From Molly-Mae’s daughter Bambi, to Kourtney Kardashian’s son Rocky and Gwyneth Paltrow’s unusual choice of Apple, the desire for a unique baby name is dominating the celebrity world and, indeed, some UK households.

According to data by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), a number of traditional British baby names are now so unpopular that they are at risk of becoming extinct – with the likes of Freda, Bessie, Cecil and Percy registered 150 times or fewer in 2024, accounting for 0.02 per cent or less of the babies born that year.

Yet while expecting parents may be moving away from the traditional likes of Emma and Oliver, there are some rather bizarre names that are actually banned across the globe.

The UK does not place an explicit ban on particular names. However, numerous countries have placed legal restrictions on parents’ name choices in a bid to help protect children from any harmful implications.

Japan, for instance, refuses names with dark or violent meanings, while a Swedish court once ordered two new parents to rename their child after they attempted to use the title of a well-known chocolate and hazelnut spread.

In Denmark, primates are banned from name use, while a Welsh court previously blocked a mother’s attempt to register her daughter under the name of Cyanide, a lethal substance.

In the US, Santa Claus was denied, while Jesus Christ has also seen numerous court rejections on the grounds of possible blasphemy.

Read on to discover which niche baby names expecting parents should avoid, and which nations have a surprising number of restrictions on new parents’ choices…

Europe 

Despite the influx of unlikely names sweeping across European nations, there are a number of restrictions placed on welcoming parents looking for less common monikers. 

While UK restrictions are few and far between, in 2016 a mother in Powys, Wales, was legally banned by the Court of Appeal from using the name Cyanide for her daughter.

While she insisted it was a ‘lovely, pretty name’, the poisonous substance, which was taken by Adolf Hitler, was deemed too ‘extreme’ for the child.  

In 2015, a French judge banned parents from naming their daughter Nutella – because it is the trademarked name of a chocolate spread – and renamed her Ella instead.

After a newborn baby in Valenciennes was named after the spread, the judge ruled the parents’ decision was not in the interest of the child. 

In Denmark a request by parents to name their new child Monkey was rejected due to the country’s strict Law on Personal Names which requires parents to choose names from a pre-approved list of around 7,000 options.

In Germany the name Adolf Hitler is banned, with the first name being incredibly rare and widely discouraged. Osama Bin Laden was also rejected as a name choice.

And while Sweden may be the home of the popular Ikea brand, the country prohibits parents from using it as a possible name for a child.

Likewise, for those hoping to name their child after their favourite band or music artist, Swedish parents are forced to think otherwise due to an 1982 ‘Naming Law’.

The law declares that ‘first names shall not be approved if they can cause offense or can be supposed to cause discomfort for the one using it, or names which for some obvious reason are not suitable as a first name’.

As a result, both Metallica and Elvis have been rejected, alongside Superman and Veranda. 

In 1991, the 43-character name  Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116 (which they pronounced ‘Albin’) was, unsurprisingly, refused. 

Under Swiss law, a child’s name is prohibited from being ‘harmful or infringing the rights of others’, while biblical or historical villain names are disallowed. 

The US  

While numerous celebrities have embraced untraditional names, a number of unique names have been scrutinised by courts across the US due to concerns for the child’s welfare and public perception.

Different states hold their own respective restrictions, however, most prohibit names that feature numerals, emojis or symbols, alongside obscenities. 

As a result, Elon Musk was forced to change the name of his child from X Æ A-12 to X Æ A-Xii as California law declares that only the 26 letters of the alphabet can be included in names.

In 2008, a nine-year-old girl from New Zealand with the name Talula Does the Hula in Hawaii had her name changed by a Family Court judge who deemed it a ‘social disability and handicap, unnecessarily’. 

In Arkansas and New Mexico, Baby Girl and Baby Boy are off the cards, while New Mexico also disobeys the use of Male or Female as a name. 

In March 2000, a 53-year-old man’s request to change his legal name to Santa Robert Claus was denied by a judge, who argued that the use of a ‘Santa Obituary’ when he passed away could leave children confused and heartbroken. 

Meanwhile, various state courts and officials have also rejected the name ‘Jesus Christ’ in a bid to avoid causing any religious offence. 

Australia & New Zealand 

Down Under, unique baby names have not been quite as well received by officials, who have prohibited the use of names such as President, Emperor and Lieutenant. Duke is also considered a royal title and therefore disallowed. 

New Zealand’s Department of Internal Affairs routinely rejects the name Lucifer, a name for the devil, while a judge perceived the names Fish and Chips for twins as likely to cause distress.

Names must not be any longer than 100 characters, while other bizarre name proposals rejected by Australian officials include brother and sister, smelly and spinach. 

Asia 

In Japan, kirakira (shiny or glittery) names for babies have been restricted in a bid to prevent parents naming their children after famous characters or music stars.

This means that those who have selected names that deviate from convention must now explain their decision in writing, while also providing a suitable alternative. 

Meanwhile, in China the government prohibits names that ‘exaggerate religious fervor’ or are perceived as ‘too extreme’. 

Foreign languages, alphabets, numbers or special characters are also restricted from being included in names.