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Japan cracks down on baby names

Tuesday, Jun 10

Image: FreedomForum

Japan recently started banning certain nontraditional baby names, in a change widely seen as a crackdown on kirakira (translates to “glittery”) names, which started gaining popularity in the late 1980s and morph to align with trends in pop culture.

Banned monikers include: Naruto, Pikachu, Jewel, Lovely, Kitty, Elsa, ƌjisama (“Prince”), Daiya (“Diamond”), Naiki (close to “Nike”), and more.

Pika-choose another one: The gov’t says the move is designed to make digital admin procedures at hospitals, schools, etc. more straightforward by granting local authorities the power to reject any name they deem too outrageous or tricky to pronounce (particularly if it could have “a negative impact on a child’s future”).

  • Names in Japan are typically written in Kanji, based on Chinese characters, which can be pronounced in multiple ways—sometimes up to 10.
  • This means figuring out the proper pronunciation for certain names can be difficult if the names aren’t traditional, or an unusual combo of characters is chosen (think: “read” / “read” + “Ashley” / “Ashleigh” on more steroids than the Liver King).

The rule reflects a growing tension in Japan between individual expression and age-old norms when it comes to naming, the South China Morning Post reports.

Not just Japan: In the US, names containing numerals and symbols are usually prohibited (ex: “X Æ A-12”), since most government forms and databases can’t process them—while in New Zealand, names that conjure up royalty (ex: “King” or “Princess”) or marijuana themes (ex: “Sativa”/”Indica”) are a no-no.

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