Latest news with #Fanny
New York Post
16-05-2025
- General
- New York Post
These popular US baby names are surprisingly banned in this country
It's a name fit for a king — unless you're a Kiwi. New Zealand just released its most recent list of banned baby names, with King topping the list of monikers outlawed in the country, per CNN. It's perfectly legal in the US, where more than 1,000 babies were given the name King in 2024, according to the Social Security Administration. All 11 New Zealand parents who applied to call their newborn King were asked to give it a second thought, John Crawford-Smith, Principal Advisor of the Department of Internal Affairs in New Zealand, revealed. 'We continue to urge parents to think carefully about names,' Crawford-Smith told CNN. 'Names are a gift.' In 2024, more than 1,000 children in America were named King. nataliaderiabina – Meanwhile, Prince ranked second in the latest list of banned names in New Zealand with 10 rejected applications, followed by Princess with four — a royal pain for some hopeful parents. Other royal-related names that are forbidden in the country — which regulates baby names under a strict registration law — include Duke, Emperor, Majesty, Queen and Crown. Names like Kingi, Kingz, Prinz, Prynce, and Royallty were also banned. Crawford-Smith said that New Zealand registered 60,000 births last year and 38 proposed names were rejected. New Zealand just released its latest list of banned baby names. Reddit/r/tragedeigh Under the country's registration law, baby names cannot be offensive, unreasonably long, include numbers and symbols, and must not resemble official titles or ranks 'without adequate justification,' the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Act 2021 proclaims. However, parents are given the chance to explain their reasoning behind the name choice before the Registrar General makes their final decision. New Zealand is part of the British Commonwealth and calls King Charles III its King — though it's unclear if the parents hoping to give their children a regal name meant it as a tribute to him. Other names such as Sativa and Indica, strains of cannabis, were rejected, perhaps due to community perceptions of the potential names. Fanny — which was once a popular name — was also banned.
Indianapolis Star
09-05-2025
- General
- Indianapolis Star
King, Crown and Indica among baby names rejected in New Zealand in 2024. See full list
What do Rogue, Crown, Fanny and Mighty all have in common? They are all baby names rejected by New Zealand's federal government last year. New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs recently published a full list of names (40, to be exact) that were requested and rejected in 2024. The majority resemble a title or rank, such as King, which was requested and denied 11 times. Prince and Princess were also requested, in addition to alternative spellings like Pryncess and Prynce. Names with ties to marijuana were also requested and rejected − Sativa and Indica, which are two popular marijuana strains. Both were only requested and rejected once. "We continue to urge parents to think carefully about names. Names are a gift. Generally, the name registered will be with the individual for the rest of their lives," a document published by New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs states. Here's a look at the full list of names that were declined last year and the reasoning behind why. Can't see the chart above? Visit According to New Zealand's 2021 Births, Deaths, Marriages and Relationships Registration Act, names cannot: Names that may fall into one of the above categories is reviewed to determine how it make be perceived in the community, how it is spelt and sound when spoken, how the name could impact others, and when appropriate, why the parents wish to register the name, according to a documents published by New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs. If a name is declined, the parents of the child are contacted and are able to provide further justification for the name they requested. Often though, a new name is chosen, federal documents state. Aside from New Zealand, some other countries with strict baby naming laws include Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Iceland, according to legal advisor Angie Newnham. The U.S., on the other hand, has very few restrictions on baby names, with each state having its own set of rules. Generally, names are allowed if they are not obscene or derogatory, and some states have limitations on symbols and special characters being added. For example, in Texas, a baby's first, middle, and last names are restricted to a maximum of 100 letters total, with special characters, numbers and diacritical marks being prohibited.
