Should there be a government list of approved names

[Viviennemary]

I believe some countries have such a list. A while ago I would have thought this was a very bad idea. Now I am beginning to wonder when I see some of the outlandish names some poor children are inflicted with. Or is it none of anybody's business.

[SomeTiggyPudding]

This is actually a thread where you can ask "Won't somebody think of the children?!"
You GIVE children a name. It's then theirs. It doesn't belong to the parents. It's the name that a human being will get called throughout their childhood. Parents need to give names that the child will want rather than trying to say something about themselves via their child's name.

[Leafmould]

We 3 bunnies, yes I think you are right, where there is not many variants, then the name seems to be there, like Ruth.

[meddie]

from a personal liberty point of view I would say no. but after meeting children who have been called Lucifer and Gansta I wish they would have a banned list.

[SchroSawMummyRidingSantaClaus]

It would be fine in Sweden. :o

[GinSoakedMu1berryLush]

Maybe but not as strict as Sweden's list! I mean, Brian wouldn't be to my taste but there was a lady who lives in Sweden saying recently she needed permission to name a baby after her Father Brian. That seems a bit too strict!!

Britain is so multicultural, how would it work? They'd need to emply people to check the name was not simply ludicrous or offensive in another language.

[SchroSawMummyRidingSantaClaus]

I know DS's name wouldn't be on the approved list if this was to happen. :(

[We3bunniesOfOrientAre]

Neither my name or dd2's names are in any way Portuguese though, one is Jewish, the other one Latin(I know Portuguese derives from Latin though) but neither very popular, dh's name is v popular and v traditional boys name, and dd1's is French. It is just interesting that some names seem to make it onto the list and others don't. I have never met a Portuguese person with my name or dd2's name. I guess with dh and dd1's names there were Portuguese equivalents, whereas for dd2 and I there aren't many/any variations on our names so if you want to call your child by our names it is either there or not.

[Leafmould]

Fry one and 3 bunnies, the Portuguese list is there to preserve the 'native' forms of the names, so not so much about the popularity/ unusual issue, but more about preventing the anglicisation/ or foreignification of names.

I think.

[Leafmould]

Norks, it was for the lady who started the thread about double barreled surnames in Sweden. I thought she might be interested in some of the Swedish insights.

[NorksAreTinselly]

leafmould what made you resurrect this thread?
Iam glad you did because I am loving the Scandi-drama

Norktitia Tinsel-Doreen x

[Lilka]

Perhaps we should have the opposite.

Instead of a list of permissable names, we could have a list of words that are banned as names becuase they are emotionally abusive to the child? Maybe that should be our name benchmark - not that a name is a bit silly, but that it is likely to be harmful?

So on the banned list - Poohead, Adolf-Hitler, Sexy, Useless, and so on

And a registrar can temporarily refuse naming a certain name and make an urgent request to see whether the name should be entered on the banned list or not

Probably unworkable, but hey ho

[We3bunniesOfOrientAre]

How else could you spell it Ohhelp ?

[We3bunniesOfOrientAre]

Strangely on the Portuguese list dd2 and I with the most unusual names, along with ds whose name is top 10 escape unscathed, but dh and dd1 both with v mainstream names don't feature.

When we named dd1; DM sent card with wrong name on, imagine Katherine instead of Kate, because she 'didn't know' that you could now actually name a child legally with a nickname and assumed that though we told her the name was x it must obviously be y. This is the woman who has only ever been known by the derivative of her middle name! Dd1's name (her actual name not the name that DM imagined we must have named her) is in the top 50 girls names, so hardly controversial.

I don't think that there should be a list, but possibly rules in the way that NZ has some. Save the vicar having to break it to the parents (friend of a friend) that he wasn't willing to christen their child 'Satan'.

[SomeTiggyPudding]

Yes.

There should also be a board that you can go to if you want a name not on the list.

Some names are cruel to children. eg. Tu Morrow, Diva Thin Muffin, Audio Science, Pilot Inspektor, etc.

[FryOneFatChristmasTurkey]

Oddly, my name, which is rare here, is on the Portugal list (with one letter dropped), but niether of my DCs names are. Although I have seen a possible translated version of DD's.

My surname is double barrelled so would not pass muster in Sweden.

I agree some rules for names, such as no obscenities, no punctuation, etc would be good, but otherwise, a list of approved names is too much state control for my liking.

[Alisvolatpropiis]

I don't think it's an awful idea. France has a list as well doesn't it?

[manicinsomniac]

Oh, I really want to have another daughter now and name her Heavenly Blue Banana. What an awesome name!

But no, I don't think there should be a list of allowed names.

[AlwaysHoldingOnToStarbug]

Interesting what someone on the first page said about Jeff/Geoff. It is my DH's name - Geoffrey and MIL hates it but said she had to use it as you weren't allowed shortened names. Which considering her real name is a shortened version I don't understand.

So does anyone know if this was ever true?

Anyway, I don't think there should be a list of names. No way.

[uptheamp]

iran has a government \link{http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/7873621/Iran-government-issues-style-guide-for-mens-hair.html\hairstyle} list

as did communist china i think

[Leafmould]

Bump

[twonker]

Eg: nathan= natao
Michael = Miguel
Isobel= isabela.

Sometimes it is just as well, as Nathan would not be easily pronounced in Portugal.

[nailak]

The New Zeland article says no religious references? How is that possible? then is Mary banned? Mohammed? Noah?

[twonker]

mama tonic I am surprised if there is no version of your children's names on the Portuguese list. My name is not mentioned either, and it's a top 10 name in the uk, but there are several Portuguese versions with the same meaning and origin.