These 89 baby names are banned in Australia – and some will shock you
From ‘Admiral’ to ‘Scrotum’, Australia has officially banned 89 baby names — some of them will raise your eyebrows
Choosing a baby name can be one of the most joyful (and stressful) parts of pregnancy – but if you're in Australia, the options are now officially 89 names shorter.
A new list of banned baby names, revealed by 7 News Australia, shows what you can’t call your child under national naming laws. And while a few are obvious no-gos, others are bound to surprise even the most seasoned name-nerd.
From official titles like ‘Duke’ and ‘Queen’ to eyebrow-raising picks like ‘Thong’, ‘Nutella’ and ‘Harry Potter’, there’s no shortage of quirky choices parents have (unsuccessfully) tried to get past the system.
What names are actually banned?
The rules vary slightly from state to state, but across the country, the same core principles apply: a name must not be obscene, offensive, misleading, or include symbols, punctuation, or titles that imply status or rank.
That means names like ‘Doctor’, ‘President’, ‘Captain’ and ‘Messiah’ are out. And so are cultural icons like ‘Jesus Christ’, ‘Adolf Hitler’, and even ‘Anzac’ — the term used to refer to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.
Also blacklisted are brand names like ‘Facebook’ and ‘Ikea’, slang terms like ‘Ranga’ and ‘Bonghead’, and words that would make most parents wince – looking at you, ‘S**thead’ and ‘Scrotum’.
And no, you can’t name your baby after infamous Aussie outlaw ‘Ned Kelly’ either.
Why so strict?
Naming laws are designed to protect children from potential embarrassment, bullying, or having a name that causes confusion or suggests a false identity.
Names longer than 50 characters are also off-limits, and anything that could be perceived as a joke or a stunt won’t fly with registry offices.
Speaking on Sunrise, Australian presenter Edwina Bartholomew said:
“It’s a tough decision for any parent: what to name her new bundle of joy… You can’t have a little Thong, which is a shame. You also can’t have a little Cyanide.”
She also pointed out the grey areas:
“Marshal is banned — but I know a Marshall with two Ls.”
The full list of banned names in Australia
While most of us might never dream of naming our baby ‘Scrotum’ or ‘Osama Bin Laden’, others have clearly tried – and failed. Australia's banned names list is a mix of the offensive, the official, and the downright bizarre.
Here's a breakdown of some of the most eye-catching categories:
- Titles & Ranks: Admiral, Duke, Queen, Judge, Prime Minister
- Religious or spiritual figures: God, Christ, Jesus Christ, Dalai Lama, Saint, Satan
- Pop culture & brands: Harry Potter, Ikea, Facebook, iMac
- Offensive or crude: Dickhead, Scrotum, Bonghead, S**thead, Smelly
- Misleading or political: Nazi, Medicare, Terrorist, Anzac, Osama Bin Laden
The full list is below!
- Admiral
- Adolf Hitler
- Anzac
- Australia
- Baron
- Bishop
- Brigadier
- Bomb
- Bonghead
- Brother
- Cadet
- Captain
- Chief
- Christ
- Chow Tow
- Colonel
- Commander
- Commissioner
- Commodore
- Constable
- Corporal
- Cyanide
- Dalai Lama
- Dame
- Devil
- Dickhead
- Doctor
- Duke
- Emperor
- Father
- G-Bang
- General
- God
- Goddess
- Harry Potter
- Honour
- Ikea
- iMac
- Inspector
- Jesus Christ
- Judge
- Justice
- King
- Lady
- Lieutenant
- Lord
- Madam
- Mafia
- Majesty
- Major
- Marijuana
- Marshal
- Medicare
- Messiah
- Minister
- Mister
- Monkey
- Nazi
- Ned Kelly
- Nutella
- Officer
- Osama Bin Laden
- Panties
- Passport
- Pope
- Premier
- President
- Prime Minister
- Prince
- Princess
- Professor
- Queen
- Ranga
- Robocop
- Saint
- Satan
- Scrotum
- Seaman
- Sergeant
- S**thead
- Sir
- Sister
- Smelly
- Snort
- Socceroos
- Terrorist
- Thong
- Virgin
While this list might seem extreme, it’s a reminder that naming your child isn’t entirely a free-for-all – even in the UK, certain restrictions apply. The UK government can refuse names deemed offensive or containing numbers or symbols (think ‘@lex’ or ‘Baby$mith’).
And while you can technically call your child ‘Princess’ or ‘King’ here, it's always wise to consider the implications of a name on your child’s future – from playground nicknames to job applications.
So, go wild with the baby name books, but maybe think twice before writing ‘Lord Commander Facebook’ on the birth certificate.
Authors
Ruairidh is the Digital Lead on MadeForMums. He works with a team of fantastically talented content creators and subject-matter experts on MadeForMums.