In a multicultural and open-minded country like the United States, you might be able to call a baby whatever you want. So we got Apple, North, and even a Pilot Inspektor. But while creativity reigns supreme, there are rules. Some names are strictly prohibited or won’t fly in some states.
According to the Social Security Administration, 71 per cent of infants born in the United States are christened with one of the top 1,000 names, and the remaining tail of innovative selections occasionally run into red tape. Olivia and Liam have returned to the top of the 2024 charts, but parents attempt trendy spelling, symbols, or long strings that record systems will not accept.
The U.S doesn’t have a national ban list, but there are limits as to character length, abusive language, and formatting across states. And no, this is not just about offensive names (although that is a part of it). Some are blocked by technical systems or arbitrary bureaucracy.
Curious? Here are 10 baby names you can not use anywhere in America.
@lexa
The @ sign may be appropriate in the digital era, but New Jersey, Minnesota, and New Mexico refuse to accept it. Why? Special characters such as @ are not typically included in official records in most states. Even if “@lexa” feels clever or modern, your local registrar will say, “Not happening.”
This regulation is also primarily caused by the technical factors of governmental systems, as they are just incapable of processing these signs. As such, your child may live in a hashtag/handle world, but there is still a need for their name to work in print.
Princess👑
Picture a birth certificate proudly displaying “Princess👑.” Unlucky again, not allowed to use emojis in most states, including Texas and North Carolina. Names that resemble titles, ranks, or royal names, such as Princess, King, or Duke, are also frowned upon, even without the emoji.
In states such as New Jersey, such types of names have been perceived to be counter-cultural in terms of ideologies ruling humility and pragmatism. Well, you can call me Princess, if you want to, Princess, but you must make do, like the rest of us, with a less royal title.
1069
Numbers as names may be future-sounding and edgy, but they are prohibited in most states. In Minnesota, the use of digits is outrightly prohibited in names, and many other states adopt this same rule.
Birth registrations do not use numbers but letters, hence the situation of using digits may lead to difficulties in handling when it comes to keeping a record or an official document. In plain language, one can not compute a name such as 1069, no matter how meaningful that might be to parents.
Jo$e
Using symbols instead of letters can be pretty stylish and hip, but names like “jo$e” do not pass legal name laws in states such as Minnesota and New Jersey. Symbols such as the dollar sign ($) are strictly not allowed on a birth certificate.
States restrict names to standard letters, dashes, and apostrophes because there is no confusion when writing down in official materials. Although Jo$e may seem to tickle the paper, it is not one being passed anytime soon.
José
This one might surprise you. José is a common and beautiful name, but the acute sound of e is disfavored in certain areas, such as in California. Why? Its backward systems cannot handle accents and special characters, which has left many families quite annoyed with California.
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This leads to the possibility that names that need diacritic accents (i.e., accents or tildes) could be stored incorrectly, without the diacritic accents. Joset could be turned into José, which is not what most parents had in mind.
Blue (used as a single name)
A modest, mod-ish name like Blue may sound infallible, but in some states, it can not be used by itself. Many states require essential records to include a first and last name. This implies that you can call your child Blue as the first name, but she will still need a last name. Single-word names can be viable for celebrities or nicknames; however, they cannot be used as the sole form of identification in legal paperwork.
F** *(Censored for clarity)
Most states block obscene or abusive names. States such as New Jersey and New Mexico automatically reject names that contain profanity, vulgar words, or even offensive words. Legal and moral issues have also been cited, and decisions have been made by judges against such names being used. Although a parent may believe they can anticipate passing rules by trying to shock others, profanity cannot escape the gatekeepers.
O’Connor–Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Extra-long names that challenge the state systems to their maximum limit are usually rejected or abridged. There is a character limit in states like Minnesota, which limits names to 33 characters per line. Add to that particular pragmatism the technological constraints found in New York City’s environs, and names like O’Connor’s Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious are cumbersome to say the least. A witty long name could be interesting, but it is better to be reasonable about it.
J.D. (as the entire given name)
Initials are generally acceptable as a component of a name, but they are not permitted as the given name in certain states, such as New Mexico. Names such as J.D. or A.B. should be written out in full due to state requirements. The rationale is that official documents are supposed to be clear and not confusing since initials may not give sufficient details.
X Æ A-12
Yes, the infamous name! The announcement by Elon Musk and Grimes of X, AE A-12 as the name of their baby made headlines and caused a lot of confusion. Since the systems in California cannot have numbers or characters that are outside of the English alphabet when registering their birth, California intervened and changed the name to X AE A-XII.
Although the original name was creative and symbolic, it did not follow state regulations, which demonstrated that even the most famous parents are not free of the regulations.
Key Takeaway
There are rules and restrictions even on the names of babies in a country that glorifies individuality. States impose restrictions on profanity, symbols, numbers, and even accents to ensure names are safe, reasonable, and workable in official systems.
Therefore, even though your imagination is allowed to run wild when it comes to naming your child, it is recommended that you first look at the guidelines set by your particular local state. Keep it creative—but keep it compliant!
Disclaimer–This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.
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