Did Saudi Arabia really ban 51 baby names recently? I’m not sure.
Last week, the country’s Civil Affairs Department supposedly released a list of 51 unacceptable baby names — names that were either “not in line with social traditions,” “not appropriate in terms of religion,” or of Western origin.*
Over the weekend, though, a spokesperson from the Civil Affairs Department said that, while the department does regulate baby names, it didn’t release the list in question.
Here are the 51 (possibly) banned baby names:
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Malak (“angel” in Arabic) Abdul Ati Abdul Nasser (“servant of the helper” in Arabic) Abdul Mosleh Nabi Nabiya Emir (“prince” in Arabic) Somu Al-Mamlaka (“the kingdom” in Arabic) Malika (“queen” in Arabic) Mamlaka (“kingdom” in Arabic) Tabaraka Nardeen Maya Linda Randa Basmalah (“in the name of God” in Arabic) Tuleen Arm Nareej Rital Als Sandi Rama (“pleasing” in Sanskrit; Hindu god) Maleen |
Eleen Alas Ainar Loran Malkiteena Lareen Kibriyal Laureen Binyameen (Arabic form of Benjamin) Narees Yara Sitaf Aileen Loland Tilaj Barah Abdul Nabi Abdul Rasool (“servant of the messenger” in Arabic) Jibreel (Arabic form of Gabriel) Abdul Mo’een Abrar Milak Aiman Bayan Baseel Rilam |
*The Gulf News believes some of the names were included for political reasons — Abdul Nasser because of Egypt’s second president Gamal Abdel Nasser, for instance, and Binyamin because of Israeli’s current prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Sources: Interior Ministry bans 51 baby names, Civil Affairs denies banning baby names, Why did Saudi Arabia ban 51 baby names?