Having the wrong name could keep you from becoming a Spanish citizen!
By shywolf
@shywolf (4514)
United States
January 22, 2007 8:42pm CST
A Colombian woman by the name of "Darling Velez" was denied Spanish citizenship, simply because of her name. Apparently, there is some kind of a law in Spain that prohibits names which could expose a person to ridicule. They also prohibit the use of names which do not clearly indicate the gender of the person.
I can kind of understand where this law is coming from. But it's sad that someone who wants citizenship would have to change her name just to become an offical Spanish citizen. And this woman feels that her name is a part of her personality. She doesn't wish to change it. (Frankly, I think that "Darling" is kind of a pretty name, myself. I don't know if I would want to change it, either, if I were used to having it as my name already for 33 years, as she has! ^_^ )
Anyway, what do you think of this law in Spain? And/or what are some of the funniest/most interesting names that you've heard of that probably wouldn't be allowed in Spain? Feel free to share any thoughts that you have about this story! ^_^
You can read more here:
http://www.davesdaily.com/out.php?id=23779&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.yahoo.com%2Fs%2Fnm%2F20070119%2Fod_nm%2Fspain_names_odd_dc
7 people like this
38 responses
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
23 Jan 07
Well, that is just plain sad that she would have to change her name because she wants citizenship. But I guess if she wants it badly enough, she will change her name.
She could still be called Darling by her friends and family, right?
The most funny names I have known a people personally named was these two sisters.
They hated their names! Their last name was Fisch...pronounced like Fish. And their parents name them Catherine and Coral. Catherine was shortened to Cat Fisch and then there was Coral Fisch.
I am serious when I tell you these girls really were named this.
AND...I love the name Coral so much, I gave it as a middle name to one of my daughters. :)
1 person likes this
@imadriscoll (2228)
• United States
23 Jan 07
Why do people do this to their children? Don't they realize it's not like naming a pet?
@imadriscoll (2228)
• United States
23 Jan 07
I think that I would change my name to something like Maria Darling Velez ... and then just go by Darling that way you receive citizenship and still have your name.
The only really kind of weird name that I know of is that my husband has a cousin named Dusty Rhodes (Roads).
Oh, and he has a nephew named Enoch ... and when I told my dad his name he thought of Eunich and replied, "Isn't that a man without balls?" LOL. We still joke about that.
@imadriscoll (2228)
• United States
23 Jan 07
Ok, I'll try to post this one more time ... My mom had a teacher in high school named Diick Peters and his wife was Sharon ... said quickly it's Sharin' Peters. True story! LOL!
@aries6484 (279)
• India
23 Jan 07
That is really rediculous.if they continue to do like that then in future nobody will visit spain.
@Adrenochrome (1653)
•
25 Jan 07
I visit Spain several times a year, and approve of the European name law concept. If you look to the USA anyone can be given a stupid name by their parents and has to live with it. The number of people who use names that already exist but then misspell them is ridiculous, because their parents heard the name but don't know how to spell, hence the childagain faces ridicule by his/her classmates.
Just look at the Hilton family who name their children after cities, irrespective of the fact that Paris is a mans name!
@alienstar (5142)
• India
23 Jan 07
This is very weird as i haven't heard anything of this sort any time in mylife time.Does teh country have all these strange rules set up for citizenship...that too how the name should look....! each country will be different from other countries in its own culture, rules etc...isn't it?
@KHyuga (1694)
• Singapore
23 Jan 07
Yes, of course, but do the spanish people themselves agree with this rule?
@AskAlly (3625)
• Canada
23 Jan 07
When a childl is born we have to remeber that we are naming a human and not our pet cat or dog. So when I found out my girlfriend and her husband had chosen Harley Rose for thier daughter I did not know what to say because we have a dog named Harley.
Another from a post that I was reading was Venice Wanted, because the parents wanted the child to know she was wanted
I don't like names such as Tracy, Kimberly ,Pat or Bobby because I don't know if they are boys or girls
@western_valleygirl (1363)
• United States
23 Jan 07
That is funny...usually I don't get confused, between a guy and a girl...but now that I al older and have lived in different places, I have noticed that people in certain areas use some names only for girls...and others only for guys...and the, there were a few that I was used to hearing for both. What was strange for me, was being surrounded by so many Laurens as girls, and then finding out, that it is actually for men ( as I got older)...
