TODAY   |  January 05, 2013

Icelandic girl sues to keep her name

“I’m proud of my name,” said the Icelandic girl whose passport says her name is just “Girl.” However, Girl was baptized Blaer, Icelandic for “breeze.” The government committee, which must approve all first names, has rejected Blaer because it is a masculine name. NBC’s Annabel Roberts reports.

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>> the girl with no name for now. a teenager in iceland has a name, but the government doesn't recognize it. she's now taking her case to court. annabel roberts with the story.

>> reporter: her official name is simply "girl. "that's what's on her passport. she was baptized blair, icelandic. a government committee which must approve all first names has rejected blaer because it's a masculine name. she says she wants to keep it so she and her mother are suing the government. no last names are used in this small country. first names have added importance. so it's perhaps all the more surprising that elvis, yes, elvis, is allowed in iceland . but strangely in sweden where the government also controls names, it's banned. another name that won't fly in sweden, superman. but on the other side of the world in new zealand, it's fine to name your child after the man of steel. over in egypt, could be a way to make friends, facebook is okay as a name. celebrities led the way, of course, long ago turning away from nice, traditional names like lester or erica. instead brooklyn, beckham, blue ivy, the daughter of jay-z and beyonce. gwyneth paltrow picked apple for her girl. and how about dweezil and moon unit ?

>> unconventional names are the new norm. in my son's kindergarten class there are 25 names i've not heard of before. parents want a name that will stand out. they want their child to be original and be different from their peers.

>> reporter: shakespeare may have thought a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

>> reporter: but the artist formerly known as prince disagreed and changed his. kate winslet 's husband ned switched his last name to rock and roll . in iceland , blaer is hoping the authorities will allow her to drop plain "girl" and use the name her mother chose. for "today," nbc news, london.