Dan and Mandy Sheldon were over the moon when their baby boy was born. However, it didn’t take long before they sort of became the main figures in a big debate over a name. They had chosen a name that was reportedly even ‘banned,’ with one person claiming the little boy wouldn’t be able to get a job.
The joyful moment of their son’s birth turned into an unexpected battle when they went to officially register his name. Dan and Mandy Sheldon from the UK chose to name their son Lucifer, a name that immediately raised eyebrows at the registry office due to its strong religious associations.
Dan said the registrar was unsupportive, warning their son “wouldn’t succeed in life’” with that name.
“We were really excited to go and get him registered, but the woman looked at us in utter disgust,” Dan told The Sun. “She told us he would never be able to get a job, and that teachers wouldn’t want to teach him.
“I tried to explain that we are not religious people, and Lucifer in Greek means ‘light-bringer’ and ‘morning,’ but she wouldn’t listen,” he continued. “She even told us that it was illegal to name a child that in New Zealand and that maybe we could name him something else, but refer to him as Lucifer at home.”
The first time the devil’s name, Lucifer, was seen was in the King James Bible from 1611. However, in more modern versions of the holy scripture, he is referred to as Satan.
Dad who won battle to give baby ‘banned name’ responded
Dan and Mandy refused to back down and filed a complaint after feeling judged. Ultimately, the name was accepted, and Lucifer was legally registered.
However, even the moment when it got OK’d was a negative experience, Dan explained. When officials came to check whether they could register the boy with the name Lucifer, Dan and Mandy were even asked to leave the room, leaving them “gobsmacked” by the official’s behavior.
“Eventually she did it, but it was through gritted teeth,” he told The Sun. “Honestly, we just thought it was a nice name . . . a unique one. We didn’t expect to get so much grief about it.”
Derbyshire County Council later said, “We apologize if they were offended but it is the job of our registrars to advise in these matters as sometimes people are not aware of certain meanings or associations around certain names.”
The case has sparked online debate, with opinions split on whether the name goes too far or whether parents should have full freedom to name their child. For Dan and Mandy, the decision is final.
“We just wanted a name we loved,” Dan and Mandy said.
Do you think a boy should be able to be named Lucifer? Please share your opinion in the comment section.
