Naming laws around the world

Can you name your child anything you like? Not quite. Behind every first name lies a legal story that changes sharply from one country to the next.

France: freedom, with guardrails

Until 1993, French parents had to choose from a list — essentially calendar saints and a few historical figures. Since the law of 8 January 1993 the choice is free, but a registrar can flag to the public prosecutor a name that seems contrary to the child's interest. Courts have thus rejected “Nutella” and “Fraise” (Strawberry).

Italy: no ridiculous names

Italian law (DPR 396/2000) bars ridiculous or shameful names, a name identical to a living father's, and caps the count at three. The case of “Venerdì” (Friday), inspired by Robinson Crusoe, was struck down by the courts.

United States: very permissive, but…

Across the Atlantic, freedom is nearly total and varies by state. Several limit characters: California doesn't accept diacritics (so long, the accent on José), and some states ban numerals. The result: boundless creativity, reined in by surprising technical constraints.

A first name is never entirely neutral: it follows the child for life, and the law keeps watch — in its own way — in every country. Browse our directory to see the richness this freedom has produced.