# What happens if parents refuse to name their child? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 11, 2004, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-parents-refuse-to-name-their-child/274150 "2004-11-11T04:15:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-parents-refuse-to-name-their-child/274150/21 "2004-11-11T17:20:57Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > Pretty sure that’s an UL and that the name has a meaning in a (Native American?) language, which is where they derived it. But like you I don’t have a cite. Anyone who does? (BTW, it’s spelled Pic **a** bo.) [Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/humor/iftrue/picabo.htm) doesn’t directly address this, but they repeat the “Unnamed until a trip to Mexico” story in passing, without saying that it’s false. This jives with what I remember hearing back when she was in the Olympics. ---
**Author:** ![jgroub](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b77776/32.png) [@jgroub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jgroub)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-parents-refuse-to-name-their-child/274150/22 "2004-11-12T00:44:37Z")
My dad couldn’t get his act together to give the name to the hospital before they left, so the hospital put “Baby” on the birth certificate. If only they had just put asshole! Would have saved a lot of time. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-parents-refuse-to-name-their-child/274150/23 "2004-11-12T01:15:10Z")
I grew up with a large family who actually put the numerical order of their babies on the birth certicicate of each child. Like **One Jones** , then **Two Jones** , and so on.The kids then picked a name (or two) when they felt ready. Until that they were called by pet names, even by non-family. Actually, it was very cool. One of the girls grew up with the name **Punkin**. The oldest, a boy, was called **Dancer** (or just Dance) because he liked to dance. The nuns at school had a hard time with it, though, and called them "miss’ and “master”, IIRC. 😛 I hope someone from that family reads this. I’m **Squeaky** , or **Curly** , if you do. 🙂 Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-parents-refuse-to-name-their-child/274150/24 "2004-11-12T02:21:40Z")
> [@](#): > > If the bureaucrats wanted to play rough, they’d pass a statute stating that, if the baby isn’t named within (eg.) a week, Frank Zappa gets to name it. Or maybe George Foreman. ---
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-parents-refuse-to-name-their-child/274150/25 "2004-11-12T02:31:51Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > By the age of 5 she might well have had the wonderful Beatrice Potter books read to her a few billion times. 🙂 > > Cartooniverse Is she related to BEATRIX Potter? > **[Welcome to the official home of Peter Rabbit](https://www.peterrabbit.com/)** > > Welcome to the official home of Peter Rabbit and his friends. Here you’ll find news, information and activities to delight little bunnies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-parents-refuse-to-name-their-child/274150.md?page=1)