36 baby names that are illegal in other countries
36 baby names that are illegal in other countries
1. X Æ A-12
Celebs have given their kids some pretty *ahem* interesting names over the years, but this one is by far the strangest.
Tech mogul Elon Musk and singer Grimes named their baby X Æ A-12, but it was deemed illegal by Californian law, which says 'names can only use the 26 alphabetical characters of the English language'.
Elon explained how to pronounce the unique moniker:
FREE NEWBORN NAPPIES
'It's just X, the letter X. And then, the Æ is, like, pronounced "Ash"... and then, A-12, A-12 is my contribution.'
The couple later changed the name to X Æ A-Xii.
2. 4Real
A couple in New Zealand were told they weren't allowed to name their baby 4Real. Were THEY for real?!
Officials rejected the name because it had a number in it, so the couple went for Superman instead. We guess it's not AS bad? ...
3. Akuma
The name Akuma, which means 'devil', is illegal in Japan, so despite your little one being a little devil at times, you won't be able to be so literal about it in Japan!
4. Anus
Anus is banned as a name in Denmark, while the name Anal is banned in Australia. It's not so much of a bummer to hear that ...
5. Benson and Hedges
A judge in New Zealand criticised parents for giving their children names like Benson and Hedges. Yep, that's right, some parents actually named their twins after the British cigarette brand.
6. Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116
Under Swedish law, both first names and surnames need the approval of authorities before they can be used, so it's no surprise they didn't take a shining to this random combination of letters and numbers.
Apparently, the parents wanted it pronouncing 'Albin'. Oh yeah, of course, we totally see that ...
7. Burger King
No, you can't name your baby after the best place in town to get a burger meal deal, even if they are a whopper! Well, not in New Zealand anyway.
8. Caesarean
Why anyone would want to be reminded of this procedure every time they speak to their child, we're not sure.
New Zealand made the clever decision to not name kids after how they arrived into the world ... we just hope no one thought 'Vaginal' was a good name, either.
9. Chow Tow
So it rhymes? What's the big deal? Turns out Malaysia and New Zealand have banned the name because it translates to 'smelly head'.
Great as a nickname for bickering siblings, not so great as a full name.
10. Circumcision
Whyyyyyyy, just why?! They banned Circumcision as a name in Mexico. Maybe the parents wanted it to be known their son had undergone the procedure? ... Nope, there's no way to make this name okay.
11. Facebook
Facebook is another name that's been banned in Mexico. Would we still think it was weird if it didn't belong to the social media website? Yes, yes we would.
12. Fish and Chips
A Kiwi couple were banned from calling their twins Fish and Chips. We can allow this name pairing for pet hamsters, maybe even cats, but no human should be named after a Friday night takeaway, no matter how much you love it.
13. Fraise
In 2015, a French couple tried to name their daughter Fraise, which means 'strawberry'. Gwyneth Paltrow named her daughter Apple, so this seemed fair ...
The judge, however, argued that the name would lead to mockery, because of the slang phrase 'ramène ta fraise,' which can mean 'get your butt over here'. The baby girl was renamed Fraisin, but to be honest, parents will probably be saying that to their child anyway!
14. Hitler
Just in case you wanted to name your child after the barbaric and evil German dictator, you're not allowed to in New Zealand. Hmm, but who would want to?
15. Ikea
You're not allowed to be named after the Swedish furniture shop in Australia, unless you are actually the Swedish furniture shop. Can't argue with that.
16. Mafia No Fear
Another no-no from New Zealand is Mafia No Fear. Ah, what a shame, it's just the threatening and violent kind of name you'd want to give to a baby ... NOT.
17. Martian
Your special little baby might seem out of this world to you, but don't get carried away with the name. Martian is a banned name in New Zealand and Malaysia.
18. Number 16 Bus Shelter
Place names are totally trendy, after all.
Was this their favourite bus stop? Where they had their first kiss? The place of conception? Who knows. But a child in Australia wasn't allowed to be named Number 16 Bus Shelter by their parents.
19. Nutella
We love the chocolate and hazelnut spread just as much as the next person, but you'd be absolutely nuts to give your child this name!
In 2015, French parents wanted to call their daughter Nutella, but a judge ruled it wasn't allowed, as it may lead to 'mockery and disobliging remarks.' So, they called her Ella instead.
20. Panties
This name really is pants. Literally. You're not allowed to name your child after the underwear garment in New Zealand, apparently.
21. Pieandsauce
Yep, that really does say pie and sauce. Someone better take this off the baby name menu because it's not allowed in Australia. Thank god!
22. Rogue
It doesn't matter how much of a little rascal your little one is, you can't name your baby Rogue in New Zealand.
23. Scrotum
What is it with parents thinking that naming their kids after genitals is cute? No! Stay away from Scrotum, a name that's banned in Mexico.
24. Sex Fruit
Your baby technically is the fruit of your loins, but there's no need to be literal about it. Sex Fruit is another name banned by New Zealand.
25. Spinach
We all want our babies to grow big and strong, but maybe stick to just feeding them spinach rather than naming them after it?
26. Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii
No, this wasn't a girl named Talula from Hawaii, who liked to do the hula. Her whole name was Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii.
The poor girl was made a ward of the court in 2008, so she could legally change her name.
27. Traffic
No one likes getting stuck in traffic, so why would you pick the name for your baby?! Traffic, the name, is banned in Mexico. Unfortunately, traffic, as in a build up of vehicles, isn't.
29. Violence
Violet we can understand as a name, but violence? Surely everyone wants a nice, peaceful baby at home, don't they? Say no to Violence!
30. Alice
In 2014, Saudi Arabia banned 50 baby names, one of which was Alice.
There wasn’t too much elaboration on why Alice – along with names like Elaine, Linda and Sandy – was to be banned other than the statement that these names ‘contradict the culture and religion’ of the country.
31. James Bond
Mexico has banned parents from calling their children James Bond.
The country put a ban on several names that they believed might cause a child distress or bullying when older. These include James Bond, Harry Potter and Scrotum.
32. Adolf Hitler
There's no explanation necessary for why this name is banned in Germany.
33. Claire
In Iceland, any name with the letter C in it is banned.
The letter C doesn’t appear in the Icelandic alphabet so if you fancied calling your child Chloe or Conor, you’d have to use the letter K.
34. Sarah
Sarah, a pretty popular name all over the world, is banned in Morocco. This is because Sarah with an H is attributed to the Hebrew spelling. You can, however, name a child Sara.
35. Bruce
36. Cyanide
Back in 2016, a British mother was banned from naming her baby Cyanide.
Yes, as in the poison. Perhaps she didn't know what it meant.
Still stuck for a name? Baby Names 2022: Over 8,000 of this year's favourite names is the perfect go-to for expectant parents. See more details here at Amazon.
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