BANNED baby names you need to be aware of

All of the banned names around the world!

Author: Eden-Olivia LordPublished 3rd Dec 2024

When choosing your baby’s name there is a lot of pressure - they’ll have this name for their entire life, but did you know that some names are actually illegal or banned around the world?

While some celebrities have opted for unusual monikers such as North West, Apple Martin and Bear Grey Payne, there are some normal folks like the rest of us who have gone one step too far and ended up giving their little one an illegal baby name.

Back in 2016, a British mother was banned from naming her baby Cyanide... Yes, as in the poison.

Despite this case making headlines, it’s worth pointing out that the UK has very few restrictions in place when it comes to what parents can or cannot name their children.

In fact, the only rule is that a name might not be registered in exceptional cases, when the chosen name could be considered 'offensive' - or harmful to the child.

But, even so, this can still be appealed against.

In other countries across the world, things can be a LOT stricter - particularly in New Zealand, where some baby names are genuinely illegal.

Mums and dads are, essentially, banned from choosing names with royal, religious, or offensive connotations - or any name that resembles an official rank or title.

No surprise, then, that the likes of ‘Messiah’ and ‘King’ were big no-no options back in 2015.

And it’s worth pointing out that parents who tried to get around the rules by getting funky with their spellings (Royaal and Royahl - ha!) also wound up on the reject list.

So we've decided to round up the illegal baby names from around the world...

Illegal baby names in the UK

According to Mom Junction these names are banned in the UK:

1) Martian
2) Monkey
3) Chow Tow (which means 'Smelly Head')
4) Rogue
5) Akuma (in Japanese it mean 'Devil'

Illegal baby names in France

Over in France parents are banned from naming their children:

1) Nutella (yup, just like the chocolate)
2) MJ
3) Manhattan
4) Joyeux (which means 'happy' in English)
5) Deamon
6) Prince William
7) Mini Cooper (we can't quite believe this one)

Illegal baby names in Germany

1) Matti
2) Kohl
3) Stompie
4) Osama Bin Laden
5) Adolf Hitler

Also in Germany you are only allowed to give your child a gender neutral name if you make it double barrel and the second moniker is gender specific.

Illegal baby names in Australia

Some of the names that have been banned in Australia are certainly questionable...
1) Ikea
2) Ranga
3) LOL
4) Batman
5) Snort
6) Hitler
7) Spinach
8) Christ
9) Dame
10) God
11) Satan
12) Brother
13) Sir
14) Prime Minister
15) General

Illegal baby names in Switzerland

1) Mercedes
2) Schmid
3) Paris
4) Chanel
5) Judas
6) Lucifer

Illegal baby names in Iceland

Here's a fun fact about the Icelandic alphabet it doesn't include the letters C, Q, W or Z which makes any name with those character banned.

1) Duncan
2) Zoe
3) Enrique
4) Ludwig
5) Camilla
6) Harriet

Illegal baby names in Portugal

Judging by just a few of the banned names in Portugal it's safe to say they're not fond of names used by the royal family...

1) William
2) Catherine
3) George
4) Charlotte
5) Tom
6) Michael
7) Emily
8) Bruce
9) Jenny
10) Nirvana
11) Rihanna
12) Jimmy
13) Viking

Illegal baby names in America

Similar to the banned baby names in Portugal, in America they're not too fond of royal type names, so...
1) King
2) Queen
3) Majesty
4) Master
5) Judge
6) Duke

Illegal baby names in Denmark

If you're naming your baby in Denmark you'll most likely know someone with the same name because the country has a pre-approved list of names that you can pick from.

Not only that but if you want a name not on the list, you'll have to get permission from Copenhagen University's Names Investigation Department and at the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs.

Wowza!

A few names illegal in the country are:
1) Anus
2) Monkey
3) Pluto
4) Ashleiy
5) Jakobp

Illegal baby names in Hungary

1) Stephan (but you can give them the name Stefán)

Illegal baby names in Saudi Arabia

Some of the names banned in Saudi Arabia include:
1) Malak
2) Malika
3) Nardeen
4) Maya
5) Linda
6) Alice
7) Eleen
8) Arm
9) Lauren

Illegal baby names in Mexico

1) Facebook
2) Batman
3) Hermione
4) Rambo
5) Terminator
6) James Bond
7) Rolling Stone
8) Rocky
9) Hitler
10) Christmas Day
11) Burger King

Illegal baby names in New Zealand

In 2015 these were the top 27 names rejected in 2015, which means people tried to name their children with these monikers...

1) Messiah
2) King
3) Royal
4) Prince
5) Royale
6) Bishop
7) Empress
8) Princess
9) / (symbol in the name)

10) () a name in brackets
11) Chief
12) Christ
13) Commodore
14) Impryss
15) Justice
16) Justyce
17) Knight
18) Lord
19) MMMR

20) Queen
21) Regal
22) Rogue
23) Royaal
24) Royahl
25) Sarjant
26) Sir
27) Suprintendent

That’s a pretty crazy list, isn’t it?

It’s lucky Katie Price and Peter Andre were living in the UK when they welcomed their daughter, otherwise Princess wouldn’t have her unusual name! Neither would Beyonce's son Sir or Blac Chyna's son King Cairo...