Illegal Names: Navigating South Korea’s Strict Rules For Naming A Baby
Having a baby in Korea isn’t easy. There’s even a lot to consider when naming one’s child. It’s not as simple as randomly selecting a name from a book.
Content creator South Korean Lawyer (@leenlaw on TikTok) makes videos about legal issues in the South Korean context, helping foreigners understand better. He recently shared a now-viral video that has garnered 347.2K views at the time of writing.
@leenlaw In simple terms, $300 plus alpha. #divorce #child #support #money #family #lawsuit #marriage #custody #parents #southkorea #attorney #jiwonlee #lawyerinseoul #이지원변호사 #fyp #추천 #LIVEhighlights #TikTokLIVE #LIVE
He explained that there are rules and principles to follow when registering the baby’s name in Korea. Firstly, a given name uses hanja, a registered Chinese character in the Supreme Court. Yet, Korean names without Chinese characters also registered in the administration for baby names, are used.
Hangul is typically used for a baby’s name, while names including special non-Korean characters are prohibited. So, if someone tried something like Elon Musk, that wouldn’t pass.
X Æ A-12 Musk
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 5, 2020
The number of characters cannot exceed five letters. Traditionally, a Korean name consists of the family name, which is one syllable, and the given name, which is often two syllables.
The same syllable can have different meanings depending on how it is written. For example, the syllable beom could be represented with characters meaning “tiger,” “model,” or “everyone.” A combination of certain syllables can add additional nuance that’s greater than the sum of its parts.
— Parents
There is an exception to the rule. If one of the parents is a foreigner and you must include a longer surname, it can exceed.
Some things are not allowed, though. You actually cannot use your parents’ names, although this is common practice in other countries.
Offensive words or words with negative connotations are straight-up off-limits. Anything that could possibly cause discomfort, leading to bullying for the child, is also off the table.
Watch the video below.
@leenlaw Also, offensive words are not allowed for baby names too. #baby #name #character #parent #police #crime #southkorea #attorney #jiwonlee #lawyerinseoul #이지원변호사 #fyp #추천 #bts #LIVEhighlights #TikTokLIVE #LIVE
