A Brazilian couple initially faced restrictions regarding their chosen name for their son.
Parents often wish to select a unique name for their child, but many countries have regulations preventing names that are considered too unconventional.
For instance, a UK couple last year engaged in a legal battle to name their son Lucifer. While most associate the name with the devil, Dan and Mandy Sheldon argued that their intention was not satanic but rather to give their child a ‘nice, strong’ name after struggling to find one.
Following an official complaint, they were eventually permitted to name their son Lucifer.
A similar situation unfolded recently in Brazil. Danillo and Catarina Prímola wanted to name their baby after a historical figure.
The couple chose the name Piyé, after the first black Egyptian pharaoh, which in Brazilian, is spelled Piié.
Officials, however, were concerned that the name could lead to bullying since it sounds similar to the ballet term “plié.”
Danillo explained their reasoning to MailOnline: “There was a word there that talked about the black pharaoh. We went to research what it was like and we found the story of Piiê, who was a Nubian warrior who fought and conquered Egypt and became the first black pharaoh.”
They hoped the name would honor their son’s African heritage.
“Recovering African names is a powerful way to give a new narrative to the history of black people,” Danillo continued. “We have the right to educate our children with this strength, this culture and in a way that they have representation in their name.”
The Belo Horizonte registry office initially blocked the name, and The Minas Gerais Court of Justice supported this decision.
The official reason was that the name might ‘expose their bearers to ridicule.’
However, on Friday, September 13, a judge overturned this decision, allowing the Prímolas to use the name.
This ruling means their baby boy can now proceed with necessary vaccinations, as he has finally been granted an official birth certificate.