Parents have successfully fought to name their baby a ‘banned name’ after the registrar attempted to prevent them from doing so.
Becoming a parent is a significant milestone in anyone’s life, but it also brings a great deal of responsibility that can be difficult to anticipate.
One of these responsibilities is choosing a name for your child, a decision that will likely stay with them for a lifetime.
Choosing a name for a child takes time and careful thought, as you want to avoid any mistakes.
However, for one couple determined to use their chosen name for their baby, they nearly encountered a roadblock.
Opinions have been split on the controversial name choice, with some expressing that they don’t understand the commotion.
In support of the parents, one commenter stated, “It’s a beautiful name.”
Another person chimed in, saying, “It’s the coolest name ever.”
A third individual expressed, “I love that name.”
On the other hand, some commenters criticized the parents, with one remarking, “Just because you like something doesn’t mean it’s best for your child. In my opinion, that was a selfish decision on the parents’ part.”
Echoing this sentiment, a second commenter wrote, “Why on earth would they name their son that? They clearly haven’t considered what he might face because of it.”
Dan and Mandy Sheldon welcomed their son into the world, and four months later, they went to register his name.
They shared with The Sun that they were “excited” to register their son. However, they were greeted with expressions of “utter disgust” when they revealed his name.
Despite their insistence on the name, the couple faced criticism from the registrar and endured some harsh comments.
Dan stated, “She told us he would never be able to get a job and that teachers wouldn’t want to teach him.”
The father explains that neither he nor Mandy are religious, and that the name means ‘light-bringer’ and ‘morning’ in Greek.
However, this explanation went unheeded, and the couple was informed that the name is illegal in several countries, including New Zealand, and considered inappropriate in places like Germany and Switzerland. Nonetheless, it is not banned in the UK.
The registrar asked them to leave the room while she checked the information herself.
“We were shocked by her behavior,” Dan says. “Eventually, she registered it, but it was clear she was doing it through gritted teeth. Honestly, we just thought it was a nice name… a unique one.”
“We didn’t expect to face so much backlash about it.”
This incident has drawn the attention of Derbyshire County Council, which has issued an apology for what occurred.
Their statement, as reported by The Sun, reads: “We apologize if they were offended, but it is the responsibility of our registrars to provide guidance in these matters, as some people may not be aware of certain meanings or associations related to specific names.”
The couple wanted to name their child Lucifer, which is the name attributed to the devil when he was an angel before his fall from heaven into hell.
In more modern versions of the Bible, Lucifer is referred to as Satan.
Appearing on This Morning with baby Lucifer, Dan emphasizes that while he understands why people might focus on the Christian meaning of the name, they chose to highlight its Greek meaning.
“It depends on which part of history you consider,” he comments.
“The UK does not have laws prohibiting specific names, but registrars can reject names that contain obscenities or numerals,” according to The Independent.
“New Zealand, which has stricter naming restrictions, included Lucifer on a list of banned names published in 2013, alongside ‘Christ’ and royal titles like ‘King,’ ‘Prince,’ and ‘Princess.’”
