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Japan has some bad news for the older generation of Pokémon fans. A recently enacted policy in Japan will prohibit parents from giving their children "unusual" baby names, such as Pikachu from the Pokémon series.
According to the Sri Lanka Guardian, the Japanese government is cracking down on parents who give their children kira-kira names, also known as "flashy" baby names. This refers to the practice of parents giving their children unconventional names, commonly inspired by pop culture, which may potentially compromise the child's mental well-being in the future. The practice takes on another layer of depth in Japan, as the Japanese writing style allowed parents to give their children eccentric names based on the pronunciation or double meanings of the characters.
Image via OLM
The new Japanese law cracking down on flashy baby names was passed for the sake of children who suffered from their parents' abnormal obsession with pop culture or bizarre sense of humor. The Sri Lanka Guardian highlighted a case where Ojisama Akaike, whose name meant "Prince," legally changed his name to Hajime ("beginning") after years of embarrassment and ridicule. In another notorious example, a parent named their child Shiizaa (Caesar) based on the kanji meaning of "emperor." Further examples include "Eren," a stylized interpretation of the English name "Ellen" using characters for "eternal love," "Raburi" (meaning "lovely"), and "Purin" (meaning "pudding"). These names, along with the aforementioned "Pikachu," are no longer considered suitable for use as baby names in Japan.
Based on the new law, Japanese parents must specify the pronunciation of their child's name during registration. Government officials will review proposed baby names and have the right to reject those they believe may harm the child's well-being. Any names that invert the meaning of the kanji by using characters associated with positivity, but are pronounced with a negative connotation, will be rejected. The new Japanese law is the result of years of deliberation over trying to retain a parent's creative freedom in naming their child, while preventing those who abuse the right at the expense of their children.
In North America, a New York parent went viral after naming their child after an infamous Attack on Titan character in December 2023. According to the City of New York - Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, a male baby was registered with the name "Eren Yeager Bonilla" on Nov. 27, 2023. As longtime Attack on Titan fans know, the story of Eren Yeager in the adult anime drama is one of loss, growth and descent into madness. Considering the character's controversial actions in the latter half of the series, naming one's child "Eren" is "like calling your son Hitler," a user on X (formerly Twitter joked.
Source: https://www.cbr.com/japanese-law-bad-news-pokemon-pikachu/
According to the Sri Lanka Guardian, the Japanese government is cracking down on parents who give their children kira-kira names, also known as "flashy" baby names. This refers to the practice of parents giving their children unconventional names, commonly inspired by pop culture, which may potentially compromise the child's mental well-being in the future. The practice takes on another layer of depth in Japan, as the Japanese writing style allowed parents to give their children eccentric names based on the pronunciation or double meanings of the characters.
Pikachu or Any Other Pokémon Will No Longer Be Allowed as Baby Names in Japan
The new Japanese law cracking down on flashy baby names was passed for the sake of children who suffered from their parents' abnormal obsession with pop culture or bizarre sense of humor. The Sri Lanka Guardian highlighted a case where Ojisama Akaike, whose name meant "Prince," legally changed his name to Hajime ("beginning") after years of embarrassment and ridicule. In another notorious example, a parent named their child Shiizaa (Caesar) based on the kanji meaning of "emperor." Further examples include "Eren," a stylized interpretation of the English name "Ellen" using characters for "eternal love," "Raburi" (meaning "lovely"), and "Purin" (meaning "pudding"). These names, along with the aforementioned "Pikachu," are no longer considered suitable for use as baby names in Japan.
Based on the new law, Japanese parents must specify the pronunciation of their child's name during registration. Government officials will review proposed baby names and have the right to reject those they believe may harm the child's well-being. Any names that invert the meaning of the kanji by using characters associated with positivity, but are pronounced with a negative connotation, will be rejected. The new Japanese law is the result of years of deliberation over trying to retain a parent's creative freedom in naming their child, while preventing those who abuse the right at the expense of their children.
In North America, a New York parent went viral after naming their child after an infamous Attack on Titan character in December 2023. According to the City of New York - Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, a male baby was registered with the name "Eren Yeager Bonilla" on Nov. 27, 2023. As longtime Attack on Titan fans know, the story of Eren Yeager in the adult anime drama is one of loss, growth and descent into madness. Considering the character's controversial actions in the latter half of the series, naming one's child "Eren" is "like calling your son Hitler," a user on X (formerly Twitter joked.
Source: https://www.cbr.com/japanese-law-bad-news-pokemon-pikachu/
