If you're new parents in Australia, you can't name your kids Coca-Cola, Gummi Bears, or King John I. Similarly, if you're an adult, you can't change your name to those either.
The Queensland Registry of Birth, Deaths, and Marriages quickly nixed those names for name change requests in 2008.
"Parents are able to decide their own spelling when choosing a name for their baby, however in Queensland there are certain regulations governing what the name can be," Kerry Shine, Queensland's Attorney-General, told the Brisbane Courier-Mail. "You cannot choose a name which includes an official title or rank ... it also cannot be a trademark, or consist of or include symbols without phonetic significance."
New Zealand has similar uptightness about stupid names, having rejected the name "4Real" for a baby, but reluctantly allowed "Superman" instead. Apparently, New Zealand doesn't have the same restrictions on trademarked names, choosing instead to veto only the stupidest of names.
While I never like government interference in how parents raise or even name their children, I sometimes envy Australia and New Zealand's ability to nix stupid names. Too many celebrities give their kids dumber names than 4Real or Gummi Bear. Dumb names like Jermajesty (Jermaine Jackson, Michael's older brother), Audio Science (Shannyn Sossamon), Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily (Paula Yates and Michael Hutchence), or Moxie Crimefighter (Penn Jillette).
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The Queensland Registry of Birth, Deaths, and Marriages quickly nixed those names for name change requests in 2008.
"Parents are able to decide their own spelling when choosing a name for their baby, however in Queensland there are certain regulations governing what the name can be," Kerry Shine, Queensland's Attorney-General, told the Brisbane Courier-Mail. "You cannot choose a name which includes an official title or rank ... it also cannot be a trademark, or consist of or include symbols without phonetic significance."
New Zealand has similar uptightness about stupid names, having rejected the name "4Real" for a baby, but reluctantly allowed "Superman" instead. Apparently, New Zealand doesn't have the same restrictions on trademarked names, choosing instead to veto only the stupidest of names.
While I never like government interference in how parents raise or even name their children, I sometimes envy Australia and New Zealand's ability to nix stupid names. Too many celebrities give their kids dumber names than 4Real or Gummi Bear. Dumb names like Jermajesty (Jermaine Jackson, Michael's older brother), Audio Science (Shannyn Sossamon), Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily (Paula Yates and Michael Hutchence), or Moxie Crimefighter (Penn Jillette).
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