Nine illegal names you are BANNED from calling your child in America – and what happens if you do
PICKING a name for a newborn is one of the most important decisions a parent makes, but some have found that a few names in America are more than just discouraged — they're illegal.
The United States is laid-back on naming laws, but some names are still prohibited because of practical reasons or to protect the child.
For the most part, naming regulations differ from state to state. For example, most states don't allow someone to have numbers in their name — Kentucky is the only state that has no naming laws at all.
Other states limit the number of characters used. Arizona gives a 141 character limit, while Texas wants full names to stay under 100.
California is one state that allows hyphens and apostrophes to be used — permitting names like X Æ A-12.
A few names have been banned nationwide due to them being obscene or derogatory, in order to protect the child.
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Listed below are names that you CANNOT officially go by in America, according to .
- King
- Queen
- Jesus Christ
- III
- Santa Claus
- Majesty
- Adolf Hitler
- Messiah
- @
If someone were to attempt to name their child any of the names listed, it would be rejected on the record and a new moniker would have to be chosen.
Some other banned names include Nutella, Nelly's, and Harry 3.
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While the regulations in place to protect children are almost common sense, the practical naming restrictions could be more tricky.
Some of the rules are related to the software used to keep birth records. The number of characters mentioned before is partly due to the software's limits.
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Some states have banned accents and non-English letters from birth certificates.
However, states like North Carolina, Hawaii, Kansas, and Oregon allow accents and specific foreign letters on birth certificates and other government documents.
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