Scandanavian naming laws.

[Eric the Orange]

So I heard that some of the Scandinavian countries, like Norway and Sweden, they have laws about what names you are and are not allowed to name your children. My question is, is this true? does the government have power over what you can name your children? And if so how do you feel about it?

 

[Smertnik]

I know absolutely nothing about the issue at hand but I assume it'd be just a safeguard in case someone decides it's a good idea to name their kid Hrutzel Prutzel, Xghtlztsk or Superpenisman. Which would be quite reasonable, I'd say.

 

[madwarper]

a) Politics threads belong in the basement (Religion and Politics [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/index/528-Religion-and-Politics]).

b) On topic; http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/528.400195-Girl-wins-right-to-name
Slightly related; http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.404321-Poll-Is-it-wrong-to-name-a-child-after-a-video-game-character

As for my thoughts, I don't think the government should be dictating what a parent can or cannot name their child.
If that means opportunistic parents can name their kid Dovahkiin or bigoted parents can name their Adolf Hitler [http://www.nbcnews.com/id/28269290/ns/us_news-weird_news/t/-year-old-hitler-cant-get-name-cake/], then I'm ok with it.
It doesn't affect me, and when the child comes of age (or sues for emancipation), they can change their name to something else.

 

[Atrocious Joystick]

I believe they were originally there to keep you from taking a noble name and passing yourself off as the kings cousin, sixteen times removed. Peasants do need to know their place after all.

Nowadays its mostly about not being allowed to name your kid Doucheface Dickgobbler and what family names you can and can not take. You do for example need some sort of relation to a person with a "unique" name to name yourself that. Unique doesn't have to be noble. Take me for example. My family name was "invented" by my family at some point. You would need to prove a relation to someone from my family in order to adopt our name.

That said there isn't a list of names or anything. So any name that isn't "stolen" or harmful to the child is ok. The only problem I could see is if a foreign name translates to something offensive or sexual in Swedish. Say you want to name your daughter after Pippa Middleton. Pippa in Swedish being one of many names for good old fashioned sexual intercourse.

 

[Queen Michael]

You can't name your kid Ikea.
You can't name your kid Shit Svensson.
You can't give a girl a boy's name, and you can't give a boy a girl's name.

 

[MrTub]

I think its a good idea to have.
Children shouldn't have to suffer cause their parents are retarded and tries to give their kid a name which will make her/him bullied for most of his life just so they can brag that their kid got a unique name.

 

[Lieju]

I think laws like that are a good idea, as long as they aren't too restrictive.

As in, don't name your kid 'Fuckface McBatman the Spawn of Nyarlathotep'.

Or 'don't name all your kids 'Steve'.

People still give their kids unusual names in Scandinavia, from fictional works (like Frodo) or different cultures, but don't go overboard.

As for my thoughts, I don't think the government should be dictating what a parent can or cannot name their child.
If that means opportunistic parents can name their kid Dovahkiin or bigoted parents can name their Adolf Hitler [http://www.nbcnews.com/id/28269290/ns/us_news-weird_news/t/-year-old-hitler-cant-get-name-cake/], then I'm ok with it.
It doesn't affect me, and when the child comes of age (or sues for emancipation), they can change their name to something else.

My point of view is that the government should step in if a child is abused, and if the name is abusive enough, we shouldn't just let it happen, because a child should not be expected to stand for themselves if their parents are shitty.

 

[sextus the crazy]

We really don't have any laws regarding children's names, hence why we have so many fucking weird celebrity baby names. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this TBH. I like having freedom not to have to fall in line with traditional cultural norms like in Scandinavia, but on the other hand, there should be some restriction.

 

[Tom_green_day]

Regarding celebrities, if one asked if they can name their child 'hashtag', the authorities would say yes just because they're famous.
OT: I think most laws are sensible.

 

[MasterMasamune]

None in the U.S., but there should be. I'm all for any law that prevents parents from naming their kids stuff like "Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii" [http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/jul/24/familyandrelationships.newzealand], "Braelyn Neveah" [http://www.stfuparentsblog.com/post/3725003961/mama-drama-nevaeh-edition-so-as-you-may-or-may], or "Sage Moonblood". Honestly, if you name your kid something like that, you are one of the most selfish people I've ever known. Do these parents ever think about what kind of emotional harm these names could cause their children?

 

[trollnystan]

I'm Scandinavian and I've gotta say I'm OK with it. I think naming your kid Asshole (pronounced ash-olé) is child abuse and so is naming your firstborn Winner and secondborn Loser. Those are real names given to real people. Yeah.

US state of Utah is big offender in this, just check out this list of names: http://wesclark.com/ubn/faves.html

(Justa Cowgirl? REALLY?)

Sometimes the rules are a bit too strict however, I will admit that. But sometimes not strict enough. (Apparently there's someone wandering round Sweden with the first name Anus.)

 

[Anja Bech]

I have only one problem with the Scandinavian naming laws, or rather the Danish naming laws - you are not allowed to change your name from a girls name to a boys name or the other way around. Which is bulls**t, because this prevents transgender people from changing their female(male) name to a typical male(female) name. They can only legally change their female(male) name to a gender neutral name, like Robin or Kim. So if your name is Anna and you feel like a David - or the other way around- tough f*cking cookie.

 

[Ziggy]

Danish here
I don't know if there still are but there used to be a list with names. If you wanted a name not on the list you needed to seek permission. If i remember correctly this stopped a child being named Christophpher, yes i did not write that wrong.

 

[trollnystan]

I have only one problem with the Scandinavian naming laws, or rather the Danish naming laws - you are not allowed to change your name from a girls name to a boys name or the other way around. Which is bulls**t, because this prevents transgender people from changing their female(male) name to a typical male(female) name. They can only legally change their female(male) name to a gender neutral name, like Robin or Kim. So if your name is Anna and you feel like a David - or the other way around- tough f*cking cookie.

Now THAT is stupid. But then transsexuals who changed their sex were still being sterilised in Sweden until January THIS YEAR. Barbaric.

 

[Rob Robson]

So I heard that some of the Scandinavian countries, like Norway and Sweden, they have laws about what names you are and are not allowed to name your children. My question is, is this true? does the government have power over what you can name your children? And if so how do you feel about it?

Well, in Norway, it is simply illegal to name yourself or children something copyrighted, or trademarked. Additionally, some extrordinarily rare names (like Augustica, of which there's 1 in Norway) you have to ask permission from the person who has it. It is also not allowed to name a child or rename yourself something that does not phonetically sound like it could be Norwegian. However, some people have applied for weird names and got them approved, like:

-Bat Mann. (Man was not allowed on it's own as a surname as it is foreign, mann means the same in Norwegian. However, some people did get the surname "Batman".)
-Kolaautomat ("Cola vending machine", basically, but Norwegianized)

As for strange Norwegian surnames (in today's context) that have existed for a long time and been passed down the generations:

-Laksekjønn (Salmon gender)
-Gatevold (Street violence)
-Avløp (drain)
-Brødreskift (brother swap)
-Høifødt (tall-born)
-Klump (lump)
-Bolle (bun, and also slang for "fuck")
-Dame (lady... always funny when a man has this name)
-Homse (gay)
-Bleie (diaper)