Banned Names in Australia: Why These Names Are Illegal to Use

It's about time to pick a name for your precious new bub, and you can't wait to look through the endless lists of baby names to find the perfect one.

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Well…not quite endless.

According to naming laws, over 80 baby names are banned in Australia.

Yep, the moniker that is immortalised on your little one’s birth certificate is serious business, so you might want to familiarise yourself with the illegal baby names before you get too attached to the idea of announcing that Mister Monkey Nutella Officer is now earthside!

Now, we get it – you want your child to have a birth name that is as original and special as they are with unique baby names. So to help you steer clear of any legal landmines and keep your little one’s rap sheet spotless before they even arrive, we’ve rounded up all the banned names for you right here!

For treat, we’ve also included some of the most interesting names banned in many countries.

Understanding the restrictions on baby names

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Australia’s strict laws around names are designed in the public interest to protect children from names with improper purpose or that could cause embarrassment, offence, or confusion.

The Births, Deaths, and Marriages Registration Act for each state lays down the guidelines for naming children, ensuring that names are appropriate and respectful.

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What do the naming laws and regulations state

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According to naming laws in Australia rule that a child’s name must:

• Not be obscene or offensive or contrary to public interest; no racial slurs, names that include sexual, alcohol or drug references or infringements on the rights of another.
• Be short and easy to write. (In NSW, under 50 characters.)
• Not include symbols without phonetic significance (for example N@talie, Da!sy, J#ke) or use numerals.
• Not include or resemble an official title or military rank recognised in Australia, for example, King, Lady, Father, Prince, Sir or Admiral.
• Use English letters only.
• Not be similar to a recognised body, organisation or trademark.
• In Queensland the name can’t include a statement – for example, Save Mother Earth or Down with Capitalism (pity).

So, what exactly made the list of baby names that violate the law?

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Categories of illegal baby names in Australia

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Well, first up, we’ve got self-explanatory no-gos that any reasonable person will avoid, for example, “Adolf Hitler” and “Osama Bin Laden”.

We know you saw those coming, so let’s move on to some less obvious ones!

Official titles and ranks you can’t use as baby names

The vast majority are the ones that are either civil law enforcement titles, official titles or ranks.

These include (but aren’t limited to) Admiral, Baron, Cadet, Captain, Chief, Corporal, Duke, Emperor, General, Lady, Madam, Major, President, Prime Minister… you get it!

It’s probably for the best, as it would be a bit strange to have a baby grow-up to be Prime Minister without actually being THE Prime Minister. Definitely weird. 

King is also on the no-fly list, as is “Prince”. Yep, there can only be one Prince William, apparently.

But if you’re after something timeless and solidly grounded, like Alexander Brown, you’re on much safer ground.

Religious titles you can’t use as baby names

Maybe no religious parent would name their little one “God”, but atheists are out of luck too due to respectful religious reasons.

Of course, we’ve got “God” and “Christ,” and there’s also “Satan” and “Lucifer.” “Jesus” is not on the list, as in some parts of the world it’s quite a common name… much like Moses or Mohammad.

Swear words, slurs and insults that you can’t use as baby names

Next up, we’ve got slurs, curse words, and insults.

We know, you’re thinking “Aw shucks, looks like the name I picked out won’t work after all.”

You can’t name your little one Bonghead, Chow Tow, Panties, Thong, Virgin, Snort, Smelly, Sh**head, or Stompie.

Sorry, but these are all banned in Australia (for a hopefully obvious reason).

Also considered illegal baby names

Another first name off limits is “Australia,” so you’ll have to show your Aussie pride in another way.

Finally, we’ve got some random ones, mostly brand names or symbols. 50, Nutella, @, Harry Potter, Facebook, iMac, Ikea, Marijuana, and Monkey are all illegal baby names.

And yes, monkey is the only animal name that has officially made it to the illegal names in Australia (it’s also illegal in Denmark). 

Why are these baby names banned?

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Essentially, these names have been banned to protect children against careless and harmful first names which could humiliate, offend or intimidate your child.

With these guidelines in mind, it’s clear that choosing a name for your little one is more than just a personal preference; it’s about avoiding names that create confusion or social disharmony. Ensuring they have a first name they can wear proudly in the world throughout their life.

A controversial baby name experiment

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Methamphetamine Rules

In September 2023, an Aussie journalist made headlines when she named her third child “Methamphetamine Rules” as an experiment for work.

She was shocked when she was able to legally register the name, explaining “People think there’s a specific blacklist of names, but there’s not – there’s just legislation that says it can’t be obscene or offensive, too long, there are character limits, it can’t use symbols or be an official rank or title. But all of those things are open to interpretation by the staff at the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in each state.”

She has since changed her son’s name to something more conventional. Phew!

Registering a baby name in Australia

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When it comes to registering a baby’s name in Australia, the process is overseen by the civil registry, officially known as the Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages (BDM) in each Australian state.

