One of the biggest decisions a parent is going to make is what to name their child. They may spend many weeks trying to come up with the perfect name, but imagine if that name was banned.
One couple actually chose a baby’s name and it wasn’t long before they realized that they couldn’t use it. I’ll admit, it was a controversial choice for a name but some people don’t see the big deal.
One person said that it was a beautiful name and others said that they loved it or the fact that it was the ‘coolest name ever’. Not everybody agrees.
Some people say that they should keep the child in mind because it is not right to flex in this way at the risk of what it will mean for the child when they grow up. Realizing why they chose the name is also something to consider because it was unusual.
When Dan and Mandy Sheldon were getting ready to have their son, they were already prepared to name him Lucifer. Imagine their surprise when they showed up to register the name and were told that it was on the banned list.
The registrar also gave them a hard time with some remarks that were really a matter of their opinion. The father said: “She told us he would never be able to get a job, and that teachers wouldn’t want to teach him.”
Neither Mandy nor Dan are religious, so they weren’t choosing the name for the reason that most people would find obvious. It is a Greek name that means ‘light-bringer’ and ‘morning’.
Imagine their surprise when they found out that the name was illegal in New Zealand and a number of other countries. It was also thought to be inappropriate in some countries, such as Switzerland and Germany. It’s perfectly okay to name your baby Lucifer in the UK.
The person at the registrar asked them to leave the room as they checked to see if it was allowed. Dan says: “We were gobsmacked with her behavior. Eventually she did it, but it was through gritted teeth. Honestly, we just thought it was a nice name… a unique one.
“We didn’t expect to get so much grief about it.”
After it got some press, the Derbyshire County Counsel gave a statement. They said: “We apologise if they were offended but it is the job of our registrars to advise in these matters as sometimes people are not aware of certain meanings or associations around certain names.”
