Japan has officially cracked down on “kirakira” — meaning “shiny” or “glittery” — baby names, with a new law aimed at dimming the dazzle of outlandish monikers like Pikachu, Prince ...

New revisions to the Japan Family Register Act on May 26 limit the use of kirakira baby names, according to the South China Morning Post. This translates to “sparkly,” “shiny,” or ...

Japan has officially cracked down on “kirakira” — meaning “shiny” or “glittery” — baby names, with a new law aimed at dimming the dazzle of outlandish monikers like Pikachu, Prince ...

When Japanese parents Shigeru and Ayako Sato named their child Akuma (which translates to “Devil”) in 1994, they spoiled the baby name game for the rest of the country. According to the South ...

New Zealand announced its list of banned baby names for 2024 in March 2025. Out of the 60,000 babies born in New Zealand last year, 71 names were rejected, according to People magazine.

These names could include anything from Pikachu to Nike, according to CNN. But Japan isn't the only country to have restrictions on baby names.

Keidanren, Japan’s largest business lobby, says the status quo “hinders women’s advancement”. Campaigners are not stopping there. They say junking name rules will also help stop uncommon ones dying ...