German Court Intervenes When Parents Decide To Name Baby 'Lucifer' | HuffPost Life

Meanwhile in the US, a record 13 babies were named Lucifer in 2016.

Caroline Bologna— HuffPost

A couple in Germany wanted to name their baby Lucifer... until government officials got involved.

An unidentified pair of parents in the city of Kassel submitted paperwork to name their newborn son Lucifer, according to The Associated Press.

An official in the registry office, however, refused to sign off and referred the couple to the district court, which would decide if the name was acceptable.

In Germany, parents have the right to choose their baby’s name, but officials can intervene if the chosen name would endanger the child’s wellbeing by exposing them to mocking and humiliation or by being offensive.

The registrar in Kassel was concerned that the name Lucifer could adversely affect the child for those reasons. Although the name technically means “bearer of light,” it generally connotes Satan and evil.

EVGENYATAMANENKO VIA GETTY IMAGES

Court spokesperson Matthias Grund told the local newspaper Hessische Niedersächsische Allgemeine that the parents in this case changed their minds during a closed-door hearing.

They instead decided to name their son Lucian.

Because the parents opted for a different name, the court did not have to issue a ruling.

The name Lucifer is banned in some countries, including New Zealand.

The United States, however, has more lax naming laws. In 2016, a record 13 baby boys were named Lucifer.

This story was originally published on the US version of HuffPost.

Before You Go

Pride 2017: 13 Baby Names Inspired By The LGBT Community

1. Harvey(01 of13)

Harvey Milk was an American politician who became the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California, when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

2. Gilbert(02 of13)

Gilbert Baker, an openly gay artist and civil rights activist, designed the Rainbow Flag in 1978. The flag has since become a prominent symbol to the gay community around the world.

3. Sylvia(03 of13)

Sylvia Rivera was an American gay liberation and transgender activist and self-identified drag queen. She was a founding member of both the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance.

4. Ellen(04 of13)

Ellen Page is a Canadian actress who came out in 2014, and has since spoken openly about the double standards around LGBT actors in Hollywood, she said: "Now I’m gay, I can’t play a straight person?!”

5. Martina(05 of13)

Martina Navratilova is a Czech and American retired tennis player and coach. In 2005, Tennis magazine selected her as the greatest female tennis player for the years 1965 through 2005. In 2000, she was the recipient of National Equality Award from the USA's largest gay and lesbian activist/lobbying group for her campaigning.

6. Audre(06 of13)

Audre Lorde was a African-American writer, feminist, poet and civil-rights activist. She took part in the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1979 and used her theory of difference to establish the fight for gay rights. She quickly became the best known out-of-the-closet Black radical lesbian feminist.

7. Ian(07 of13)

Sir Ian McKellen is an actor and the recipient of six Laurence Olivier Awards, a Tony Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. He is one of the founding members of Stonewall UK, along with John Miskelly and Michael Cashman.

8. Keegan(08 of13)

Keegan Hirst is Britain's first openly gay rugby player who came out in August 2015.

9. Laverne(09 of13)

Laverne Cox is an American actress on the hit Netflix series 'Orange is the New Black'. Cox has made history as being the first openly transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy award in an acting role and to be on the cover of Time magazine.

10. Edie(10 of13)

Edie Windsor is an American LGBT rights activist and former technology manager at IBM. She was the lead plaintiff in the Supreme Court of the United States, which successfully overturned Section 3 of the Defence of Marriage Act, considered a landmark legal victory for same-sex marriage.

11. Bayard(11 of13)

Bayard Rustin is best known for his work with Martin Luther King in the civil right's movement, but in the 1970s, he became a public advocate on behalf of gay and lesbian causes as well.

12. Ruby(12 of13)

Ruby Rose is an Australian model, DJ, recording artist, actress and television presenter. She has spoken openly, and extensively, about her sexuality and identifying as gender fluid.

13. Larry(13 of13)

Larry Kramer is an American playwright, author, public health advocate and LGBT rights activist.

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