Offensive baby names that are so inappropriate they’ve been banned in UK

The General Register Office (GRO) has issued rules and guidance on what parents can name their child in the UK, to help prevent people from growing up with inappropriate or harmful names

Naming your child is a special moment in every parents’ life – but this doesn’t mean it comes without its challenges. Parents must consider multiple factors before settling on a name – such as how it’ll impact their child later in life, and whether it might have unwanted connotations.

But some parents have ended up in court after trying to give their children inappropriate names – prompting new laws to be introduced to ban their use across the country. In the UK, there are several regulatory bodies that oversee name changes and birth registrations, including the General Register Office (GRO), and local registrars.

They can refuse any name that contains offensive language or obscenity, or includes symbols, numbers, or punctuation marks that are not standard characters. Any name that’s too long or too difficult to pronounce can also be vetoed, as well as those likely to cause confusion or misrepresentation, and anything that could be deemed inappropriate or contrary to public policy.

Banned names in the UK

According to the UK Deed Poll Office, the following monikers have been banned from use in the UK:

• Cyanide – Rejected for its association with a deadly poison.
• Martian – Rejected as it may subject the child to ridicule.
• King – Rejected to prevent confusion with official titles.
• Princess – Rejected for its misleading implications.

A statement reads: “If a name is deemed unacceptable by the GRO, parents will be required to choose a different name. Legal documents, including birth certificates and passports, may not be issued until a compliant name is selected.

“Additionally, if a name is deemed inappropriate after it has been registered, the authorities may take legal action to have the name changed. In extreme cases, the court may intervene to protect the welfare of the child. Some other countries, such as New Zealand, Germany, and Iceland, have similar restrictions on names.

“In New Zealand, names like “Lucifer,” “Anal,” and “4Real” were banned for being either offensive or too unconventional. In Germany, names like “Adolf Hitler” and “Osama Bin Laden” were banned to prevent harm and ridicule.”

Criteria for banning names in the UK

1. Offensive language: Names that contain curse words, racial slurs, or other offensive language are outright banned.
2. Obscenity and vulgarity: Explicit or sexually suggestive names will not be accepted.
3. Potential for harm or ridicule: Names that could potentially subject a child to ridicule or harm, such as naming a child after a notorious criminal, are often rejected.
4. Misleading names: Names that may cause confusion, such as titles like ‘King’, ‘Queen’, or ‘Doctor’, can be rejected to prevent misrepresentation.
5. Symbols and numbers: Names that include numbers, punctuation, or symbols (e.g., ‘@’, ‘#’, ‘%’) are typically disallowed.

Sharing their thoughts on the baby naming laws, on Reddit user argued: “It should be illegal to give your kids inappropriate sounding names. I‘m not talking about cultural names. I’m talking about names that sound cute for a kid but isn’t appropriate for an adult (Ex.Princess, Dick). Many people don’t realise that your name plays a huge role in your life.

“Unless you change it, having a childish sounding name can literally prevent you from being hired at many jobs. It is a good way to torment your child because they will probably in the centre of bullying during their school years. Don’t do that to your kids.”

In response, another added: “Things being inappropriate changes depending on where you are.”

A third user said: “Making it illegal would be tough, because the ‘inappropriateness’ of a name is so subjective. The government would have to come up with a very specific list.

“I believe some countries have actually outlined certain rules around naming conventions, but don’t think they address ‘childish’ names. And names like Richard (often known as Dick) used to be a very respectable name in the USA, and is probably still used to carry on family names. I agree parents should think about the impact a name could have on their child, though.

“However like I said, a law would be very hard to craft and administer. I mean could a kid age 10 ‘sue’ their parents to require they change their name?”