Couple Couldn’t Name Baby ‘Metallica’ In Sweden

Mandy @ Gone Hollywood | Sunday, August 19, 2007

People get awfully creative these days in naming their children, and I think it’s great … most of the time. Apparently Sweden is not so fun-loving because they have three rules for naming your baby, and then the name has to meet the approval of the Swedish National Tax Board before you can get a Social Security Number equivalent for the child.

So a few months ago this Swedish couple, Michael and Karolina Tomaro, wanted to name their daughter Metallica Elody Julia. And the tax authority said no.

In Sweden, name are evaluated on three points. The name could not be:

1. a common surname;
2. a name that can bring negative consequences in its bearer’s future; and
3. a boy’s name if you’re naming a girl and vice versa.

The tax agency felt that the name was both too similar to the name of the band “Metallica” and it sounded like the word “metal.”

The couple isn’t taking the decision lying down. They received support from the County Administrative Court in Goteborg, Sweden, but the SNTB appealed. However, eventually the appeal was dropped and now little Metallica can finally get a passport. Before the Tomaros couldn’t leave Sweden with the baby girl.

And no, Lars Ulrich is not Swedish. He’s Danish.

It’s an interesting debate, I think. If I want to name my little boy Pantera, it might not be a good idea, but why shouldn’t I be able to?

Source: “This name rocks.” [Tax Girl]; Photo: Amazon