China bans religious names for Muslim babies in Xinjiang

List of banned baby names released amid ongoing crackdown on religion that includes law against veils and beards.

List of banned baby names released amid ongoing crackdown on religion that includes law against veils and beards.

Many couples fret over choosing the perfect name for their newborn, but for Muslims in western China that decision has now become even more fraught: pick the wrong name and your child will be denied education and government benefits.

Officials in the western region of Xinjiang, home to roughly half of China’s 23 million Muslims, have released a list of banned baby names amid an ongoing crackdown on religion, according to a report by Radio Free Asia.

Names such as Islam, Quran, and Mecca, as well as references to the star and crescent moon symbol, are all unacceptable to the ruling Communist party and children with those names will be denied household registration, a crucial document that grants access to social services, healthcare and education