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OldEurope

(1,273 posts)
15. I would like to explain:
Sat Jan 5, 2013, 05:37 PM
Jan 2013

In Germany there is no list of approved names. But there are rules for German citizens. The name must not be offensive or harmful to the child, so you cannot chose Superman or Piggy or Diaper or Cauliflower as a name. Though some nouns are actually names, especially flowers like Iris or Rose. You can chose phantasy words or names from an other language, like Frodo or Andrea for your son. Sometimes when the gender is not clear (for example in case of Andrea for a boy which is normal in Italy, but not in Germany - here it is considered female) you have to give the child a second name to make clear. Which is IMHO discriminatory to those who were born with unclear sexual characteristics. On the other other side: a boy named Andrea could be bullied badly when the other children make fun of his "girls" name.
The rules do not apply to foreign citizens living in Germany. It is up to the registrar to decide whether the choice of the parents is accepted or not and the parents can bring evidence that the name already existed.
Some cases were brought to court when the parents did not want to accept the decision of the registrar and the frame got widened up. So you can name your daughter Bavaria (would not recommend that, because here a Bavaria is considered pejoratively a very, very big woman with baroque physique http://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Datei:Bavaria_2.jpg&filetimestamp=20060502120521 ) In most cases the registrar was acknowledged.
In one case the court did not allow the parents to give their child twelve names, ten of which were at least unusual, they had to constrain to 6 and at least one of them had to be a name that allowed to identify as male or female.

Are you seriously expecting any "yes" responses? TwilightGardener Jan 2013 #1
What you said. DearHeart Jan 2013 #2
The question is almost rhetorical, but... cthulu2016 Jan 2013 #10
well, there is an ordinance reorg Jan 2013 #16
Germany also bans homeschooling and other things "in the best interest of the child" ProgressiveProfessor Jan 2013 #44
yes, absolutely reorg Jan 2013 #46
we are a multi-ethnic, polyglot nation and Germany and many others in Europe CTyankee Jan 2013 #34
So, in the polyglot US reorg Jan 2013 #48
My Iranian ESOL student proudly CTyankee Jan 2013 #49
well, I'm somewhat relieved to hear that reorg Jan 2013 #50
well, every country evidently has its little crazinesses when it comes to its language. CTyankee Jan 2013 #54
I have thought about this in a rather shallow way. sibelian Jan 2013 #3
I have no problem with what the Icelandic government is doing dlwickham Jan 2013 #4
Yeah, the Icelandic dictatorship. Jackpine Radical Jan 2013 #27
I would want to know what the citizens of those countries say newfie11 Jan 2013 #5
All parents should name their boys "Buzz" and girls "Nadine" Buzz Clik Jan 2013 #6
We are numbers. Arctic Dave Jan 2013 #7
Creepy. ohheckyeah Jan 2013 #8
It's Iceland. Look up how their naming conventions work over the generations. Robb Jan 2013 #9
Thordis MoonUnitsdottir. Jackpine Radical Jan 2013 #29
^ Warren Stupidity Jan 2013 #53
Welcome your new baby into the world-----Shit Stain Ass Whippy thelordofhell Jan 2013 #11
The US is weird because the names are mostly in non-English languages FarCenter Jan 2013 #12
not true in the case of Germany reorg Jan 2013 #13
No boy named Sue then. Johnny Cash would be disappointed. virgogal Jan 2013 #32
No... BUT TlalocW Jan 2013 #14
I would like to explain: OldEurope Jan 2013 #15
This message was self-deleted by its author OldEurope Jan 2013 #17
Hollywood celebrities would never stand for that here (nt) Nye Bevan Jan 2013 #18
well, that settles it! If Hollywood celebrities can't name their kids what they damn CTyankee Jan 2013 #35
One parent in Dayton, Ohio named her kid Dirty Socialist Jan 2013 #19
Well, it would mean parents couldn't name their kid Hashtag TexasBushwhacker Jan 2013 #20
What if somebody moves there from someplace else and wants to use a family name gollygee Jan 2013 #21
Do you believe we should require Latin alphabet characters? jberryhill Jan 2013 #22
only if the parents can choose a child from an approved government list. ChairmanAgnostic Jan 2013 #23
I am opposed to this......BUT PennsylvaniaMatt Jan 2013 #24
Let us also remember that Icelandic is an endangered language. KitSileya Jan 2013 #25
Damn right! How would you like to be named cthulu2016? trof Jan 2013 #26
Well in the catholic church if I am not mistake you have to have at least a christain name. southernyankeebelle Jan 2013 #28
I think there is a law in France to that effect. Jackpine Radical Jan 2013 #33
Well I think as long as you have one Christian name its fine to have any other name. southernyankeebelle Jan 2013 #36
I support the right of parents to name their kids whatever odd thing they please. LWolf Jan 2013 #30
You'e being funny, right? nt MrScorpio Jan 2013 #31
I bet she isn't. Working for the miitary I have seen a lot of weird names. I wonder southernyankeebelle Jan 2013 #37
I don't have a problem with unique names, I have one my damn self MrScorpio Jan 2013 #38
LOL, your right. How about the names Sparrow, Bleu, Sprocket. I mean are these names southernyankeebelle Jan 2013 #41
"Sunshine" is a beautiful name MrScorpio Jan 2013 #42
I think some movie star named their kids that. Crazy. southernyankeebelle Jan 2013 #43
I wonder if people realize Bay Boy Jan 2013 #39
Yep, that is what I meant. People don't think future. southernyankeebelle Jan 2013 #40
A friend of mine named his daughter using the "ae" contraction found in some languages ProgressiveProfessor Jan 2013 #45
This post must seem very ironic to Native Americans. In our early census takers could not spell the jwirr Jan 2013 #47
My godsons Gleegh and Liberace strongly disagree slackmaster Jan 2013 #51
no samsingh Jan 2013 #52
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