Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii OK with `censor'

Fewer than 10 children's names a year are rejected as unsuitable, the Department of Internal Affairs says.

Among them are Satan, Adolf Hitler and 4Real.

But the department says many of the unusual names cited by a New Plymouth Family Court judge as a form of child abuse are perfectly legitimate.

A spokesman for Births, Deaths and Marriages conceded if a person wanted to name a child Twisty Poi or Fish and Chips they could.

Of the list, published yesterday, Only Keenan Got Lucky and Sex Fruit were questionable, because of their sexual nature. Numbers rejected ranged from about two to 10 a year from the 65,000 births registered, spokesman Tony Wallace said.

He said names were declined for registration if they were offensive to a reasonable person, unreasonably long, or resembled an official rank. Names with numbers or characters were also on the no-go list.

"It's not about unusual names, it's about objectionable names," Mr Wallace said.

"Something being unusual or funny or what some people might consider silly might not be offensive to an unusual person" Mr Wallace said.

"There's no reason not to accept Cinderella Beauty Blossom or Kaos."

Mr Wallace said his office was checking whether the names of the little girl Violence or her sister Revenge were official.

He said he was unsure where Judge Rob Murfitt got his information from, but it could also be possible the children's names were not official

"Some of the names are not registered, but that doesn't mean they aren't being used."

Judge Murfitt raised the bizarre names issue in a court ruling released on Wednesday. He cited the case of a girl named Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii, who was put under the guardianship of the court so her name could be changed.

The judge described the name as "a form of abuse".

Asked to comment further, a spokesman for Judge Murfitt said it was not appropriate to make public comment in respect to a judgment he has issued.

That judgment drew wide interest yesterday with nine media organisations contacting his office.