When it comes to the government getting involved in child rearing, I'm usually of the step-away-from-the-kid school of thought, but sometimes intervention is necessary for the sake of the kid. Take baby names for instance. While deciding what name to bestow upon one's child is a parent's right and privilege, when parents want to call their kid "Lucifer," they really should be stopped.
Some names are just stupid, but others are mean and really could border on some kind of mental abuse. In New Zealand, at least, the government is putting a stop to such nonsense. Currently, there are 102 names on the government's list of those it has rejected in the past two years, including Lucifer.
Others that haven't made the cut in New Zealand include names like: "89," "/" (Slash?), "Mr.," and "Messiah." All pretty good calls I'd say. Countries around the world have banned all sorts of names as well, most of which seem like merciful rulings. The problem, however, is that when you try to regulate names, there's huge room for interpretation in what's good taste.
It seems New Zealand has also rejected names that sound too much like titles such as: "Baron," "Bishop," "Duke," "General," "Judge," "Justice," "King," and "Knight." That seems a little too aggressive in my opinion. The council also balked at, though later accepted, names like "Fanny" and "Nevaeh" (heaven spelled backwards), which seems crazy as they're pretty popular names.
And I guess that's why even though I'd like to see some people stopped from giving their children ridiculous names, it seems more problematic to start determining what a ridiculous name actually is. I suppose a couple little Lucifers running around is a small price to pay for the freedom we have in this country to name our kids "Apple" and the like ... for those not named Lucifer at least.
Which baby names would you like to see outlawed? Do you think governments should outlaw certain names?
Image via Omar Omar/Flickr
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Comments 96
I honestly could care less the backlash of this comment because I really do hate it that much: I HATE THE NAME "NEVAEH." There was a poll done for the book "Freakonomics" and "Nevaeh" was one of the fastest-growing stripper names in America. My boyfriend just made a good point: "I'm going to name our kid 'Dog.' It's 'God' spelled backwards! Awwww!" It's like a social death-sentence naming your kid "Nevaeh."
Ha! My dad's name is Eric King Knutsen. I guess he should be glad he wasn't born in New Zealand. Never in my lifetime did any of us think it was offensive! Just funny of my grandfather to have chosen it. Might have something to do with the fact that they were born in Alaska and my grandfather was a salmon fisherman. The biggest salmons out there are called King Salmon.
the only one i agree with is nevaeh, i just can't stand that name.
I think telling parents what they can and can't name their child is taking it too far, as long as the names consist of actual letters and are pronouncable. Lucifer may be an unfortunate name. But maybe, just maybe, it means something to these parents, much as Christian or Jesus or Mary might mean something to Christian parents. As for "Fanny" the reason they would ban them over there is that's a pretty typical term for female genitalia in NZ and Australia. Your child is just as likely to get picked on for being named slang for vagina as a name the devil (whom many do not believe exists) may have gone by. Of course I don't think it's right to outlaw them, but if they are then that's why that name is on their list.
In the UK 'Fanny' means vagina, and the same might apply in New Zealand. I'm not saying they should BAN it, but It's not exactly a name I'd recommend. Isn't it a diminutive of Frances, anyway?
Learn something new everyday, huh?? Sure, I think that naming a child Hemdel, or Azguard (talk to my Thor loving husband) should be outlawed, i say that in jest... freedom of speech... freedom of religion... privacy... what right does anyone have to dictate what I can or can't name my child?? Sure, there are some whoppers out there, but that's for those families to deal with... they will be punished enough for their choices by ignorant outspoken people... I went to school with a guy whose name was Richard Head... and yes, they called him Dick... that should have been called child abuse in my opinion... but again... that's my OPINION... I didn't go calling DCYF!
The government has no right telling people what to name their children. If some moron wants to give their kid some stupid name that is going to get the snot beat out of them every day on the playground and prohibit them from getting a job, then that's their business.
That's ridiculous. Christians don't own the name Lucifer. And it means "carrier of the light" a very nice meaning; Lucia, Lucille, Luciana, Lucian and Lucious are all variations on the same and all mean "light".