Brazilian court bans historic name of couple’s baby over fear of bullying: ‘Embarrassment in the future’

A couple who wanted to name their child after an ancient king had the name rejected by a Brazilian court over fears their son would be molested.

Catarina and Danillo PrÃmola, from the city of Belo Horizonte, wanted to name their newborn son Piyé after the first black Egyptian pharaoh, who laid the foundations for the 25th dynasty.

However, the Court of Justice in the state of Minas Gerais initially sided with a civil registry office and rejected the name, stating that it cannot “register first names that may expose their bearers to ridicule.”

In the decision, the court noted that the name was very similar to the word ‘plié’ – a kind of ballet step.

Piyé is spelled differently in Portuguese, reading “Piié┠on paper.

“This is why the sound and spelling of the name were predominant for the rejection,” the Court of Justice of Minas Gerais said, according to the Daily Mail.

“They would be able to cause the child embarrassment in the future.â€

The couple named their first-born, who they welcomed in August, after hearing him while choreographing a dance for the 2023 Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.

“We went to research what it was like and found the story of Piiê, who was a Nubian warrior who fought and conquered Egypt and became the first black pharaoh,” PrÃmola said, according to the Daily Mail.

“Reclaiming African names is a powerful way to retell the history of people of color.”

“We have the right to educate our children with this strength, this culture and in a way that they have representation on their behalf.”

The couple appeared in court to explain the significance behind the name, before the judge finally overturned the decision.

PrÃmola said that bullying “cannot be fought by banning it, nor can it be fought by oppression”.

“Bullying can be combated by studying and working on the ignorance of society as a whole.”

While the baby is allowed to be named Piya on his birth certificate, the legal process came at a cost — delaying her receiving required vaccinations and participating in a screening to detect rare health conditions.