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Posted by Ahem on July 24, 2001 at 16:57:34:
The Kepurra family from the eastern German town of Oranienburg have been battling officials for a year over their choice of name. Jona, a common girl's name in Israel, is cited in reference books as a version of the biblical name Jonah, the male character who spent three days and three nights in the belly of a whale. But registry office authorities in Germany insist it is a boy's name and have asked that a recent court decision allowing the Kepurras to use the name for their daughter be reexamined. Officials said Monday the baby would remain nameless until the court decision. The legal wrangling in Germany contrasts sharply with the relaxed approach to names in many other countries. The late American musician Frank Zappa called one of his children Moon Unit, while British rock star turned campaigner Bob Geldof named his daughters Fifi Trixibelle, Peaches and Pixie. In Russia, the Soviet era prompted many unusual names including Stalinita for girls.
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