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Family

35 Baby Names That Have Been Banned Around the World

By Jess Catcher

Choosing a name for a new baby is one of the first important decisions parents make in their kids’ lives. They might pick a classic, like one of the most popular names from the 1950s, or try to mix things up with a more unique moniker. 

If they decide to share their choice before the baby is born, most expectant parents get a lot of unsolicited feedback on the potential name of their little bundle of joy. Family members, friends, and even complete strangers seem to have no problem giving their opinion when it comes to the naming process. 

In many other parts of the world, this can also come in the form of government officials literally banning a baby name from being bestowed on a newborn. While in the United States most “names” (other than obscenities) are up for grabs, countries like Germany and Mexico put things on the no-go list because it might be too close to a professional title or just sound too weird. 

As you can see below, the kiddos who weren’t allowed to have some of the more unique choices listed are probably better off. On the other hand, some of them seem completely harmless.

Take a look at the banned baby names from around the world to see if you agree with the government officials who nixed them.

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  1. Burger King

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    This was among the names the Sonora State Civil Registry in Mexico banned because they believe it could lead to bullying. They gathered the names from the newborn registry, though, meaning at least one person exists with each names they've restricted. Now that's a whopper! 

  3. Queen Victoria

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    Victoria might be okay for a little girl born in New Zealand, but adding the royal title ahead of it will not be approved by the government.

  5. Angel

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    Parents who tried to give their child the Arabic version of this name, "Malaak," were reportedly denied by officials in Saudi Arabia. 

  6. Seagull

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    According to the Library of Congress, German officials wouldn't let this avian name fly, known as "Möwe" in their language, because it is "a bird which people find a nuisance."

  7. Illuminated

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    Officials in Sonora, Mexico, didn't think this baby name was such a bright idea.

  9. Villain

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    Iceland has very strict rules when it comes to naming children, "The name must contain only letters in the Icelandic alphabet, must be adaptable to Icelandic grammar rules, and must not cause the child any future embarrassment." Apparently Þrjótur, which is Icelandic for "villain," fell into the last category.

  10. Sir

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    If Beyoncé had gone into labor in New Zealand, one of her twins (Sir Carter) would have to have a totally different name. 

  11. Saint

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    Kim Kardashian might have also had to pick a different name for her middle child if she had given birth in New Zealand. 

  13. Peppermint

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    It's translated to "Pfefferminze" in German where officials decided this would "submit the child to ridicule." We think it's kinda cute! 

  14. Christmas Morning

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    There are so many commonly found Christmas-y names (Noel, Holly, Shepherd), but this very specific one was nixed in Mexico.

  15. Constable

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    Police are known as constables in New Zealand, so it makes sense they would ban this name to avoid confusion.

  17. Batman

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    Can you imagine meeting a little boy (or girl) named after the "Dark Knight?" Well, it won't happen in Sonora, Mexico. 

  18. 4real

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    No one will be surprised by New Zealand giving this, um, unique name a pass when parents tried to get it approved.

  19. Lady Di

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    Parents will have to stick to the more traditional "Diana" if they want to pay tribute to the People's Princess in Mexico.

  21. Stone

    This wasn't translated into German when officials decided "a child cannot identify with it, because it is an object and not a first name." 

  22. Facebook

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    Sonora, Mexico, banned this, along with Twitter, when rounding up their list of naming no-no's. 

  23. Email

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    Social media brands weren't the only techy names parents tried to use in Mexico — email got the boot, too.

  25. Regal

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    Along with potentially offensive names, New Zealand doesn't allow parents to choose a name that might "resemble an official title." That also includes Duke, King, Queen, Prince, Princess, etc. 

  26. Troll

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    It might seem strange that Icelandic parents would even want to give their child a name like this, but Skessa sort of has a nice ring to it when translated to their native language.

  27. 5th

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    It wouldn't be farfetched for a kid with this name to develop an inferiority complex, so it's probably wise that the New Zealand officials nixed it.

  29. Robocop

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    Another hilarious pick from the list of names banned in Sonora, Mexico. 

  30. Metallica

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    Swedish parents were denied the ability to pay tribute to what we can only assume is their favorite band.

  31. Prince William

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    Another attempt at taking a very specific member of the royal family's name was thwarted by the French government. The parents reportedly also tried to name another child Mini Cooper, but were denied yet again.

  33. *

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    Unlike the late musical artist Prince, New Zealand clearly frowns upon giving anyone a symbol for a name. 

  34. Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116

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    It might look like a cat walked across our keyboard, but this was an actual name Swedish parents attempted to get approved in protest of the country's strict naming laws. According to them, it was pronounced "Albin" and, unsurprisingly, wasn't approved. 

  35. President

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    This goes with New Zealand's rule against names that "resemble an official title."

  37. Spinach

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    It's unclear whether this was translated to "espinacas" in Spanish when they banned it in Mexico, but it's not all that much worse than other food-based baby names we've heard. Apple, anyone?

  38. Mafia No Fear

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    This sounds more like a Mad Lib than a baby name, which is probably why it wasn't approved by New Zealand government.

  39. Martian

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    It sounds better in the native Spanish, "Marciana," but the out-of-this-world moniker was still banned by officials in Mexico.

  40. Smelly Head

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    We're not sure why Malaysian parents tried to get this name approved, which is Chow Tow in their native language, but it was very swiftly denied. 

  41. Private

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    It would be ironic if someone given this name, which is another one banned in Sonora, Mexico, turned out to be a social butterfly.

  42. Snake

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    This might be a common nickname (which is reportedly "Hokkien Chinese Ah Chwar" in the native language in Malaysia) for bikers and bad guys in comic books, but it was banned by Malaysian officials. 

  43. Lord

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    Another name nixed by German officials, this time because it "is only known as a title for English nobility or as a name for god, even if it might be an acceptable name in the United States or Sweden."

  44. Camilla

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    No, Iceland isn't holding any grudges against the Duchess of Cornwall by banning this name. It simply doesn't fit into their grammar because their alphabet doesn't contain the letter "C."

  45. Schmitz

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    This is a popular last name in Germany, similar to "Smith" over here, which they apparently felt would be too confusing for a child.
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