Naming your child after a beloved movie or TV character can be exciting, but it can also come with unexpected problems. A woman from the UK is a living example, whose plans for a dream trip to Disneyland Paris were derailed after her daughter’s passport application was rejected due to her name. As per BBC, Lucy named her girl after the popular Game of Thrones (GoT) character Khaleesi. When asked about the reason, officials claimed that the name required approval from Warner Brothers, who own the trademark. The 39-year-old mother was initially baffled as her plans were about to get ruined, however, after taking legal advice, it became clear that the trademark covers GoT products and services, not personal names.
“I was absolutely devastated, we were so looking forward to our first holiday together. But then I had a letter come through from the Passport Office, saying her name is trademarked by Warner Brothers. It was the first I’ve heard of such a thing. I was astonished,” she said. However, her legal team came to the conclusion that the name is not trademarked. She added, “That information was sent to the Passport Office who said I would need a letter from Warner Brothers to confirm my daughter is able to use that name. I didn’t understand and felt frustrated. If she could get a birth certificate, would something not have been flagged up then? I never thought you could trademark a name.”
After finding out about the mistake, the passport officials apologised for the error. They explained that it was a confusion from their end and the rules were meant for people changing their names, not for those who already have a unique name. The woman thinks that media attention helped her problem get cleared. She has been told that her daughter’s passport should be processed soon. Now, she is waiting for her daughter’s passport so she can book their trip to Disneyland Paris.
Lucy added, “If I hadn’t posted this on social media, nothing would have been done. I would have been stuck, not knowing what to do. People contacted me about similar experiences. I think there might be other people in this situation, that may have had their passports declined recently because of something like this. Hopefully, they now know it can be resolved.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the passport office confirmed that the application has been processed. They apologise to the family for the delay and the confusion.
Khaleesi, aka the Mother of Dragons, was the title given to Emilia Clarke’s character Daenerys Targaryen in the HBO hit series, Game of Thrones.
Comments
0 comment