How Switzerland deals with potentially problematic first names

Swiss authorities can reject names which clearly harm the interests of the child. Keystone / Gaetan Bally

In Germany, a newborn is to be given the name Yahya Sinwar – like the former Hamas leader. Would this be possible in Switzerland? How liberal is the country when it comes to first names?

In Germany, a newborn baby is to be named Yahya Sinwar, it has been reported. The name tallies with that of the slain Hamas leader, which can be spelled Jihia al-Sinwar or Yahya Sinwar.

Sinwar is considered the mastermind behind the October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel. The name appeared in an Instagram story posted by the obstetrics department at the Leipzig University Hospital.

The newspaper Jüdische Allgemeine first reported on the case and quoted Jewish musician Ben Salomo, who raised the question of whether the name should be allowed.

Rules in Switzerland

In Switzerland, there is no list of proscribed first names. Article 37c(3) of the Civil Status Ordinance simply states that “the registrar shall reject first names that clearly harm the interests of the child”.

The naming process is reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the respective civil registry offices, which have the option of rejecting certain names. Parents can challenge such a decision in court.

Talking to the parents

Before the registry offices formally reject a name, they try to have a dialogue with the parents. In most cases, a solution is worked out, according to several civil registry offices and cantons contacted by SRF.

In some cases, parents are also advised to use a certain name as a middle rather than first name, says Madlen Brunner, head of the civil registry office in the city of Lucerne. “For example, we once allowed the name Hurricane as a middle name,” she says.

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Rejections are rare

It’s rare for civil registry offices to formally reject names chosen by parents. When contacted, canton Bern’s Population Office said there are only a few such isolated cases per year. Since January 1, 2024, just one name was rejected. The civil registry office of the city of Lucerne also says the number of rejections is negligible.

There was one court case in the early 1990s when the first name Schmucki was chosen for a child – the mother’s maiden name. The Federal Court ultimately rejected the name.

According to the Department of Justice and Security of canton Basel City, the number of unusual name requests is increasing. However, a discussion is only needed in isolated cases, it says.

A matter for discussion

Discussions with parents are sought, for example when well-known brand names are used, according to authorities in Basel.

However, it may also happen that the parents can prove that the name is well-founded – for example, because it is common in another cultural context.

Canton Bern meanwhile states that first names which are clearly feminine are not accepted for boys and vice versa. In addition, names featuring combinations of numbers and symbols, like ‘M1l@’, are not accepted.

Markus Stoll, head of the canton Zurich civil registry department, says that discussions typically arise when one parent’s surname is to be used as a first name, because Switzerland does not allow children to have double surnames.

“The name Junior, often used as a first name in Brazil, is also a source of recurring debate,” Stoll says. But overall, he explains, civil registry offices in Switzerland have by now become very generous when it comes to naming children.

Adapted from German by DeepL/ac