Japan has officially cracked down on “kirakira” names of the babies with a newly introduced law.
According to CNN, unusual names like Pikachu, Pudding, Devil and Nike were gaining popularity in Japan in recent times as parents decided to give their child unique names unlike traditional ones.
These “kirakira,” which means shiny or glittery, baby names became a task for hospitals, schools and authorities as they confused and did not know how to pronounce these names. This triggered the government to crack down on such names.
The Japanese government this week introduced a new rule limiting parents from giving their children only names that could be pronounced in unconventional ways.
Names banned in Japan after new law
The newly discouraged names include Jewel, Lovely, Kitty, Elsa, Prince, Naruto, Pikachu, Naiki (as in “Nike”), Pū (like Winnie-the-Pooh), Purin (like pudding), Daiya (meaning diamond), and Ōjisama (meaning prince).
After the new rule, a revision to the Family Register Act, local authorities are allowed to reject a name which they found too weird and hard to pronounce in order to halt “a negative impact on a child’s future.”
The new rule sparked mixed reactions on social media. Some of the users appreciate the decision, while some believe that it is parents' choice to name their child whatever they want.
A user wrote on X, “They’re not children of the nation, right? They’re children of their parents.”
“Why do certain people put kirakira names on their kids? It just causes those kids to be bullied,” a user questioned.
Another joked, “Please stop restricting kirakira names. Seeing a child’s name reveals the intelligence of their parents, which is helpful.”
