Overview
- Officials note that the UK has few strict naming rules, though names judged racist or harmful can be refused in some parts of the country.
- The Deed Poll Office lists refusals for names that are impossible to pronounce, include numbers or symbols (beyond hyphens or apostrophes), or are offensive, vulgar, or blasphemous.
- Names implying rank, title, or inherited honour can be rejected, and every registration must include at least one first name and one surname.
- Parents can change a child’s first name by deed poll within 12 months of registration, but changing a surname requires re‑registration and consent from all with parental responsibility.
- A deed poll does not alter the original birth certificate, which is linked as evidence; formal corrections leave the original entry intact with margin notes, and the UK keeps no blacklist despite reported past rejections and far stricter rules abroad.