Did you think you could name your baby anything you desire? Well, it turns out that the rules vary depending on your state of residence. Here’s a look at some of the wildest baby naming laws across the United States.
Alabama
In Alabama, parents have the freedom to choose any name for their child, including the last name, which doesn’t have to match either parent’s. The only restriction is that names can only use the English alphabet, allowing apostrophes and hyphens but banning numbers and symbols.
Alaska
Alaska is quite accommodating with names. The state’s computer system supports various special characters, so names like Chloë and Beyoncé are perfectly acceptable!
Arizona
Arizona has a character limit for names—45 characters each for first, middle, and last names, plus 6 for suffixes. Punctuation like apostrophes, hyphens, and periods is permitted.
Arkansas
In Arkansas, while you can use apostrophes, hyphens, and spaces in names, they cannot be placed consecutively. Additionally, some names like Baby, Test, or Infant are prohibited.
California
California prohibits derogatory or obscene names. Only the 26 letters of the English alphabet are allowed, and pictographs (like smiley faces) are banned.
Colorado
There are no length restrictions for names in Colorado, but they must be spelled using standard keyboard characters—no graphic symbols or foreign letters allowed.
Connecticut
Connecticut allows any name, provided it’s not used for fraudulent purposes and doesn’t infringe on anyone else’s rights.
Florida
In Florida, if parents can’t agree on a first name, the birth certificate cannot be filed until a mutual agreement is reached or a court decides.
Georgia
Georgia has a strict policy against any symbols in names, including accent marks.
Hawaii
Hawaii imposes no limitations on names, including symbols, though each symbol must be paired with at least one letter in the state’s computer system.
Idaho
Idaho is straightforward: only letters are permissible, with no special characters allowed.
Illinois
In Illinois, there are virtually no restrictions on baby names, allowing for some truly unique options like “1Der” or “2-Riffic.”
Indiana
Indiana has no rules on first names, but if the mother is unmarried, the child can only take her surname unless paternity is established.
Kansas
Kansas mandates that every baby must have a last name and prohibits symbols; however, accent marks are allowed.
Louisiana
In Louisiana, obscenities are off-limits, and diacritical marks are not permitted. If the mother wasn’t married within 300 days of birth, the baby must take her surname.
Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, names must consist of letters, similar to how you would speak casually among friends.
For more insights on baby naming and parenting, check out our other blog posts, such as this one on baby naming laws. If you’re considering at-home options for insemination, Make A Mom offers the leading home insemination kits. Additionally, for comprehensive support during pregnancy and insemination, UCSF’s Center is an excellent resource.
In summary, baby naming laws can be surprisingly strict and vary widely by state. From character limits to outright bans on certain names, it’s essential to know your local regulations before making that all-important choice.
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