They wanted to name their baby “Lucifer”, the court said no (but it would have said yes for Adolf)

It's always a headache to find a name for your future baby. Classic, original, rare or fashionable? A German couple made the bold choice to name their boy “Lucifer”, says The Times Monday. But they were not allowed to do so.

Why did justice refuse?

In fact, the Rostock court located in the north of the country refused their request. In Germany, first names can be excluded if they threaten the well-being of the child. For example, if the name is offensive, ridiculous or puts the person at a disadvantage in society.

In Germany, other first names have been banned such as: Satan, Judas, Lenin, Gucci, McDonald, Excalibur, Pain… Contrary to popular belief, Adolf is not prohibited. The most popular in 2024 were Emily and Noah.

And in France?

In France, the choice of first names is controlled by the civil status officer when declaring the birth, recalls the Service-public.fr website. The latter cannot refuse the first names but he can warn the public prosecutor if the choice made by the parents seems contrary to the interests of the child. Then, once contacted by the prosecutor, the family affairs judge can order the deletion of the first name from the civil status registers. He can even go so far as to give the child a first name if the parents refuse to find a solution.

A case caused a stir last year. The Breton first name Fañch had been refused by the courts. According to the circular of July 23, 2014, first names must be written in French. Tildes and apostrophes are therefore prohibited.