USA Today
08-05-2025
- General
- USA Today
King, Crown and Indica among baby names rejected in New Zealand in 2024. See full list
King, Crown and Indica among baby names rejected in New Zealand in 2024. See full list Under New Zealand federal law, registered names cannot be offensive, resemble a title or rank, be unreasonably long, or include numbers or symbols. Show Caption Hide Caption Find out what baby names are declining in popularity for 2025 BabyCenter revealed a list of the baby names that are declining in popularity for 2025. What do Rogue, Crown, Fanny and Mighty all have in common? They are all baby names rejected by New Zealand's federal government last year. New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs recently published a full list of names (40, to be exact) that were requested and rejected in 2024. The majority resemble a title or rank, such as King, which was requested and denied 11 times. Prince and Princess were also requested, in addition to alternative spellings like Pryncess and Prynce. Names with ties to marijuana were also requested and rejected − Sativa and Indica, which are two popular marijuana strains. Both were only requested and rejected once. "We continue to urge parents to think carefully about names. Names are a gift. Generally, the name registered will be with the individual for the rest of their lives," a document published by New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs states. Here's a look at the full list of names that were declined last year and the reasoning behind why. What names were declined? Can't see the chart above? Visit Why were these names declined? According to New Zealand's 2021 Births, Deaths, Marriages and Relationships Registration Act, names cannot: Be offensive Resemble a title or rank without adequate justification Be unreasonably long Include numbers or symbols Names that may fall into one of the above categories is reviewed to determine how it make be perceived in the community, how it is spelt and sound when spoken, how the name could impact others, and when appropriate, why the parents wish to register the name, according to a documents published by New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs. If a name is declined, the parents of the child are contacted and are able to provide further justification for the name they requested. Often though, a new name is chosen, federal documents state. What other countries have strict baby naming laws? Aside from New Zealand, some other countries with strict baby naming laws include Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Iceland, according to legal advisor Angie Newnham. The U.S., on the other hand, has very few restrictions on baby names, with each state having its own set of rules. Generally, names are allowed if they are not obscene or derogatory, and some states have limitations on symbols and special characters being added. For example, in Texas, a baby's first, middle, and last names are restricted to a maximum of 100 letters total, with special characters, numbers and diacritical marks being prohibited. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
News.com.au
06-05-2025
- General
- News.com.au
‘Offensive' baby name rejected for having explicit slang definition
Officials have issued a warning to parents after rejecting an 'offensive' baby name over its sexually explicit slang meaning. The New Zealand government has released a list of 40 monikers it banned parents from using in 2024 using data from the Te Tari Taiwhenua Internal Affairs, the public service department tasked with registering new births in the country. Of the almost 60,000 babies born across the ditch, King was declined the highest number of times last year, making it the most popular rejected name of 2024. Prince came in second, while Princess came in third. Variations on the spellings, including Prynce, Pryncè and Pryncess, also failed to get the tick of approval. Most names declined by the department were related to royalty and religion, including Bishop, Allah, Royal, Messiah, Emperor, Duke and Sovereign. But there were a few that stood out to officials for being 'offensive', the New Zealand Herald reports. The names 'Indica' and 'Sativa' – two separate strains of cannabis – were rejected, as was the name 'Fanny', a slang word often used to described female genitalia in Western countries. It's not the first time Fanny has been declined by NZ officials, with the moniker getting the thumbs down in 2023 too. In 2024, New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs registered 59,199 births with a total of 19,404 unique names. The department's job is to review proposed baby names to ensure they are not offensive and do not resemble a rank or title without justification. Names also must not be 'unreasonably long,' or include symbols or numbers. Each application must meet the rigorous criteria, with staff also assessing how the name is spelt and sounds, as well as how the name may impact how a person is treated, and why the parents wanted to register that name. Before a name is rejected, Internal Affairs can seek 'more information from the parents on some proposed names', and in 71 instances in 2024, an alternative name was registered, the NZ Herald added. 'Each name or combination of names is considered on its merits and will only be declined if the Registrar-General believes it does not meet the legislative criteria,' the Department of Internal Affairs told the publication. 'We continue to urge parents to think carefully about names. Names are a gift. Generally, the name registered will be with the individual for the rest of their lives.' It comes after McCrindle's 2025 Australian Baby Names report revealed the classic baby names that have completely fallen out of favour Down Under. Michael, a boys name once dubbed one of the ' most popular monikers of the past century ', is now so unpopular it has dropped 32 places from position 72 in the top 100 chart, down to position 104. Charles, which came in at number 99 last year, has also now become irrelevant after ranking in spot 121. There were some once popular girls names that have also dropped off the annual list, including Thea, down 93 spots to position 188, and Quinn which fell from spot 91 to 111. McCrindle said the decline in classic names comes as Australian parents shun long names in favour of shorter variations. 