Getting to name your child is such and honor and privilege, but it is a responsibility not every parent takes seriously. My son is a “third” in line, but had we had the blessing of having another child, choosing that name would have been an uphill battle. I think ever since I was kid I daydreamed about the names I’d give my child(ren). They certainly went through phases, but I have a distinct memory of being a young kid learning that Frank Zappa named his child Moon Unit. Although as an adult I feel it’s harsh to judge, at the time, I thought it was the wildest thing.
As the United States is supposed to be a “free country,” he was completely free to do so. Funnily enough, however, when Zappa wanted to name his second child Dweezil (after a nickname for his wife Adelaide’s pinky toe) the hospital refused to register him under that moniker. It wasn’t until the kid turned 5 that they legally changed the name.
The baby names that are illegal in the US (and around the world)
The concept of a hospital blocking a baby name might seem un-American, but the Today show recently reported that according to USbirthcertificates.com, 11 names were ruled by the US court system as illegal:
- King
- Queen
- Jesus Christ
- III
- Santa Claus
- Majesty
- Adolf Hitler
- Nutella
- Messiah
- @
- 1069
There are also state addendums to these rules, when parents are blocked from using obscene words as names (California and New Jersey) and character limits are imposed (New York, Texas, and Massachusetts). In general, although numbers and emojis are typically restricted, in Illinois and South Carolina parents are allowed to use symbols and numbers in their child’s name.
Other countries also have rules surrounding names, with specific monikers banned in certain countries:
Australia
- Duke
China
- Islam
- Quran
Denmark
- Monkey
France
- Prince William
- Griezmann Mbappe
- Nutella
Germany
- Osama bin Laden
Iceland
- Harriet
- Camilla
Italy
- Friday
- Blue
Japan
- Devil
Malaysia
- Snake
- 007
Mexico
- Robocop
- Circumcision
Morocco
- Sarah
New Zealand
- Chief Maximus
- Sex Fruit
- Talula Does the Hula from Hawaii
- Anal
Norway
- Bridge
Portugal
- Thor
- Tom
Saudi Arabia
- Linda
Spain
- Wolf
Sweden
- Metallica
- BRFXXCCXXMNPCCCCLLLMMNPRXVCLMNCKSSQLBB11116
Switzerland
- Judas
United Kingdom
- Cyanide
Baby names that are trending now
Closing out 2025 and looking ahead to 2026, several baby name experts claim that short, punchy, yet classy names are dominating birth certificates. In general, people are leaning on cultural influences to determine monikers.
“Us millennials have never forgotten Kate Hudson’s iconic role as Andi Anderson in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” professional baby namer Colleen Slagen told People. “So much so that it’s influencing our baby naming. Parents are using names for their daughters that are traditionally used for boys.”
@namingbebe Hidden gems just for you 😘 I have about 26 of these lists on my phone #babynames #girlnames #pregnant ♬ original sound – Colleen
Slagen also states that people are turning to short, cool “nickname” full names for their kids such as Rocky, Lana, Gwen, and Bode. Other trends indicate more gender neutral names like Bennie, Stevie, and Drew are on the rise.
Even though selecting a baby name is a personal choice, it is one that deeply affects and shapes the person you are molding. A study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that easy-to-pronounce names are often viewed more “positively,” which is a bias that can extend to professional settings and could impact hiring or career advancement.
Editor’s Note: Some of the names listed as banned in the US are banned only in certain states, not the entire country. Naming laws vary from state-to-state in the US.
