Baby Naming Laws by State: What Each State Actually Says About Birth Certificate Names

States with a published rule on name characters

The table covers the states where we found written rules from the state itself. Check each source before you rely on it, since vital records rules change.

What this means for parents

1. Letters are always safe. Every state in the table accepts plain English letters.
2. Hyphens and apostrophes are widely accepted. Alabama, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico and Mississippi all mention them or the apostrophe.
3. Numbers and symbols are the common problem. Alabama, Georgia, Minnesota, Mississippi and New Mexico restrict them, and Missouri warns that numbers can block an automatic Social Security number.
4. Accent marks differ by state. Alabama and Mississippi do not allow them, California is only now adding them by amendment, and Missouri and Nebraska say their systems can accept them.
5. Offensive names are a state-by-state matter. Georgia and New Mexico say so in writing. Colorado tells parents they may choose any name.

Adding or changing a name after the birth

Some states give a set window when a baby leaves the hospital without a name or with a spelling error.

• Colorado: given names may be amended until the registrant's first birthday, and after that a court order is needed, under 5 CCR 1006-1.
• Iowa: a first or middle given name omitted at filing can be added by notarized affidavit within one year of birth, once only. After that, a court order is required.
• Nevada: if a given name was left off the original certificate, the correction affidavit must be completed not later than one year after the birth.
• Minnesota: you do not need to name your child to register the birth, but registering as Baby Girl or Baby Boy later requires a change, supporting documents and a fee.

States where we found no published name rules

For the states below, the state sources we reviewed did not state a rule on allowed characters, length or content. That does not mean any name will be accepted. It means we could not confirm a rule from the state's own published material, so ask the state vital records office before you submit an unusual name.

Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Arizona's health department does give practical guidance: abbreviations such as "Wm" entered on the form become the child's legal name, and a name that mixes a space with other punctuation can block automatic Social Security enrollment.

For the broader picture, including real cases, see our guide to illegal and banned baby names.