A 6-year-old girl faced an unexpected hiccup in her family’s vacation plans due to her distinctive name inspired by a character from “Game of Thrones.” The quest for a passport took an unexpected turn for her family.
The girl’s mother, Lucy, from the UK, described feeling heartbroken and “absolutely devastated” when her daughter’s passport application was rejected solely because her name was derived from a famous TV character.
In an interview with the BBC, Lucy expressed her emotions, saying:
“I was absolutely devastated. We were eagerly looking forward to our first holiday together.”
Imagine planning a fantastic trip to Disneyland Paris, a dream vacation for many young families. Everything seemed perfect until Lucy received unwelcome news that her little one wouldn’t be granted a passport.
“A letter arrived from the Passport Office, stating that her name is trademarked by Warner Brothers,” Lucy explained. “It was completely unexpected. I was bewildered.” After seeking legal advice, Lucy, at 39, learned that there was no legal barrier to using the name. Armed with this information, she promptly contacted the Passport Office again.
“I couldn’t comprehend why this was happening and felt intensely frustrated,” she shared. “If she could have a birth certificate, wouldn’t this issue have been flagged then?” “It honestly never occurred to me that a name could be trademarked.”
The passport authorities later reached out to Lucy to apologize for their oversight.
The name in question? Why, it’s Khaleesi, of course! A name beloved by many “Game of Thrones” fans.
Lucy further revealed, “If I hadn’t brought attention to this on social media, nothing might have changed. I would have been stuck, unsure of what steps to take next.” She also noted that several others reached out to her, admitting they had encountered similar circumstances.
“I hope the passport is issued promptly, and they assured me they’d call back in a few days to confirm progress,” she stated to the media outlet.
“I suspect there might be others facing similar hurdles, with their passport applications being declined for reasons like this. Hopefully, they now realize it can be resolved.”
