46 baby names that have been BANNED in Australia

Be careful when choosing a baby name. Here are 46 banned baby names in Australia, some of them you have to see to believe!
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To all the parents who want to name their kid Lord or Corporal, we’ve got some bad news for you – your ‘unusual’ choice of baby name is banned in Australia.

The Victorian Government has recently released a list of banned baby names – prohibited under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act of 1996.

Check out the full list of illegal baby names in Australia below, apologies in advance to the parents who had their heart set on Bishop for their son…

Banned & illegal baby names Australia

Banned and illegal baby names in Australia:

1. Admiral

2. Anzac

3. Australia

4. Baron

5. Bishop

6. Brigadier

7. Brother

8. Cadet

9. Captain

10. Chief

11. Christ

12. Commodore

13. Constable

14. Corporal

15. Dame

16. Duke

17. Emperor

18. Father

19. General

20. God

Sleeping 12 day old newborn baby boy wearing a blue and gold crocheted police officer's hat.

21. Honour

22. Judge

23. Justice

24. King

25. Lady

26. Lieutenant

27. Lord

28. Madam

29. Majesty

30. Major

31. Messiah

32. Minister

33. Mister

34. Officer

35. Premier

36. President

37. Prime Minister

38. Prince

39. Princess

40. Queen

41. Saint

42. Satan

43. Seaman

44. Sergeant

45. Sir

46. Sister

baby-queen

The reason for these baby name bans:

All the baby names listed were unsuccessfully registered in Victoria over the last 12 months with many of them by more than one parent.

They reason they are banned? These monikers resemble official ranks or titles recognised in Australia. To be called prince or princess in this country, you need to actually be one!

Every country has a list of names that are not allowed to be recorded by the Registrar. 

In Australia, the Registrar can refuse to register a birth name in circumstances including any of the following:

  • It is obscene or offensive 
  • It cannot be established by repute or usage because it’s too long or contains symbols (such as an exclamation mark).
  • It is displayed in the form of initials or acronyms
  • It creates confusion in the community
  •  It contains an official title or rank recognised in Australia
  • It may be considered reasonably likely to insult, humiliate, offend or intimidate a person or group.
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