A number of countries have passed naming laws, forbidding citizens from giving their kids certain types of names, but North Korea’s new naming law is more meaningful. The government has reportedly begun “restrict[ing] the use of the name ‘Jong-un’, instructing people with the same name to change it.” Kim Jong-un, the third son of Kin Jong-il, is his father’s heir apparent. The naming restrictions have been accompanied by other signs that Jong-un will be named as his father’s successor. (HT: FP Passport)[%comments]
When Is a Naming Law More Than a Naming Law?
TAGS: naming
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Not entirely unheard of. My grandfather used to tell me stories of the my family, the Forsbergs. The tales say that a Swedish king forced everyone bearing our original surname (Olafsson, I believe) to change it; and so, we took the surname Forsberg. Now, this may be entirely apochyphal (I would need to verify the story), but it certainly is the same kind of situation.
The human Ego knows no bounds.
After WWII, Germans named Hitler thought it best to change thier names in a hurry. There was a brief flurry of name changes from Hitler to Schitler, but this did not last long.
Looks like I won’t be naming my kid “Jong-un”. Damned! We already had his name embroidered on his baby clothes.
Think of all the names of naturalized Americans which were changed or at least anglicized on Ellis Island or other points of immigrants’ entry, not always at the individual’s request.
I know of at least two people in the field of entertainment who have had to use other names professionally because an earlier established or more famous entertainer/actor also had and was using that name.
The given names of Chinese emperors were taboo characters during their lifetimes. Despotic arrogance in both cases.
In Finland, there was a time upon gaining independence that
everything reminding us of the former ruler class language, Swedish, had to be changed. Many Swedish names were changed to their Finnish equivalents. Not all of this was voluntary though. My husband’s great-grandfather arrived to work one morning, only to meet his boss who told him: from this day on, your name will be changed – giving him a new, Finnish surname.
Now that’s employer power.
I guess they’ll just have to execute the still-living Jong-uns.
Bad luck, that.