The official Board of Human Names recently turned down requests for registering Malm and Adils as new Icelandic male names. Mosi, Svea, Eybjört and Korka were accepted.
According to Icelandic law regarding human names, given names in Iceland have to fit Icelandic grammar rules and be spelled in an “Icelandic way,” unless the name has belonged to the family of the child for generations.
Additionally, the name has to fit the sex of the name bearer and should not be a cause for bullying. Morgunbladid reports.
The board ruled that Malm did not sound “Icelandic enough” and that there is no established tradition for the name.
Adils was rejected on the basis of it originally being a surname, first registered in 1917, and it is not permitted to use surnames as given names in Iceland.
The board also denied a request to use the female name Gull, which translates to “gold,” but the male name Mosi, meaning “moss,” was accepted.
