Egyptian Government are considering a ban on parents giving their children “Western” names, and punishing offenders with jail.
According to reports, Bedier Abel Aziz, one of Egypt’s 588 MPs who proposed the policy claim that a spread of American and European names likes “Mark”, “Lara” and “Sam” in new generations will divorce Egyptians from their “true identity”.
Abel Aziz told Egypt Independent newspaper that “Using such Western names and abandoning Arabic ones will lead to an undesired and radical change in our society and culture, and Our sons will no longer be connected to their true identity,”
Aziz who claimed that Western names can be hard to pronounce also suggested punishment for breaking the ban for fine of up to $250 or six months in prison.
Egypt would now become one the countries to ban on certain names when the law is finally passed following Saudi Arabia after banning about 50 names in 2014.
