5 ms·

Serious question, how are names ever supposed to evolve or change if they are limited by the state? Or are there exceptions for "good" newly created names? Havi

Serious question, how are names ever supposed to evolve or change if they are limited by the state? Or are there exceptions for "good" newly created names? Having a weird first name isn't even a hindrance given how frequently people go by nicknames or middle names and ironically they often do that to avoid being called by a more traditional name like Hubert or Mirabel. You can also just change your name if you don't like it.

oneeyedpigeon 3y ago
Is there any state in the world that doesn't limit names?
- morelisp 3y ago
  You probably can't pick obscenity in the US but otherwise anything goes. (Semantically/phonetically at least - orthography is a bit more limited.) That most European countries have a whitelist of names was one of the more shocking parts of moving here.
  - afiori 3y ago
    > That most European countries have a whitelist of names was one of the more shocking parts of moving here. I believe this is very much wrong.
- rat87 3y ago
  I think most US states only require the name to fit in their database. They may also require Latin based alphabets or be even just English alphabet with no extra marks and may ban some punctuation or numerical characters. But probably no other restrictions
- throwaway4aday 3y ago
  Depends what you mean by limit but I'm choosing to interpret it as "exert undue influence over the choice of the parent". The UK's restrictions on names containing obscenities, numerals, misleading titles, or are impossible to pronounce seems reasonable although you could make arguments against all of those e.g. some words or names in other languages are obscenities in English and vice versa, numerals are traditionally used as a suffix to distinguish generations with the same name so why not be able to be Nathan3421, misleading titles is a bit stuffy and incongruous with existent names like Major, Judge, Prince, etc., impossible to pronounce already describes many names if you are not familiar with the native language. After all of that, I honestly don't think there is a good reason to restrict a name. Maybe the only limit I could think of would be to prove that it is given in good faith and not for some malevolent purpose.
  - birksherty 3y ago
    Parents should not have undue influence on other's (the kid) life as they wish by giving a stupid name. Instead parents should change their own name to xxx if they like it so much.
afiori 3y ago
Starting from the assumption that some names are bad[0] then it is an act of balancing. [0] I would claim that calling someone "Mat the fucking dumbshit" or "Poopface" is child abuse
- ethbr0 3y ago
  > Well, I grew up quick, and I grew up mean. And my fists got hard, and my wits got keen... > He stood there looking at me, and I saw him smile, and he said, "Son, this world is rough, and if a man's gonna make it he's gotta be tough, and I know I wouldn't be there to help you along. So I give you that name, and I said goodbye. And I knew you'd have to get tough or die. And it's that name that helped make you strong..." https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WOHPuY88Ry4 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WOHPuY88Ry4
  - afiori 3y ago
    For everyone that grows stronger and wiser under adversity there is someone tha become weak and broken. The approach of "you need to be prepared for the cruelty of the world so I will be cruel to you" feels like a parody of proper upbringing.
    - ethbr0 3y ago
      > like a parody of proper upbringing It was a Johnny Cash song -- he wasn't known for writing ballads of utopian suburbia.
      - DropInIn 3y ago
        Point ------ Your head Mr Cash was in no way endorsing the behavior...
        ethbr0 3y ago
        I'm guessing you've never listen to the whole song?
cmh89 3y ago
>You can also just change your name if you don't like it. After you're 18 and after you've experienced some of the most intense social moments of your life. It's like literally everything else with kids. Parents have a ton of autonomy but there has to be a line where they aren't allowed to hurt their kid further
- throwaway4aday 3y ago
  If you've got a list of perfect names that no one will ever be teased about then go ahead and share them.
  - cmh89 3y ago
    [dead]
benrutter 3y ago
Probably depends a bit what example you're looking at. Iceland has a very traditional name system which is enforced. I think the idea is basically that names won't evolve so they can preserve tradition. Sweden on the other hand has a pretty vague "name can't be likely to cause child psychological harm" law, that doesn't really come into play unless you try to name your child something really outside the mainstream (there was a case a while back where a couple wanted to call their daughter "Metallica". I can't remember how that ended up going). I don't see how the Swedish-style system would stop names evolving. There are still plenty of trends and new names that come and go just like in the US. I doubt extreme name choices like Elon's "x-ash-12" would inspire a whole bunch of children to be called that.
birksherty 3y ago
There is no need for names to evolve. Based on what you said, let the kid have a proper name and then they themselves can change to weird as they wish later. Stupid parents have no right to give a stupid joke name to others.
- gcr 3y ago
  I propose a compromise: - Parents may only choose names for their children from a list of the top 1000 or so names in whatever country parents choose - It is permissible to change your own name to anything you like

oneeyedpigeon 3y ago

Is there any state in the world that doesn't limit names?

