While Choice New Zealand usually celebrates what’s best about our country, sometimes it helps our readers to make the right decisions by knowing what to avoid.
And there’s arguably no better example than to know which names should not be put forward when naming babies in New Zealand.
Since legislation covering the naming of newborn infants came into effect in 1995, the Department of Internal Affairs has declined almost 500 proposed names (and still counting).
Names are rejected by the department for various reasons, including poor taste, and those (such as king, queen or duke) that imply a title or rank.
About 61,000 births were recorded during 2016 and 18,000 of them were given unique first names, reflecting the efforts of parents to find distinctive names for their children.
Since 1995, the following list shows the number of times (in brackets) that a name has been rejected.
Worst names for babies
Justice (77)
King (43)
Prince (43)
Royal (38)
Princess (37)
Duke (19)
Bishop (16)
/ in name (15)
Messiah (13)
Royale (12)
Majesty (11)
Major (10)
Knight (9)
Lucifer (7)
J (6)
Queen (6)
Brackets around middle names (6)
Judge (4)
Lady (4)
. in name (3)
Christ (3)
Empress (3)
Justus (3)
Justyce (3)
Regal (3)
Rogue (3)
Sir (3)
Using back slash between double-barrelled surname (3)
( ) name in brackets (2)
3rd (2)
Chief (2)
E (2)
I (2)
II (2)
III (2)
Jr (2)
Lord (2)
Master (2)
Mr (2)
President (2)
T (2)
V (2)
89 (1)
* (1)
9 (1)
2nd (1)
4real (1)
5th (1)
A.J (1)
Anal (1)
Baron (1)
C (1)
C J -1
Commodore (1)
Constable (1)
Corporal (1)
D (1)
Dr-1
Dame (1)
Duchess (1)
Dukey (1)
Eminence (1)
Emperor (1)
G (1)
General (1)
Goddess (1)
Honour (1)
H-Q (1)
Impryss (1)
Juke (1)
Justis (1)
Justyce-Lee (1)
Juztice (1)
Kingz (1)
Kyng (1)
L B (1)
M (1)
Mafia No Fear (1)
Majesti (1)
Majezty (1)
Mayjor (1)
MC (1)
Minister (1)
MJ (1)
MMMR (1)
Pryncess (1)
Prynce (1)
Queen V (1)
Queen Victoria (1)
Roman numerals III (1)
Royaal (1)
Royahl (1)
Royal-Rule (1)
S P (1)
Saint (1)
Sargent (1)
Sarjant (1)
Senior Constable (1)
Severe (1)
Suprintedent (1)
Using back slash between middle names (1)
Using brackets around middle name (1)
V8 (1)
VI (1)
Y (1)
Source: Department of Internal Affairs, New Zealand, January 2017
New Zealanders’ favourite names for baby boys Ι New Zealanders’ favourite names for baby girls
