Legal Names In The US

By Amy E. Feldman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - What is on the list of acceptable American names?

A 15-year-old girl in Iceland, baptized with the name "Blair" is suing to use that as her legal name. But the word Blair in her language means "Light Breeze" and, while Iceland probably has quite a lot of light breeze, it has no girls named as such.

That's because Iceland, like several other countries, has a list of acceptable names and Blair's not on it. Which is why she's gone by her legal name: Girl. Apparently that one's ok in Iceland.

What's ok in the US? Almost anything.

There is no list in the US of acceptable names, but there are a few rules. First, name has to have letters from the alphabet. Other than for a suffix like "the third", there are no numbers that are accepted as a name (something Chad Ochocinco might have thought of the first time). Second, no symbols. You can call yourself Renee with an accent, but your birth certificate will not contain it. Finally, the line is drawn at profanity.

What tone you take when calling your teenager's name, that's entirely up to you.