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Nutella and Fraise baby names banned
Judge rules that two newborn girls should be renamed to avoid 'mockery' and 'negative remarks' in later life
TWO couples who named their new-born daughters "Nutella" and "Fraise" have been ordered to adopt more sensible names by a French court.
A judge in Valenciennes was asked to rule on the two separate cases last week. It is not clear whether the couples knew each other or if the two simultaneous culinary references were coincidence.
The registrar at Valenciennes city hall lodged the formal legal complaints and asked the city's public prosecutor to intervene, on the grounds that the names given could expose the two girls to "mockery" and "negative remarks" as they grew up.
The parents of "Fraise" have now suggested "Fraisine" instead - an elegant 19th century first name that the judge has approved. "Nutella" will now be known as "Ella".
The judge said there was substantial case law on unfair baby names, and it was "in the children's interests" to be protected.