Banned at Birth: The Baby Names You Can't Use in ACT and NSW

You’re having a baby, yay! You google the bejeezus out of baby names. You scour the baby name books. You download all the best baby name apps (and even pay for some).

You settle on the perfect baby name … and then the government says ‘whoah there, you’re not naming your baby THAT’.

This is exactly what’s happened to one unlucky Canberra couple. Well, we’re not sure about the whole baby name hunt/app purchasing bit, but the name ban is most definite.

So what’s the name? It’s apparently so bad that Access Canberra is keeping it a secret, only sharing that it was rejected because it contains symbols without phonetic significance in the English language.

What could it be?

We’re thinking something along the lines of @shton, #awesomebaby or $haniqua, all of which include a symbol that would get the big N-O.

In the land of baby names in ACT, only three names have ever received the prestigious honour of being banned. The mysterious #babyname above, PrinceofZion and another gem that included the word Prince.

What’s wrong with Prince? It’s an official title or rank, which makes it a red flag in Australia. Other names that join Prince in the no-go zone include Saint, Admiral, Princess, King, Sir, Captain and Judge. We’ve actually got a whole list of banned baby names here if you want to double check if your favourite baby name is good to go.

Banned in New South Wales

In New South Wales, just one baby name has hit the banned list this year – the surname The Greatest.

But there’s been plenty more baby name knockbacks in NSW over the years, including a couple’s desire to name their child 7.

No, you can’t name your baby Scrotum

Some of the other notable baby names banned across Australia making headlines over the years?

Bonghead, Ranga, Pieandsauce, Scrotum, G-Bang, Snort, Hitler Ice-T, Panties, Thong and Chow Tow are all names that parents have tried to give their kids.

And then there was #ROFL, (Blank Space), D*ck Head, Medicare, Maryjuana, Ikea, Spinach, Batman and LOL, none of which made it past the registrar either. Top marks for trying though. And originality. I mean, who even thinks to name their kid G-Bang?

Of course, these are only some of the kooky (yes, let’s call them kooky) names parents have selected. We’ve got heaps more, like Abcde, Sheboygan and Any.

Looking for the right name for your little one? Check out our cheeky guide on the 10 things to do before naming your baby.