@western_valleygirl (1363)
• United States
23 Jan 07
That is terrible that they have this law in Spain...they should have something less severe, like a warning law, or something...I bet, that a kid that was really mad at their name, got the law enacted as an adult, lol. So that people would stop making fun of him/her...it would be interesting to see how it all began. My husband was telling me about a girl that his father taught (he was a school teacher), in his class, whose name was Cotton...isn't that crazy....and then, there was the usual, Apple (like gwen's daughter), and Biscotti, lol....and other names...I can go on and on.I think names are interesting, and so, it is really the person behind it, that matters.
@spanglish (18)
• Ireland
23 Jan 07
Hi
I think France also has strong rules around names for children.
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
23 Jan 07
I can understand the fundamental reasoning, but it is too late once the person has been given a name.
People do not choose their own name, and usually by the time that they are old enough to change it the name has become part of their life. I fully agree with her and would not change my name however silly someone claimed that it was.
The authorities claim to have concern for her being ridiculed, but have no objections to persecuting her because of her name. This is hypocrasy at it's best.
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
23 Jan 07
A young man in our church changed his last name because of his future wifes middle name began with an a His name was Hooker Her name was j*** a. And her married name woulb J*** A Hooker. He didn't want to have her being called a hooker. Pretty thoughful of him. He wasn't ask to change it ether.
@JustSimplyLissa (547)
• United States
23 Jan 07
i think it's simply sad that they would deny her that privilage because of a name. It's silly to me.
It's her NAME.. geeze. I think that some names are just foolish, but eh, it's still just a name like any other.
@sunshinecup (7871)
•
23 Jan 07
That is wild to hear. I thought the US was bad for creating, "looking out for your own good" laws. I think it's sad, she has to choose between one of the other one.
@freesoul (3021)
• Egypt
23 Jan 07
It's good to have such laws, in fact there should be similar laws everywhere in the world .. children are not their parents "property" and they can't just name them whatever they want.. for this case I guess she can change her name on the papers and still people will call her whatever she wants them to call her.
@pebbles_cubbie (3789)
• United States
25 Jan 07
if that were true in USA nearly no one would be a citizen. lol. that's a crazy law. i wouldn't change my name just to become a citizen of a country. especially if i was 33 years old and wanted to keep it. her name is a nice name like you said.
@ScrappinHappyMom (914)
• United States
23 Jan 07
I think that is crazy, that a country would dictate what kind of name you could have. I guess that is why the celebrities have their babies in America so they can name them "Apple" and such.
@praveenkumar06 (4077)
• Hyderabad, India
23 Jan 07
Spanish law prohibits names which could expose a person to ridicule or do not clearly ... Do not even think about trying to become a Spanish citizen. .
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
• United States
23 Jan 07
Well I guess my dreams of marrying "Mr. Diick" and naming my kid "Harry" are out! *sigh*
How funny. Like it's any of their business?! Sheesh.
@sj_chaudhry (1537)
• Canada
23 Jan 07
well i heared it for a first time.. i reside in Canada and we never heared such things over here...
regarding the Spanish Law..it is bit contoversial... they should put little bit lilliancy in it. hhmmm i dont know about spanish names...
thanx for the link... it is interesting to know the new thing.
@Adrenochrome (1653)
•
23 Jan 07
This is not purely a Spanish issue, the same laws apply in the UK and across Europe, although your point about having to clearly identify the gender is incorrect. Many hispanic people adopt the saints name Maria, whether they are male or female.
In the UK, any name that falsely lays claim to a title you do not hold is forbidden - eg you cannot name your son Prince, nor daughter, Duchess.
With regards to stupid names, Bob Geldoff has a daughter called Fifi Trixiebell!
What you may enjoy is the fact that their was a book written about a couple who wanted a son, but when they had a daughter, went into denial and raised the child as a son, with a boys name. The name was Shirley, originally a male name, but which, due to the books success, has become a relatively common girls name today.
@master_ang3lkulit (271)
• Philippines
23 Jan 07
first of all. no one is beyond the law. scince you want to migrate to heir place the first thing you do is to abide their law. and theres nothing you can do about it.
