Parents Banned From Giving Baby Boy a Unisex Name

French authorities have banned a couple from naming their newborn son ‘Amber’ due to fears that the child may become confused by his gender in the future.

The new parents, who are both mums from Brittany, welcomed their child in January but when they went to register his birth, the registrar reported them to a prosecutor in Lorient.

It was soon decided that the name – which translates to ‘Ambres’ in French – would end up “confusing the child in a way that could be harmful”.

The baby’s mothers later appeared in a family court where the judge ruled that it is necessary to make them change their child’s name.

But the prosecutor appealed against them and now, their son’s moniker will not be decided until next April when the case returns to court.

The parents believe that the ruling against them is an act of homophobia, as one of the women, Alice Gondelle, said: “It allows ridiculous first names like ‘Clitorine’. I wonder why it is that with a name as classic and ancient (as ‘Ambre’) can’t get through and it is the state that is attacking us in the courts?”

Ms Gondelle pointed out in her Facebook post that she knows of 37 male ‘Ambres’ who live in France.

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10 Comments

- - Blossom said
  - 17 Sep 2018
    7:35 pm
Commonly spelled Robyn for a girl and Robin for a boy. there was a lot in the 1950s

- - mom206279 said
  - 15 Sep 2018
    1:39 pm
It does seem like its a big fuss over nothing. There are kids out there called a lot worse.

- - mom74005 said
  - 15 Sep 2018
    11:02 am
This is just stupid! It’s not like they are calling the child a female name.

- - Amanda Holland said
  - 15 Sep 2018
    9:03 am
The parents should have a right to call their child the name that they like, but I don’t like Amber as a boys name

- - mom67623 said
  - 15 Sep 2018
    7:42 am
call your child what you like, should be parent’s option. Think in this world people have nothing better in life than to judge others…. This has gone to court, an expensive action, if not for parent for all the staff that are involved in this situation. There are more important things to get involved in. I am Jean and in french this is John! can I say more! cockees waiting for food

- - Ellen said
  - 15 Sep 2018
    4:31 am
This court ruling amazes me in this time and age, while there is lots to do about bringing kids up in a gender neutral way and parents choosing deliberately for that !
So many names are just suitable for boys and girls.
Maybe it differs per country ?

- - mom101628 said
  - 14 Sep 2018
    9:40 pm
I just can’t understand what the problem is – it seems an OK name to me

- - ashna9 said
  - 14 Sep 2018
    7:25 pm
I don’t think the government should be able to ban any acceptable names. It’s not like they called him a swear word or anything.

- - becstalou said
  - 14 Sep 2018
    2:12 pm
Lots of names could be either gender should be up to the parents

- - mom90758 said
  - 14 Sep 2018
    12:38 pm
What is weird is that the same name can be masculine or feminine depending on which country you are! So what do you do? Do you ban them too?
I’m thinking about Andrea that is generally considered feminine, but in Italy is masculine. Or Simone, also masculine in Italy. And what about Robin? It’s a name that I’ve seen given to both boys and girls. The same with Alex.