# Laws/rules on naming babies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 6, 2012, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laws-rules-on-naming-babies/624324 "2012-06-06T22:45:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laws-rules-on-naming-babies/624324/41 "2013-01-03T19:32:27Z")
What if I wanted to name my kid Vndsjkhweruihfuisduifewknuhnucvkrgnvujfgnejsgnsjxgmyjwgncyjcjwetgwetyqubjzbcxmdfasjkrfwekncjgvnjxgnfvjgncsjfcgnyjsgnzmjnxngmmnkmznknrjasgjashncujzgxnjkghukgzxjygncjsdurfwtuncjegnyjgnzjgnyjxgnczjyfnekrnknxgyjzcngkngfzufnertgefutgnsjgnrfukscnflxmietronbiomlnihnkudfgwdytrfbwtrqywqdvhxcbmgxcbeuisyukxaymxuisfhyuisdryijgxikbuhkmxhscukccxnzjkfhrweikcnufvbsxufbyseknykushmcknhgfis-Ann Junior? ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laws-rules-on-naming-babies/624324/42 "2013-01-03T19:51:56Z")
I can’t remember why now, but a little while I stumbled over this article about [Wolfe+585, Sr](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfe%2B585,_Senior). Also, while I can’t speak for the US government, the Russian government assigned me an official transliteration of my latin-charactered name. My name looks absolutely horrible in Cyrillic, I’m afraid. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laws-rules-on-naming-babies/624324/43 "2013-01-03T19:55:15Z")
Among my friends are Captain and Downbeat — first names given at birth and their official identities with Uncle Sugar. And lets not forget some of the various Hollywood names. To the best of my knowledge (1992 or so), the law in PA is anything goes at the discretion of the county clerk; two valid reasons for him to turn down a first name is A) suspicion of fraud B) attempting to incite To give a different last name than either birth parent requires justification. Should the county clerk turn it down, petition can be made to the court. Rules out lame paternity claims and that local skinhead who thinks Adolph Hitler Murphey would just be cute as hell. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laws-rules-on-naming-babies/624324/44 "2013-01-03T20:18:08Z")
Wasn’t Prince allowed to officially change his name that stupid symbol he made up? Unless I’m mis-remembering it, that would seem to indicate that in America, it’s not a requirement that a name be spellable in English or in any pre-existing language or symbol set. Also, there are some places where people have only one name - Indonesia, for example, where two presidents were simply “Sukarno” and “Suharto.” Would other nations impose some sort of family name requirement on an Indonesian (or similar) immigrant or newborn? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laws-rules-on-naming-babies/624324/45 "2013-01-03T20:26:28Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Wasn’t Prince allowed to officially change his name that stupid symbol he made up? No, he was not. Actually, he didn’t even try to make a legal name change, just did it for contract purposes in a dispute with his record company. But here at his residence in Minnesota, he remained on the voting register as _Prince Rogers Nelson_. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laws-rules-on-naming-babies/624324/46 "2013-01-03T20:29:38Z")
Thanks for the correction. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laws-rules-on-naming-babies/624324/47 "2013-01-03T20:40:08Z")
Just saw[this](http://news.yahoo.com/icelandic-girl-fights-her-own-name-074758814.html). Apparently Iceland has an approved list of names you have to use. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laws-rules-on-naming-babies/624324/48 "2013-01-03T23:12:04Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > …Also, while I can’t speak for the US government, the Russian government assigned me an official transliteration of my latin-charactered name. My name looks absolutely horrible in Cyrillic, I’m afraid. Worse than Exapno Mapcase? > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Just saw[this](http://news.yahoo.com/icelandic-girl-fights-her-own-name-074758814.html). Apparently Iceland has an approved list of names you have to use. You don’t say! See post 35. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Room](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_room/32/5069_2.png) [@Little\_Room](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Room)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laws-rules-on-naming-babies/624324/49 "2013-01-03T23:14:25Z")
As others have said - it varies based on jurisdiction. I know in Kentucky, the name, including family name, is whatever the parents want it to be. I know this personally because my now-ex wife named our child a different last/family name than both of us before I had a chance to review the birth certificate document, and I am in court now trying to get it changed to the one we had agreed on. > [@](#): > > From KRS 213.046: If there is no dispute as to paternity, the name of the husband shall be entered on the certificate as the father of the child. The surname of the child shall be any name chosen by the parents; however, if the parents are separated or divorced at the time of the child’s birth, the choice of surname rests with the parent who has legal custody following birth. I have heard different things about Illinois but I cannot find it in the statutes. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laws-rules-on-naming-babies/624324/50 "2013-01-03T23:14:30Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Worse than Exapno Mapcase? Don’t you mean Харпо Маркс? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laws-rules-on-naming-babies/624324/51 "2013-01-04T01:18:42Z")
Did anyone happen to catch the recent article on this subject from Iceland? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laws-rules-on-naming-babies/624324/52 "2013-01-04T01:48:11Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > Don’t you mean Харпо Маркс? If that means “Groucho Marx,” then yes. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laws-rules-on-naming-babies/624324/53 "2013-01-04T01:52:43Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > If that means “Groucho Marx,” then yes. No, it’s [Harpo Marx](http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BA%D1%81,_%D0%A5%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BF%D0%BE). Groucho becomes Граучо Маркс. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laws-rules-on-naming-babies/624324/54 "2013-01-04T05:26:50Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > No, it’s [Harpo Marx](http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BA%D1%81,_%D0%A5%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BF%D0%BE). Groucho becomes Граучо Маркс. Obviously I misremembered the story. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laws-rules-on-naming-babies/624324/55 "2013-01-04T05:30:49Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Worse than Exapno Mapcase? My first name is Noah. Because this is a biblical name, there is actually a perfectly cromulent Russian version of it: Ной. The Russian Federation decided instead that I should be Ноа. I think you need to actually have some knowledge of Russian to understand just how barbaric that looks/sounds, but trust me, it does/is. 😛 ETA: This doesn’t get into how horrible my middle/last names are in Cyrillic. Or how confused Russians are by Anglo naming conventions. “No, really, we have three names. First and second are entirely random–my middle name happens to be my father’s first name, but it’s not a patronymic, I swear.” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laws-rules-on-naming-babies/624324/56 "2013-01-04T14:59:37Z")
> [@Huffington Post article](#): > > “I was inspired by Prince who changed his name to The Artist Formerly Known As Prince and Puff Daddy who changed his to P. Diddy and then Diddy with seemingly little thought or criticism,” he said. “I applied to the committee, but of course I got the `No’ that I expected.” > [@cmkeller](#): > > Wasn’t Prince allowed to officially change his name that stupid symbol he made up? Unless I’m mis-remembering it, that would seem to indicate that in America, it’s not a requirement that a name be spellable in English or in any pre-existing language or symbol set. > [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > No, he was not. Actually, he didn’t even try to make a legal name change, just did it for contract purposes in a dispute with his record company. But here at his residence in Minnesota, he remained on the voting register as _Prince Rogers Nelson_. Yes, neither Prince Rogers Nelson nor Sean Combs has legally changed his name. I don’t know what the situation is in other countries, but in the United States, you don’t have to legally change your name. You can just start using whatever name you want. And people in the entertainment industry often have “professional” names that are different from their legal names. In such cases, they likely continue to use their legal names for official purposes like government purposes (taxes, passports) and financial transactions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laws-rules-on-naming-babies/624324.md?page=2)