Banned baby names in the US: Why you can't name your child King, Nutella, or 1069 in certain American states
Several US states have laws that restrict what parents can legally name their children, with a number of unusual names making the banned list. Among the names that have been rejected by authorities are King, Queen, Jesus Christ, and others to name a few.
Check out the full list of banned names here:
While the US gives parents broad freedom in naming their children, state laws vary widely. In California and New Jersey, obscene or offensive names are not allowed at all. In other states, like Illinois and South Carolina, names with numbers or symbols — such as '1069' or '@' — are surprisingly allowed.
Some rules are shaped by cultural protections. For example, Hawaii and Alaska permit special characters in names that come from indigenous languages, such as the Kānaka 'Ōiwi and Inupiaq communities. North Carolina allows tildes (ñ), but neighbouring Virginia does not.
Many states also set strict limits on the number of characters allowed in names. In New York, each part of a name has a specific limit — 30 characters for first and middle names, and 40 for last names. Massachusetts limits each name to 40 characters, while Arizona allows a combined total of 141 characters across all parts.
There are also rules around surnames. In Mississippi, a child is automatically given the father's last name unless the parents request otherwise. In Louisiana, if the mother is unmarried and gives birth within 300 days, the baby receives her surname. In Florida, if parents don't agree on a name, a court will choose one.
As naming rules shift from state to state, parents are urged to check local laws before picking anything too creative.
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Several US states have laws that restrict what parents can legally name their children, with a number of unusual names making the banned list. Among the names that have been rejected by authorities are King, Queen, Jesus Christ, and others to name a few. Check out the full list of banned names here: While the US gives parents broad freedom in naming their children, state laws vary widely. In California and New Jersey, obscene or offensive names are not allowed at all. In other states, like Illinois and South Carolina, names with numbers or symbols — such as '1069' or '@' — are surprisingly allowed. Some rules are shaped by cultural protections. For example, Hawaii and Alaska permit special characters in names that come from indigenous languages, such as the Kānaka 'Ōiwi and Inupiaq communities. North Carolina allows tildes (ñ), but neighbouring Virginia does not. Many states also set strict limits on the number of characters allowed in names. In New York, each part of a name has a specific limit — 30 characters for first and middle names, and 40 for last names. Massachusetts limits each name to 40 characters, while Arizona allows a combined total of 141 characters across all parts. There are also rules around surnames. In Mississippi, a child is automatically given the father's last name unless the parents request otherwise. In Louisiana, if the mother is unmarried and gives birth within 300 days, the baby receives her surname. In Florida, if parents don't agree on a name, a court will choose one. As naming rules shift from state to state, parents are urged to check local laws before picking anything too creative.
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