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Bizarre baby names: banned in New Zealand

by Laurel Miller (RSS feed) on Jul 21st 2011 at 2:00PM

The spawn of Hollywood celebrities will probably want to avoid giving birth in New Zealand in the future. The annoying trend of bequeathing ridiculous names to one's offspring will no longer be tolerated in the island nation, according to CNN.

The country's Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages is banning "weird" baby names: the current list includes Lucifer, Duke, Messiah, and 89 (let's hope that's not his/her birth order). Bishop, Baron, General, Judge, King, Knight, and Mr. were said to be too similar to titles. And letters such as C, D, I, and T and names involving punctuation marks? Nope.

In 2008, New Zealand's names registrar approved non-traditional names (there's a set of twins out there named Benson and Hedges). Apparently, circumstances or places of conception were also cool as namesakes. Hence, Violence and Number 16 Bus Shelter. But now there's an end to the madness, and hopefully New Zealand will once again become a nation of Liam's and Chloe's.

Fortunately, Sweden (sorry, Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116, pronounced Albin) and the Dominican Republic are getting on board with banning idiotic baby names. In 2007, a Dominican judge banned "Tonton" (Dummy) Ruiz, but only because it was confusing and/or gave no indication of gender.

I'm all for foreign or original baby names (despite to this day being called "Laura/Lauren/Nora/Floral/Coral" on a daily basis). But doesn't it constitute a form of child abuse when you stick your kid with a handle guaranteed to inspire butt-kicking on the playground? You'd better learn taekwando, Bronx Mowgli Wentz.

[Photo credit: Flickr user scherre]

[Via Global Post]

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Learning, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America, Sweden, Dominican Republic, United States, New Zealand, News

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Reader Comments (Page 4 of 5)

Sue Jul 21st 2011 9:47PM

I think it's annoying when they name a baby a name that sounds like a common name but spell it bizarre. Then, the child has to spend their life correcting people on how to spell their name.

Kathie Jul 21st 2011 11:33PM

Charles, I do know but at the moment my mind just went blank. Must have been a senior moment. LOL
Thanks for reminding me.

Diana B. Jul 21st 2011 10:38PM

Wasn't there once a baseball commissioner named Kennesaw Mountain Landis? I suppose they could have at least called him Ken.

Anyway, what's wrong wth John and Mary? I named my kids Paul and Barbara

Laurel Jul 21st 2011 10:48PM

Hi Readers,

I had no idea this short post would touch off such debate! So, since it has, I'll share this (true--I swear) story with you. My former roommate was from rural Tennessee. Her mother taught elementary school in a nearby impoverished community, and she had a set of twins in her class named Syphilis and "Gonnorah."

Her mother suspected that their mother saw an STD pamphlet in the doctor's office, and, being only semi-literate, thought they sounded like pretty names. While a funny story, it's also rather sad. But I guess it does make a case for the ban of certain names.

With regard to the comments about my name; when my brother was born, my parents gave him the most popular boy's name at the time, which they then regretted. So they decided the next kid was getting something weird (which my name was at the time). I've always disliked it, because no one ever gets it right (I also get really sick of being asked, "Where's Hardy?").
I love the name Lauren, and at this point in my life, I don't even correct people any more. But I always want to ask, "Have you ever MET someone named Floral??"

Thanks for reading and commenting,

Best,
Laurel

Christina Jul 22nd 2011 1:51AM

I have heard the Syphillis and Gonoria story many times. The last time was my husbands old partner claimed his mother was a nurse in a doctors office in the south and it was one of her patients.

Anyone else thinking Urban Myth on this one?

IRISH Jul 28th 2011 1:09AM

My name is Charley Boy and if I have a son I will name him Bush E. Boy!...More over Hitler!

Darby Jul 21st 2011 10:57PM

I had a high school math teacher whose first name was Doctor and had a PhD in mathematics: therefore, he was called "Dr. Dr. Thayer." No lie. Also, I went to school with a kid by the name of Michael Hunt, went by Mike. Now...pronounce Mike Hunt quickly. Yea, he got made fun of.

mikie walker Jul 22nd 2011 11:44PM

what a bunch of dodo talk about something important not this drible

Chele Jul 21st 2011 11:47PM

OH by the way Adolf married his mistress few days later they killed themselves

Bobijo Jul 22nd 2011 12:48AM

I'm sure some of these kids will get picked on in school. I have an unusual name (compared to some one named Jane or Rose) in Bobijo. I always tell people I was named after a character from Petticoat Junction (a 60's TV show if you don't know) and an awesome basketball player( BobbyJoe of the Harlem Globetrotters)! Name your child what you want, but please keep in mind: 1. If it makes you giggle, don't. 2. If it has more than one word rhyme with it, don't. 3. If it's going to get your child beat up, don't. 4. Never alter the spelling so that no one understands how to pronounce, let alone spell, it!

Kenny Jul 22nd 2011 1:14AM

I went to school with a guy named Jock Gilstrap. Of course everybody called him Gil Jockstrap. Also dated a girl named Candy Cane. Saw a friends yearbook once with a picture of a gal named Fonda Dicks. So Sad. Those parents should be punished for doing that to their children.

J V L Jul 22nd 2011 1:12AM

It really doesn't matter what name you want your child to be called. Once they get to school, schoolyard rules apply.

I gave my children nice, traditional, names.

My son went to an inner city high school (by his choice) where he was branded "white Mike" as the only white child with the name Michael in the school.

My daughter went to Catholic school and her nice, Catholic name of Anne was trashed into Anna Banana.

So, good luck.

lita Jul 22nd 2011 1:24AM

How sad that legislation is needed to prevent so-called adults from giving their children stupid names. (You'd think that love would be enough to do that, wouldn't you?)

Years ago, I remember reading about an idiot in the news named Malice
Green. Care to guess how is life came to an end? What decent human being would give their child a name that was Latin for evil? Talk about your
self-fulfilling prophecy. I hope those who named him feel some guilt, damning him right from the beginning of his life.

John Jul 22nd 2011 1:39AM

When a nation or nation's government begins dictating what one MAY or MAY NOT name their offspring, it ceases to become a free or Democratic nation.

New Zealand is one of the few "free" countries I have not visited and always wanted to visit...NOT ANY MORE. My tourist dollars will go elsewhere...where people are free to choose to name their children Ludwig or Joe however THEY choose. I happen to have two friends named BISHOP and I love them dearly and I will not visit any country who doesn't respect their name...as people should respect New Zealanders' names such as FLEUR (a New Zealand poet) or BASIL Dowling (another New Zealand poet) REIMKE Ensing...New Zealand seems to be a giant pot calling a kettle black....

Leilana Jul 22nd 2011 6:49AM

I live in New Zealand and I am 17. I hated my name for about 15 years but with all the crazy names these days I feel as though my name isn't as bad. if you want to be creative, chose a simple exotic name like mine. my name is Leilana and it is Hawaiian and means heavenly flower.