'After surveying different generations of parents and those planning to become parents across the nation, we found there is a preference for unique names over traditional ones,' the report states. 'This trend is being driven by younger generations, who are embracing unique names more than any generation before them.' With a growing preference for unique names, there's an increasing trend towards traditional names being modified through spelling changes and shortenings to create new variations. 'Nicknames are continuing to be used as fist names, with names like Leo (short for Leonardo), Billy (William), and Tommy (Thomas) emerging for boys, and there's an even greater surge towards nicknames for girls such as Frankie (Frances), Elsie (Elisabeth), and Lottie (Charlotte),' Ashley Fell, social researcher and McCrindle's director of advisory, said. Full list of names declined in New Zealand in 2024 King – proposed 11 times Prince – proposed 10 times Princess – proposed four times Name with no surname – proposed three times Rogue – proposed three times Sativa – proposed three times Caesar – proposed two times JP – proposed two times Pryncess – proposed two times Name with ` symbol – proposed once Allah – proposed once Állah – proposed once Bishop – proposed once Crown – proposed once Crownos – proposed once Duke – proposed once Emperor – proposed once Fanny – proposed once General – proposed once Ice – proposed once Indica – proposed once Juke – proposed once Justice – proposed once KC – proposed once Kingi – proposed once Kingz – proposed once Kyng – proposed once Lady – proposed once Majesty – proposed once Major – proposed once Messiah – proposed once Mighty – proposed once Prinz – proposed once Prynce- proposed once Queen – proposed once Roil – proposed once Royal – proposed once Royallty – proposed once Saint – proposed once
The Guardian
01-05-2025
- General
- The Guardian
‘She changed the face of London': statue to be unveiled of suffragist gardener
She was a proto-feminist pioneer who blazed a trail for female gardeners and changed the face of London by creating 'green lungs' in the capital for Victorians suffering from pollution and overcrowding. Now a charity is seeking to shine a light on Fanny Wilkinson, the UK's first professional female landscape gardener, by unveiling the first ever statue of the suffragist at one of the 75 London parks she designed more than a century ago. 'Fanny was an incredibly important figure in her time – and she was really inspirational,' said Nicola Stacey, the director of Heritage of London Trust. 'She trained as a gardener when women did not do so, and led the way for other women in being paid for her work, opening up opportunities for women in the profession of landscape design and gardening that, of course, many generations have since benefited from.' In 1882, Wilkinson became the first female pupil of the newly formed Crystal Palace School of Landscape Gardening and Practical Horticulture: all her fellow students were male. After graduating, she took an unpaid position as an 'honorary' landscape gardener for the Metropolitan Public Gardens, Boulevard and Playground Association (MPGA), a new organisation founded by the philanthropist Lord Brabazon to facilitate the creation of public gardens and children's playgrounds in London. Two years later, in 1886, she had the courage – and self-belief – to write to Brabazon to say: 'I feel it would be better for me to drop the 'hon' and make a charge which would fully cover all expenses.' At this point, 'she became the first professional female landscape gardener who was paid for her services, as opposed to advising for free', Stacey said. 'She then took on female employees and was a pioneering figure in the campaign for equal pay.' In an interview for the Women's Penny Paper in 1890, Wilkinson – who sat on the central committee for women's suffrage with her friend Millicent Fawcett – said: 'I certainly do not let myself be underpaid as many women do. There are people who write to me and think because I am a woman I will ask less than a man. This I never do. I know my profession and charge accordingly, as all women should do.' She struggled with men who did not respect her as a female boss: 'Often my customers prefer that their own men should work under me. This is often a stumbling block, since the gardeners occasionally imagine they know better, and they are often stupid and pig-headed. I have great bother with them now and then.' Wilkinson laid out 75 public gardens in London across a 20-year period, including parks in deprived, working-class areas such as Myatt's Fields Park in Lambeth and Meath Gardens in Bethnal Green. Stacey said: 'The city was becoming increasingly industrialised and polluted and it needed these green lungs, these open spaces she created for people to walk and enjoy themselves in the fresh air. 'Fanny really understood how to design a beautiful public park in London and that's why they have lasted – and thrived – the way they have.' The trust, which is in the process of restoring 24 historic drinking fountains across the capital, has worked with Wandsworth council and other local community partners to commission a bronze statue of Wilkinson by the sculptor Gillian Brett. It will be installed on a Victorian water fountain in Coronation Gardens in Wandsworth, south west London on 3 July. 'The fountain was totally derelict and it had lost its allegorical figure over the water source,' said Stacey. 'So this was a wonderful opportunity to return a figure to the fountain, but to choose one of real significance: Fanny was the landscape designer who laid out Coronation Gardens. It's a commemoration of her work in one of the parks that benefited from her design and her creativity.' Stacey hopes the statue will reassert Wilkinson's rightful place in history as 'the country's pioneering female landscape designer' who, aside from being honoured with a blue plaque in 2022, has been 'fairly little recognised'. 'Over the course of her career, Fanny changed the face of London,' she said. In 1904, Wilkinson left the MPGA to become the first female principal of Swanley Horticultural College, later established as a women-only college. She also co-founded the Women's Agricultural and Horticultural International Union, which played a key role in establishing the Women's Land Army of female farm workers during the first world war. She died at the age of 95 in 1951.
