French Parents Who Named Their Children After World Cup Winners Face Prosecution

Football-obsessed parents in France have named their child after 2018 FIFA World Cup winners.

A child (boy) who was born in the central town of Brive in November, less than four months after the 2018 World Cup in Russia, was named “Griezmann Mbappe” in honour of two of French national team’s heroes – Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe.

But French authorities tasked with ensuring children’s names are in their interests, have flagged the case to prosecutors, and are praying the court to order the couple to change the baby’s name.

The prosecutors share the opinion that such an eye-catching name could cause the child problems in life, as such cases have repeatedly made headlines in France.

A family court could order the couple to change the name.

Earlier this month authorities in the eastern city of Dijon launched a legal bid to stop a mother naming her son “Jihad”.

Despite her argument that the name does not necessarily have violent connotations in Arabic — it can mean a struggle against sin within oneself — authorities worried the baby would face prejudice.