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Hello everyone,
I'm working on my own website about names and now I'm trying to find some information about other countries (I'm from the Netherlands)and their restrictions ans laws about giving names.
For example: in my country there are only 2 restrictions: you cannot give a name other people can make jokes of. And you cannot give a name which is only used as a last name. So "Jansen" a very common name over here is not aloud. But "Thomas" is aloud because it is used as a first and last name.
And now I'm wondering what the law says in other countries... Maybe you can help me? I'm hoping there are many people posting here from different countries!
Thanks a lot,
Irish
I'm working on my own website about names and now I'm trying to find some information about other countries (I'm from the Netherlands)and their restrictions ans laws about giving names.
For example: in my country there are only 2 restrictions: you cannot give a name other people can make jokes of. And you cannot give a name which is only used as a last name. So "Jansen" a very common name over here is not aloud. But "Thomas" is aloud because it is used as a first and last name.
And now I'm wondering what the law says in other countries... Maybe you can help me? I'm hoping there are many people posting here from different countries!
Thanks a lot,
Irish
1
Replies
In the US there are no laws.
People can change their names to anything they want, and those laws vary from state to state - from simply taking the new name to petitioning a court, publicizing the notice, and if there is an objection the request is denied.
Different religions here have different traditions, which are about what is or isn't respectful or correct. I only know of the Judeo-Christian traditions: Christians name children after living people - relatives, close friends - as an honor or family tradition; Jewish people don't use the name of a living person.
As well, Christians, I believe, take the entire name when honoring the person or passing down a family name (Richard, Jr), while Jewish people use only the first initial of a deceased relative and form a different name from it, of either gender: naming a child after a late grandparent, Richard, would be any name that begins with 'R' *except* Richard itself.
I was named after my greatgrandafather, Joseph, who passed away before I was born. My middle name, too, has the first letter of my grandfather who passed away before I was born.
People can change their names to anything they want, and those laws vary from state to state - from simply taking the new name to petitioning a court, publicizing the notice, and if there is an objection the request is denied.
Different religions here have different traditions, which are about what is or isn't respectful or correct. I only know of the Judeo-Christian traditions: Christians name children after living people - relatives, close friends - as an honor or family tradition; Jewish people don't use the name of a living person.
As well, Christians, I believe, take the entire name when honoring the person or passing down a family name (Richard, Jr), while Jewish people use only the first initial of a deceased relative and form a different name from it, of either gender: naming a child after a late grandparent, Richard, would be any name that begins with 'R' *except* Richard itself.
I was named after my greatgrandafather, Joseph, who passed away before I was born. My middle name, too, has the first letter of my grandfather who passed away before I was born.
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i was intrigued when a french friend of mine told me that in france you can't change your name. in the UK, you can change your name by 'deed poll' to anything you like. i'm not sure how the process works but it isn't complicated or expensive.
there is an (apochryphal) story about a man who was so upset with his bank that he changed his name by deed poll to ' are a bunch of bastards', which was then his official name, which they had to print on his chequebook.
i also heard of someone who changed his name by deed poll from 'anthony' to 'lord anthony' so people would think he was aristocracy, which would be good for business - apparently it worked!
there is an (apochryphal) story about a man who was so upset with his bank that he changed his name by deed poll to ' are a bunch of bastards', which was then his official name, which they had to print on his chequebook.
i also heard of someone who changed his name by deed poll from 'anthony' to 'lord anthony' so people would think he was aristocracy, which would be good for business - apparently it worked!
1
I do not believe there are laws so much as just family, cultural or ethnic tradition and/or superstitions affliated with names. For instance, how many folks has anyone met named: Judas or Jezebel?
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Plenty of Judes, though. And I believe that during the Puritan period in England at least, any biblical name was considered fine, regardless of what the character was famous for - people would sometimes let their bibles fall open at random and give the new baby the first name on the page. At that time, Jezebel was used for sure; though I don't think they'd have been brave enough to go the Jesus route.
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In the Spanish form Judas, it isn't allowed (sentence 31/10/94 for the Civil Register) for the negative connotations in common use in Spain (e. g., in Spanish "ser un Judas", "to be a Jude", is an expression that also means "to be a traitor"). For extension, the Catalan (Judes), Galician (Xudas) and Basque (Juda) aren't allowed. But i don't know what could happen with less evident forms (Yehudah), because the judges are, very often, ignorant and incoherent in sentences about names.
At Idescat (the Catalan Service of Statistics) there are 5 Jude and 9 Juda or Judà, but it isn't possible to know if they are people born in Catalonia or foreigners named like this living in Catalonia.
At Idescat (the Catalan Service of Statistics) there are 5 Jude and 9 Juda or Judà, but it isn't possible to know if they are people born in Catalonia or foreigners named like this living in Catalonia.
1
In Spain the law is this:
1. It is not allowed give more than two simple names or one composed.
2. It is not allowed give the same name as living siblings.
3. It is not allowed give a last name as first name. (There are some exceptions with last names of saints: Javier, Borja...)
4. It is not allowed give a name that can mistake the gender of the person. (There are some exceptions: Cruz, Trinidad...)
5. It is not allowed give a nickname as first name. (There are some exceptions: Laia, Mariona...)
6. It is not allowed give a name that goes against the dignity of the person. A judge will rule over the case.
1. It is not allowed give more than two simple names or one composed.
2. It is not allowed give the same name as living siblings.
3. It is not allowed give a last name as first name. (There are some exceptions with last names of saints: Javier, Borja...)
4. It is not allowed give a name that can mistake the gender of the person. (There are some exceptions: Cruz, Trinidad...)
5. It is not allowed give a nickname as first name. (There are some exceptions: Laia, Mariona...)
6. It is not allowed give a name that goes against the dignity of the person. A judge will rule over the case.
1
In Australia there are no set laws, but the government has the right to refuse permission for parents to use a particular name if it is clearly ridiculous.
♦ Chrisell ♦
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. - J.R.R. Tolkien.
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. - J.R.R. Tolkien.
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Here in Finland there are a few laws for giving names, sure. I don't know what they are exactly, but I do know that
1. kids can't be given the same name as their siblings or half-siblings
2. a boy can't have a girl's name and the other way around
3. ridiculous names aren't allowed - the priest decides what's a ridiculous name, I guess.
4. last names aren't allowed either, of course. There aren't many Finnish names that can be used as both first and last names.
5. kids can't be given foreign first names if there's no good reason for it.
1. kids can't be given the same name as their siblings or half-siblings
2. a boy can't have a girl's name and the other way around
3. ridiculous names aren't allowed - the priest decides what's a ridiculous name, I guess.
4. last names aren't allowed either, of course. There aren't many Finnish names that can be used as both first and last names.
5. kids can't be given foreign first names if there's no good reason for it.
1