Summaries checked in October 2026. Rules change and registrars have some discretion, so confirm with the civil registry where the birth will be registered. Check a specific name with our name checker.
United States
Most states accept almost any name. California and several other states only print the 26 English letters on birth certificates, so accents are dropped (José becomes Jose).
United Kingdom
Almost anything goes. Registrars can refuse names that are offensive, or that use numbers or symbols.
New Zealand
Names can't be offensive, longer than 100 characters, or resemble a title or rank. Rejected names include Lucifer, King, Princess, Justice and "4Real". A judge once made a 9-year-old a ward of court so she could drop the name "Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii".
Germany
The registry office (Standesamt) must accept the name and can refuse names that could harm the child, such as brand names, objects or titles. Unusual names are often checked with the Society for the German Language.
France
Parents choose freely since 1993, but the registrar can send a name to a judge if it goes against the child's interest. Courts have renamed babies called Nutella (now Ella) and Fraise (strawberry).
Spain
The Civil Registry refuses names that harm the child's dignity or confuse their identity. At most two simple names or one compound name.
Portugal
Portugal keeps an official list of admitted first names. Names should be Portuguese or adapted to Portuguese spelling, with at most two first names. Foreign names are possible for children with a foreign parent.
Brazil
Registry offices can refuse names that expose the child to ridicule (Public Records Law 6.015/1973). Parents can appeal to a judge.
Mexico
Rules vary by state. In 2014 Sonora published 61 banned names, including Facebook, Hitler, Robocop and Lady Di.
Turkey
Names that don't fit national culture or moral values, or that are insulting or ridiculous, can be refused (Population Services Law 5490, article 39).
Saudi Arabia
In 2014 the Civil Affairs department reportedly banned about 50 names: some linked to royalty or religion (Malak, Amir, Abdul Nasser) and some foreign names (Linda, Alice, Benjamin). Check with Civil Affairs before you register.
Iceland
Names must be on the official register or approved by the Naming Committee, and must fit Icelandic grammar and spelling.
Denmark
Parents choose from an official list of approved names. Anything else needs approval from the authorities.
Japan
Names must use approved kanji, hiragana or katakana. Since May 2025 the reading of a name must be registered too, and it must be a generally accepted reading. A father once tried to name his son Akuma (devil) and was refused.
China
Names must use standard Chinese characters. Latin letters, numbers and symbols aren't accepted, and rare characters can cause problems with ID systems.
Names refused around the world
A judge made the 9-year-old a ward of court so she could change it. She had told friends her name was K.
A court renamed the baby Ella, saying the name would expose her to mockery.
Refused: the judge expected teasing with the slang "ramène ta fraise" (roughly "butt in").
Pronounced "Albin", according to the parents, who were protesting the naming law. Refused.
Refused: numbers aren't allowed. The parents settled on Superman.
Three of 61 names on the state's banned list.
The father fought the refusal in court, then chose another name.
Refused in both countries.
Fun, but true. Name meanings come from common etymologies, which sometimes disagree. Height and weight paths are estimates from population growth data and published studies, not a medical assessment. If you're worried about your child's growth, talk to your paediatrician. Full disclaimer