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Game of Thrones name sparks passport mix-up for family (www.bbc.co.uk)

submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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A woman was left "devastated" after her daughter's passport application was rejected because she was named after a Game of Thrones character.

Lucy, 39, from Swindon in Wiltshire, said the Passport Office initially refused the application for Khaleesi, six.

Officials said they were unable to issue a passport unless Warner Brothers gave permission because it owned the name's trademark. But the authority has since apologised for the error.

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[–] [email protected] 32 points 1 month ago (22 children)

This seems fucking daft. How do you refuse a name? Unless your name is a literal blank then you should be allowed any stupid name you desire.

[–] [email protected] 36 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (5 children)

Here in Germany, they can decide to refuse a name for a child if it's overly krass or might make the child's life unduly difficult. While one can argue about whether they like that, at least it only happens once. If you have a name, you can get as many passports with it on there as you want.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 month ago (3 children)

some twonk at the passport office invented this rule.

hence the apology. The Uk passport office has no right or duty to enforce trademarks.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Official explained there had been a misunderstanding and the guidance staff had originally given applies only to people changing their names.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago

Even that doesn't make sense. Trademark law doesn't apply to peoples personal names.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

Sooo many people didn't read that article.

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