NAME SHAME
People say my son’s name should be ILLEGAL – they call me a ‘cruel mum’ and say he’ll act up over it
Ronni Lily, 27, isn't the first parent to make headlines for giving her child the unusual name
A MUM has defended her baby's controversial name after trolls criticised her "cruel" choice.
Ronni Lily is unfazed by the fact her son’s name is illegal in multiple countries, including New Zealand and Germany.
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In fact, the 27-year-old claims there is "nothing negative" about her son's name - despite it being widely accepted as the devil’s moniker.
Ronni and partner Brad named their son Lucifer in January this year.
Lucifer means ‘bearer of light’ or ‘Morning Star’, but is more commonly known as the name of the devil.
While the name isn’t illegal in the UK, it certainly raises a few eyebrows.
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The couple from Birmingham are not religious and instead, were inspired to pick the name after watching the Netflix series, Lucifer.
Mum-of-four Ronni believes it marries perfectly with her other children’s names: Lola, six, Lincoln, three, and Lilac, two.
"Trolls told me it’s illegal, but we love it,” she says.
“We had a deal that I had final say on our daughter’s names and Brad could choose our son’s names.
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“When I was pregnant, he had just finished watching the show [Lucifer] and we both agreed it was a pretty cool name.
“Of course we are aware of a certain connotation, but we are not religious.”
My older Hubby let me have a baby with another man
Little Lucifer Ashley entered the world on January 20 but his controversial name had been chosen much sooner when Ronni was 16 weeks pregnant.
It wasn’t a last-minute decision and no other names swayed their choice throughout the nine months.
“One family member didn’t hold back,” Ronni reveals.
“Not only did she tell us she absolutely hated it, she actually said it was an ‘abomination’ to call a baby that name.
“She still won’t use his full name but she calls him Luci.
“But my dad loved it straight away - he said it was really different and bold and to stick with it.”
Banned Names in the UK
The UK has no law restricting names, but names that contain obscenities, numerals, misleading titles, or are impossible to pronounce are likely to be rejected when registering a child.
- Hilter
- Monkey
- Cyanide
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'ILLEGAL AND CRUEL'
When Ronni announced her son’s name in a mums' group online, she was met with fierce criticism.
Concerned strangers warned her her son would be bullied, while horrified parents said it was “illegal” and “cruel”.
Ronni, a trained Teaching Assistant, disagrees and argues children are more concerned by branded trainers than unusual names these days.
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“Other parents said I’ve named him after the devil, so he will be like the devil,” she says.
“That’s just stupid as you can’t negatively label a child.
“His name is unusual but strong and I just ignored troll comments - what we call our child has nothing to do with them.”
JEALOUS PEERS
Ronni even says that other mums are secretly jealous they haven’t used the name themselves.
“Amid the negative comments and judgement, lots of other mums admitted they loved the name and had considered using it,” she claims.
“But they let their worries get the better of them and other people put them off.
“I’m sad that so many parents admitted online that they loved the name, but decided against it due to peer pressure and outdated views.
“When he was born, midwives told us they loved the name and encouraged us not to change it.”
The controversial moniker was banned in New Zealand in 2013, but Ronni insists she had no issues officially registering Lucifer Ashley in the UK.
HELL OF A NAME
Back in May 2020, one couple won a legal battle to name their son Lucifer after the registrar had tried to ban its use.
Dan and Mandy Sheldon were told to leave the room while the official checked if she was allowed to register the boy with the Satanic title.
The devil’s name as Lucifer was first seen in the King James Bible, in 1611.
In more modern versions of the Bible he is referred to as Satan.
The UK has very few legal restrictions in place for names, although those that contain obscenities and numbers are likely to be rejected.
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“At the Registrar office, we had no problems at all,” Ronni says. “No raised eyebrows or gasps of disgust.
“The registrar simply confirmed the spelling and that was it.
“I’m sure they hear far worse names every day.
“I haven’t given any thought to if he could get married in church, if he ever wanted to.
“I really don’t think there will be any long-term problems, but he has a common middle name he can use if he ever wants or needs to.”
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
When introducing Lucifer to strangers in real life, Ronni has been met with a mix of positive and shocked reactions.
She says: “Generally people love it, but a few have given me a nervous laugh.
“Sometimes when people ask I warn them first and say ‘it’s quite unusual' or controversial.
“That’s just to give them a moment to know that I’m not going to care what they say.
“Ultimately, people either like It or don’t, but their opinion isn’t relevant.
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“My son is such a cheeky chap and there is nothing ‘devilish’ about his behaviour or personality.
“He is Lucifer, the legend. There is nothing negative about his name.”
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