Teen Legally Known as 'Girl' Wins Court Battle

Ian Johnston, author of Teen Legally Known as 'Girl' Wins Court Battle to Use Her Own Name is quite a fascinating story due to its strange subject: Names in Iceland. Johnston tells the story of one girl in order to explain the naming process and rules relating to names in Iceland. The article features a picture of Blaer, who looks like a normal girl although her name is unusual. In Iceland parents cannot name their child whatever name they please. To be official, a child’s name must be approved by the Icelandic Naming Committee. Apparently Blaer’s name was a boy’s name and could not be used for a girl, so officially Blaer was known as Stulka or Girl. Stulka won the right to her own name in court recently, so she no longer has to go by Girl. The article has a serious business-like tone, but the subject matter is so unusual  that the story is not boring in any way. The  naming committee exists in order to maintain the use of traditional Icelandic names. In the U.S. thousands of people have unusual names such as Le-ah (le-dash-ah), Banana, or Three, but in Iceland such names would be completely unacceptable. Although in Iceland you can apply to have a name added to the accepted list, unusual names would never be considered. The Icelandic authorities and some of the population want to retain traditional names that sound Icelandic. This seems like a strange concept to those from countries where someone could be named Sparkle, but in Iceland this is the norm.

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/31/16791797-teen-legally-known-as-girl-wins-court-battle-to-use-her-own-name?lite