Couple banned from giving child their chosen name over 'bullying fears'

The big book of baby names probably needs a complete overhaul at this point, as yet another couple have been prohibited from calling their kid what they intended.

We get it, you want to choose something special and unique - but although a moniker might sound cute for a newborn baby, you've got to keep in mind that it might not age so well.

Whether you are rubbing people up the wrong way with a strange spelling, making people recoil in horror as the name sounds 'absolutely wretched' or due to the fact it has a rude meaning, it's hard to please everyone.

But as long as it satisfies the powers that be in the country where you live, that's all that really matters - however, if officials don't approve of it for whatever reason, they can kibosh your plans.

Danillo and Catarina Prímola can tell you all about this, as they've just been banned from using the name they wanted for their newborn son after bigwigs in Brazil took issue with it.

And even more surprisingly, the reason behind the decision is that officials fear that the moniker is 'capable of causing future embarrassment to the child'.

Danillo and Catarina were informed the name could cause 'embarrassment' for their son in the future (TV Globo)

The parents had decided to name their son Piyé in homage to the first Black Egyptian pharaoh, who was behind the construction of the oldest known pyramid at El-Kurru and the expansion of the Temple of Amun.

It translates to Piié in Brazilian, but authorities weren't keen on it.

That's because they reckon it sounds too similar to a word used to describe a ballet move, plié.

Due to this supposed correlation between the two, the Court of Justice and the Belo Horizonte registry office in the state of Minas Gerais ruled that they couldn't name the little lad Piyé.

Danillo and Catarina were informed that they were forbidden from 'registering a first name that could expose their bearers to ridicule', according to the Daily Mail.

The court reportedly told them: "That is why the sound and spelling of the name were preponderant for the rejection. They would be capable of causing future embarrassment to the child."

Dad Danillo explained that he and Catarina had decided on the name long before they welcomed their little boy into the world on 31 August, as they had been inspired after listening to the theme song for 2023 carnival celebrations.

The parents wanted to call their son Piyé to pay homage to the first black Egyptian pharaoh (G1)

"There was a word there that talked about the Black pharaoh," he said. "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 settled on Piyé as they wanted the moniker to link back to their baby's African ancestry.

"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."

Although the court in Minas Gerais initially took the same stance as the Belo Horizonte's registry office on naming the baby boy after a historical figure, a judge then reversed the decision on Friday (13 September).

Thankfully, now little Piyé can get all his vaccinations done as he finally has a birth certificate.