Stereogum Home
March 21, 2007

"Meet My Daughter, Metallica"

That's what a lucky couple from Kungälv, Sweden is able to say to friends and neighbors after a Swedish court overruled an objection from the country's tax agency to the parents naming their beautiful, bouncing baby girl after the heavy metal icons (sorta). Via Blabbermouth:

The girl's parents wanted to give their daughter a name that combined their first names. After picking Metallica and checking twice with the Swedish tax agency Skatteverket if the name was acceptable, they were told that it shouldn't be a problem since there is already a girl in Sweden called Metallica. When they filed Metallica as one of the girl's three first names, the Skatteverket suddenly objected, claiming that the name was inappropriate because a famous hard rock band bears that name and the fact that it's too close to the word "metal." The parents filed an appeal with the district court, which has now ruled that the use of the name won't pose any problems for either the girl or anyone that she comes in contact with. One member of the jury objected to the ruling, claiming that the name probably will cause discomfort to the person who bears it.
As crazy strict as Skatteverket sounds, the Zappas could have benefitted from a body exercising advice and discretion over their chosen names. (Ahmet, okay; Dweezil, interesting; but Moon Unit and Diva Muffin? Shit, Apple Martin almost makes more sense that that!) We have here pictures for your consideration. Metallica is on the right, but Metallica is not on the left; that's a stock photo of an infant girl, just to bring it together for ya.

 

So, a primer for the adventurous, pregnant Swedes, please: naming your baby Metallica is tax-agency tested, courthouse approved. Superman? Not so much. More reports on Swedish governance over outlandish baby names as they come in.

Posted at 10:17 AM
Tags:




-->

10 Comments

Alice, the frontwoman of ModRocket (myspace.com/modrocket)*, has a baby sister (who is literally a baby) named Ace.

*No, this comment is not part of a blog comments campaign.

Posted by: Apple Martini at 03/21/07 10:27 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

that's just dumb.

Posted by: dd at 03/21/07 10:37 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Poor girl. I thought getting a Metallica tattoo was stupid, but naming a baby after a band...I wouldn't expect even James Hatfield to be that insensitive.

Posted by: Charbarred at 03/21/07 10:50 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

I like metal, too. I'm naming my firstborn Napalm Death.

Posted by: the management at 03/21/07 10:50 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

"that's just dumb."

Quite ironic coming from someone named after a cup size.

Posted by: Apple Martini at 03/21/07 2:11 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

My cousin thought about naming his first born Obi-Wan. His last name is Jacobus. It's almost so awesome that I don't know if I would've sided with my aunt to veto it.

Posted by: Sally Tomato at 03/21/07 3:19 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

what's wrong with the name diva muffin?

Posted by: divamuffin at 03/21/07 3:37 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

The Management - I saw Napalm Death in Detroit many, many years ago. Sweet!

Posted by: HerpesHilton at 03/21/07 3:39 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

i love it. and that baby is not gonna have a problem growing up...she's going to rock!

Btw, i'd totally name my kid Stryper.

Posted by: joanna at 03/28/07 8:34 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

This is completely ridiculous. just like every pop band, the parents will grow sick of metallica, and will resent the band almost as much as the kid will resent the parents. In about 18 years, I guarantee this girl will have changed her name. BTW, has Lars filed a suit against these people yet?

Posted by: widespread bloodshed at 04/04/07 7:17 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Leave a comment


 

The 'Gum Drop

Get our newsletter. MP3s and giveaways weekly.

Search




Sort by:date relevance

Information

  • Contact:
  • About
  • Press
  • Advertising
  • Stereogum RSS Stereogum RSS XML Icon
  • MP3-Only RSS Stereogum RSS XML Icon

Staff

Founder/Editor-In-Chief
Scott Lapatine
Executive Editor
Amrit Singh
Senior Writer
Brandon Stosuy
Columnist
Jon McMillan
Technology & Operations
Jim Jazwiecki
Angela Williams

The Cool Kids

All Stereogum Posts

Band to Watch logo

Band To Watch: Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band are a new Seattle quintet with a long name. We've been enjoying their self-released Weepy EP, so we thought we'd post something from it. "Dull Reason"'s a an angular, noodling summertime pop jam with hills...

MORE »

Quit Your Day Job logo

Quit Your Day Job: Human Highway

Human Highway is the collaboration between Islands' Nick Thorburn and Royal City-associated songwriter and solo artist Jim Guthrie. Their debut Moody Motorcycle is out next week. A little while ago we posted about two of the album tracks, hushed toe-tapper...

MORE »

Premature Evaluation logo

Premature Evaluation: The Verve - Forth

Ever since Richard Ashcroft flashed us his impressive cheekbones along with "Sit And Wonder" during the Verve's Coachella set, there's been a pretty steady flow of material from the band's forthcoming comeback album Forth. Just yesterday we debuted "I See...

MORE »

Video Hangover logo

Video Hangover: Marcy Playground - "Saint Joe On The Schoolbus"

Every week, we dig in the archives for videos that we find noteworthy, memorable, or just unbelievably stupid. And then, Jon McMillan breaks 'em down for you. This week: Marcy Playground blows their one chance at video immortality.

MORE »

Oldstand logo

OldStand: Rolling Stone, September 13, 1984

Take our ink-stained hands and join us at the OldStand, where Jon McMillan goes to remind everyone what an honest-to-goodness music magazine is supposed to look like. Lots of Huey Lewis (and the News) news lately, so let's go back...

MORE »

The Outsiders logo

The Outsiders: Vol. 17: Bird Show, Hair Police, Hush Arbors

Not all of Stereogum's favorite sounds conform to what folks expect us to cover. In this space, resident Bananafish fetishist Brandon Stosuy focuses on bands, albums, singles, and villages in Sweden that may otherwise pass by unnoticed. This installment's virtual...

MORE »

The 'Gum Drop logo

Centro-matic - "Christmas 83 (Make Fun Of My Sweaters)"

This week's Drop comes from Texas indie rockers Centro-matic. The previously unreleased wintry tune was produced by the band and Matt Pence during sessions for double-LP Dual Hawks, which is composed of half Centro-matic songs and half South San Gabriel...

MORE »