UK Girl, 6, Denied Passport Due to 'Game of Thrones' Name

A 6-year-old girl from the UK was denied a passport because her name is the same as a character from 'Game of Thrones.' This unusual decision has sparked debate and concern over the criteria used for passport applications and the implications of naming conventions. The incident highlights potential issues with name discrimination and the challenges parents might face when choosing unique or culturally significant names for their children.

"The mother expressed her surprise, saying it was the first time she had encountered such an issue."

Lucy expressed her frustration and questioned why was it not flagged earlier.

A six-year-old girl was recently denied a passport because she was named after a popular 'Game of Thrones' character. Her mother, Lucy, told the BBC that officials informed her that the passport application for Khaleesi required Warner Brothers' approval since they own the name's trademark, according to a BBC report. Notably, Khaleesi was the title given to Emilia Clarke's character Daenerys Targaryen in the show.

"I was absolutely devastated; we were so looking forward to our first holiday together," Lucy said. The family had been planning their "dream" vacation to Disneyland Paris.

"But then I received a letter from the Passport Office stating that her name is trademarked by Warner Brothers. It was the first I'd heard of such a thing - I was astonished," the 39-year-old continued.

Her lawyers investigated and found that while 'Game of Thrones' is trademarked, it applies to products and services, not to a person's name. "That information was sent to the Passport Office, who said I would need a letter from Warner Brothers to confirm my daughter can use that name," she said.

Lucy expressed her frustration and questioned why this issue was not flagged earlier. "I didn't understand and felt frustrated. If she could get a birth certificate, wouldn't something have been flagged then? I never thought you could trademark a name," she added.

Later, the Passport Office called Lucy to apologize for their mistake, explaining that there had been a misunderstanding. However, Lucy believes this resolution only came after she posted about it on social media.

"He advised me that they should be able to process my daughter's passport now," she said.

Lucy continued, "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."

The mother-daughter duo are now hoping they can visit Disneyland Paris soon. "I am hoping the passport will be issued soon and was promised that they would call back in a few days to see if it had progressed," she added.

"I think there might be other people in this situation who have had their passports declined recently because of something like this. Hopefully, they now know it can be resolved," she said.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "We can confirm the application is being processed and apologize to the family for the delay."

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Source: NDTV‍