Risqu¨¦ baby name banned by New Zealand Government
By Stuff NZ|
By Imogen Wells
This week, New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs released the list of baby names that were turned down by the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths, and Marriages in 2023.
Prince was number one on the rejected list, getting declined five times by the DIA last year.
Kingkillah, Messiah, XIX, and AazyahRoyaal were also given the thumbs down by the Registrar-General.
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And the name Fanny.
Fanny is a name, according to the website Behind the Name, that has its origins in the French name Frances, meaning "free one".
It's also a name that has been around for generations, so Newsable wanted to know why, in the year 2023, it was no longer deemed acceptable.
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In a statement, Russell Burnard, the country's Registrar-General of Births, Deaths, and Marriages said the Law provides criteria that must be considered when a child's name is registered, including that the name must not be offensive.
Burnard told Newsable whether or not a name causes offence is a question of judgement, and that whether a name is potentially offensive changes over time.
Every name that is registered must be reviewed by staff as to its acceptability, and staff can refer up to the Registrar-General to make a decision if they feel necessary.
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Before a name is officially declined by the Department of Internal Affairs, parents are contacted and given the opportunity to provide a justification as to why their child should have that name, which will then be taken into further consideration.
The Registrar-General revealed to Newsable this particular case was referred to him, but that the parents decided to register a different name than Fanny before he had made his final decision.
Burnard confirmed to Newsable there have been 80 babies registered with the name Fanny since 1930, with the most recent in 2009.
A search of the New Zealand Companies Register revealed there are 7 current directors and shareholders of registered businesses named Fanny.
This article originally appeared on Stuff.co.nz?
