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Welcome to BBC Xtra English.

Today Finn and Somaya are talking about names.

A couple in New Zealand wanted to give their child an unusual name - 4Real.

They were stopped by the authorities who said they couldn't choose the name because it starts with a number.

So they've chosen another one; Superman. But they still prefer 4Real and are considering legal action to allow them to use it officially.

Pat, the father, says that he chose the name when they had their first scan. That was when they realised the baby was for real, not just an idea.

Pat thinks that choosing something with a direct link between the meaning and the name is a good thing.

Almost all English names have meanings, but people don't always know what they mean. They have to look their names up.

Does your name have an unusual meaning? Write to us in English!

هل يعنى اسمك شيئا غير مألوف؟

أنقر هنا للاستماع للكلمات

legal action
معركة قضائية - اجراء قانونى

officially
بشكل رسمى

scan
فحص طبى

a direct link
ارتباط مباشر

شروط وبنود الاستخدام

Abdulaziz, Saudi
my name is Abdalaziz yes, my name has a real meaning . my name is divided into two parts, the first Abd, that means in English the worshipper. and the second is Alaziz that is adjective and name of God finally, the meaning is the worshipper of God

Ahmad, Libya
The name means Ahmed is thank God Almighty, Almighty, is the first name called by the Prophet Muhammad, peace

Swsan, Khartoum
my name is have clear meaning ...swsan mean kind of flower is called lily by English language

Anushca, Iraq
I am Arabic. my name is Anushca this name of the civilization Egypt m ancient it mean God of Sun .I prefer this name, because of the old testament. I liking anything ancient.

Radwan Mohamed, Egypt
My last name is (EL AGEZ) in my language this name mean the person whom can not apple to do anything or he has defects in his arm or any another parts in his body, this name did a problem in my life to explain every time for every one what the meaning this name? That's why now I have 2 boys I chose good name for both (Hassan, Houssien) it's meaning (lOOK A GOOD ) this is my advice for mother's and father's to choose good name for they children's

Ahmed, Syria
My name is very strange and beautiful

Hamdoune Mehdi, Tetouan
My name is Mehdi. It's persian name. Mehdi mean person who is calm and he know goodly how to behave. But for me this is not true because I behave sometimes crazy

Eman, Egypt
my name is eman it means faith it is from our religion iam muslim. I love islam so much and i faith of allah

Ouederrou Mustapha, Morocco
my name is mustapha without a doubt is usual

Derar Abdull-rahmman, India
I'm Derar from Sudan, I'm staying in India for study IT, I think my name s very strange 'cause it's Arabic name & it's Sudanese at same time really I love it cause it's my grandfather's name.....

Laith, Iraq
My name is Laith is means lion I don't choose this name because my parents choosen this name, I liked this name and I named my grandson same name

Shaima, Bahrain
SHAIMA is my name and it is an Arabic name which means the habit of helping people by nature just by feeling that they need your help. In Islam we believe that human have the right to named a good name and the parents must name their baby a good name.

Rafih, Mosul
I think the name of person should have express and good meaning because it will stay with him for all his life

Khalil Wasfi Darwish, Jordan
Hi BBC, 4 real is a number it's not a name and it's already known in English , so the authorities in New Zealand can't register this kid , I think our names reflects our characters , for example imagin a girl her name is motor who gonna marry her

Mahdi, Bahrain
My name is Mahdi .it's common in Bahrain. It's has got a religious meaning. It means the man who guides and leads people to the right way. I like my name a lot. I never think of changing it.

Mouloud, Morocco
my name is mouloud and it seems that it's a normal name here in morocco and i was named so because i was born in the month of our prophet has born in (mohamed peace upon) but i think every parent have the right to name their children

Ahmed Hussein, Duhok
I am Kurdish From Iraq my name is Ahmed and it is Arabic name we use arabic name because we are muslims and like Islamic world they are use arabic name too But couple in Iraqi Kurdistan now wanted to give their child Kurdish name because of nationalist and the kurdish authorities support them to make it and they prefer kurdish name than arabic name

Soran, Cambridge, Canada
Soran is the second biggest Kurdish dialectic and it is sopken by a great majority of Kurds in Iraqi and Irani Kurdistan