Judge Blocks Parents From Using Name For Newborn

On August 31st, when Danillo and Catarina Primola had their first child, a son, they knew exactly what they wanted to name him. The Brazilian couple planned to call the boy Piye, after the first Black Egyptian pharaoh, Piie. However, a judge has refused to allow the name, saying the boy would be the subject of relentless bullying since Piye is too similar to the word plie, which, in Portuguese as well as English, is a ballet move.

The Primolas had settled on the name after listening to the theme song for the 2023 Carnival celebrations. Danillo explained to the Daily Mirror, "There was a word there that talked about the Black pharaoh. We went to research what it was like and we found the story of Piie, who was a Nubian warrior who fought and conquered Egypt and became the first Black pharaoh." The pair picked the moniker because they wanted to link their African ancestry with their son's name. Danillo stated, "Recovering African names is a powerful way to give a new narrative to the history of black people. We have the right to educate our children with this strength, this culture and in a way that they have representation in their name."

Unfortunately, the Minas Gerais Court of Justice had other thoughts, and blocked the Primolas from registering the name, citing how they do not allow names that could "expose their bearers to ridicule." Since the name is similar to the ballet step, it was deemed "capable of causing future embarrassment" and denied.

The ruling caused the boy to be late for his required vaccines as well as for a screening that detects rare and serious conditions. Thankfully for the parents, another judge overturned the decision on Friday.