21. Names

People in countries like the U.S. are free to name their kids just about anything. And some people go wild with that freedom. They end up naming kids after fictional characters, objects, or intentionally-misspelled variations of common names. Some countries impose limits mostly for the child’s well-being.

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In Sweden, first names can’t be offensive or “cause discomfort for the one using it.” Rejected names include Ikea and Elvis.

In Denmark, families have to choose from a government-approved list of 7,000 names. They can request names not on the list, but these also have to meet certain guidelines. For example, a first name must indicate gender and it can’t also be used as a last name. Rejected names include Anus and Monkey.

Other countries with naming laws include Germany, China and Japan.