European and Asian countries maintain some form of official oversight.