morelisp 3y ago
You probably can't pick obscenity in the US but otherwise anything goes. (Semantically/phonetically at least - orthography is a bit more limited.) That most European countries have a whitelist of names was one of the more shocking parts of moving here.
- afiori 3y ago
  > That most European countries have a whitelist of names was one of the more shocking parts of moving here. I believe this is very much wrong.
rat87 3y ago
I think most US states only require the name to fit in their database. They may also require Latin based alphabets or be even just English alphabet with no extra marks and may ban some punctuation or numerical characters. But probably no other restrictions
throwaway4aday 3y ago
Depends what you mean by limit but I'm choosing to interpret it as "exert undue influence over the choice of the parent". The UK's restrictions on names containing obscenities, numerals, misleading titles, or are impossible to pronounce seems reasonable although you could make arguments against all of those e.g. some words or names in other languages are obscenities in English and vice versa, numerals are traditionally used as a suffix to distinguish generations with the same name so why not be able to be Nathan3421, misleading titles is a bit stuffy and incongruous with existent names like Major, Judge, Prince, etc., impossible to pronounce already describes many names if you are not familiar with the native language. After all of that, I honestly don't think there is a good reason to restrict a name. Maybe the only limit I could think of would be to prove that it is given in good faith and not for some malevolent purpose.
- birksherty 3y ago
  Parents should not have undue influence on other's (the kid) life as they wish by giving a stupid name. Instead parents should change their own name to xxx if they like it so much.

afiori 3y ago

Starting from the assumption that some names are bad[0] then it is an act of balancing. [0] I would claim that calling someone "Mat the fucking dumbshit" or "Poopface" is child abuse

ethbr0 3y ago
> Well, I grew up quick, and I grew up mean. And my fists got hard, and my wits got keen... > He stood there looking at me, and I saw him smile, and he said, "Son, this world is rough, and if a man's gonna make it he's gotta be tough, and I know I wouldn't be there to help you along. So I give you that name, and I said goodbye. And I knew you'd have to get tough or die. And it's that name that helped make you strong..." https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WOHPuY88Ry4 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WOHPuY88Ry4
- afiori 3y ago
  For everyone that grows stronger and wiser under adversity there is someone tha become weak and broken. The approach of "you need to be prepared for the cruelty of the world so I will be cruel to you" feels like a parody of proper upbringing.
  - ethbr0 3y ago
    > like a parody of proper upbringing It was a Johnny Cash song -- he wasn't known for writing ballads of utopian suburbia.
    - DropInIn 3y ago
      Point ------ Your head Mr Cash was in no way endorsing the behavior...
      - ethbr0 3y ago
        I'm guessing you've never listen to the whole song?

cmh89 3y ago

>You can also just change your name if you don't like it. After you're 18 and after you've experienced some of the most intense social moments of your life. It's like literally everything else with kids. Parents have a ton of autonomy but there has to be a line where they aren't allowed to hurt their kid further

throwaway4aday 3y ago
If you've got a list of perfect names that no one will ever be teased about then go ahead and share them.
- cmh89 3y ago
  [dead]

benrutter 3y ago

Probably depends a bit what example you're looking at. Iceland has a very traditional name system which is enforced. I think the idea is basically that names won't evolve so they can preserve tradition. Sweden on the other hand has a pretty vague "name can't be likely to cause child psychological harm" law, that doesn't really come into play unless you try to name your child something really outside the mainstream (there was a case a while back where a couple wanted to call their daughter "Metallica". I can't remember how that ended up going). I don't see how the Swedish-style system would stop names evolving. There are still plenty of trends and new names that come and go just like in the US. I doubt extreme name choices like Elon's "x-ash-12" would inspire a whole bunch of children to be called that.

birksherty 3y ago

There is no need for names to evolve. Based on what you said, let the kid have a proper name and then they themselves can change to weird as they wish later. Stupid parents have no right to give a stupid joke name to others.

gcr 3y ago
I propose a compromise: - Parents may only choose names for their children from a list of the top 1000 or so names in whatever country parents choose - It is permissible to change your own name to anything you like