To register, here are the quick links to the BDMs by State/Territory:

1. New South Wales (NSW)

Website: NSW Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages

2. Victoria (VIC)

Website: Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria (BDM)

3. Queensland (QLD)

Website: Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

4. Western Australia (WA)

Website: WA Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

5. South Australia (SA)

Website: South Australian Births, Deaths and Marriages

6. Tasmania (TAS)

Website: Tasmanian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

7. Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

Website: ACT Government – Access Canberra

8. Northern Territory (NT)

Website: Northern Territory Government – BDM

What is the registration process?

Here is how parents can register :

1. Parents must fill the form and register the birth of their child with the BDM within a specified timeframe (usually within 60 days). 
2. During registration, parents must provide the chosen name as part of the process.
3. The civil registry checks the provided name against the guidelines outlined in the Births, Deaths, and Marriages Registration Act 1996 on a case-by-case basis.
4. If the name is found to be on the list of banned baby names, the BDM will not register it as it falls under the category of prohibited names.
5. If the chosen name cannot be registered and the parents don’t give an alternative, the BDM may assign a name themselves to register the birth for their records purposes.
6. Once you have chosen an approved name, complete the registration form accurately. Submit any required documentation along with your child’s birth certificate application to ensure a smooth process.

The full list of banned baby names in Australia

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We weren’t able to go over them all in detail, so here’s the full banned list of names.

1. @
2. Admiral
3. Adolf Hitler
4. Akuma (Japan: Devil)
5. Amir (Prince in Saudi Arabia)
6. Anzac
7. Australia
8. Baron
9. Bishop
10. Brigadier
11. Bonghead
12. Brother
13. Cadet
14. Captain
15. Chief
16. Christ
17. Chow Tow (means smelly head)
18. Commodore
19. Constable
20. Corporal
21. Cyanide
22. Dame
23. Duke
24. Emperor
25. Facebook
26. Father
27. General
28. God
29. Harry Potter
30. Honour
31. Ikea
32. iMac
33. Judge
34. Justice
35. King
36. Lady
37. Lieutenant
38. Lord
39. Lucifer
40. Madam
41. Mafia
42. Malek (means king)
43. Majesty
44. Major
45. Messiah
46. Minister
47. Mister
48. Monkey
49. Nutella
50. Officer
51. Osama Bin Laden
52. Pluto
53. Premier
54. President
55. Prime Minister
56. Prince
57. Princess
58. Queen
59. Saint
60. Satan
61. Seaman
62. Sergeant
63. Sir
64. Sister
65. 50
66. D*ckhead
67. G-Bang
68. Ikea
69. iMac
70. Maryjuana
71. Medicare
72. Monkey
73. Ned Kelly
74. Panties
75. Ranga
76. Robocop
77. Scrotum
78. Sh*thead
79. Smelly
80. Snort
81. Stompie
82. Thong
83. Virgin

So, if one of these names is on your baby names list, we are sorry to say that you might need to go back to the drawing board.

What baby names are banned in other countries?

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Before you start thinking, “Sheesh! why does Australia have such strict naming laws around baby names?” Let us assure you that our sunburnt country is not the only one boasting a long list of prohibited names.

New Zealand

In the past, New Zealand has rejected first names such as “4Real,” “Queen Victoria,” and twin names “Benson” and “Hedges.” Since 2001, the baby names most commonly rejected are “Justice” and “King.” “Mafia No Fear” was also requested (and rejected) – though only once.

Iceland

In Iceland, parents Elisabeth Hallin and Lasse Diding attempted the name “Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116” in 1991, claiming it was pronounced “Albin.” Ermm, nice way to play with the Icelandic alphabet there, guys! Needless to say, they weren’t able to get it approved.

Argentina

In Argentina, the name “Messi” is banned, due to no other reason but due to the famous Argentinian football player of the same name.

United Kingdom

Sorry parents but if you were thinking that “Cyanide” had a nice ring, you are fresh out of luck. The poison is one of the names banned across the pond – in fact, a U.K. court intervened after a British woman named her twins “Cyanide” and “Preacher.”

Malaysia

Malaysia decided “007” should be illegal, though “James Bond” is still fair game. Chow Tow (which means smelly head) is also on the illegal list in Malaysia, just as it is here in Australia.

United States

In America, the specific name “1069” has been banned since a man tried to use it in 1976. Odd, especially since Elon and Grimes had no legal issues naming their baby “XÆA-XII” in May of 2020, claiming that the hodgepodge of symbols had phonetic significance and was pronounced, “Ex-Ash-A-Twelve.”

Japan

If you thought using foreign names could be a workaround for naming your child something that is banned in Australia, you might still want to do some research before you choose baby names that could get your kiddo in hot water during vacation. The name Akuma is prohibited in Japan because it means “devil”. Apparently, two parents tried to use the name for their son in 1993, but the government stepped in.

Morocco

Here’s an interesting one! While “Sarah” is perhaps one of the most traditional and popular names around the world, Moroccan parents who are fans of the moniker unfortunately have to choose a different name for their kids. This is because they have to pick a name from a government-approved list that fits the “Moroccan identity.” Sarah, being a Hebrew name, does not pass the test.

The takeaway

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So whilst it’s always fun to test the boundaries of something, maybe your child’s name isn’t the place to experiment.

If nothing else, hope these banned baby names gave you a little chuckle, taught you something, or at least made you feel better about your own name.