The Force was not with them!
A “Star Wars”-loving military family’s vacation hit a snag because their son was denied a passport as officials ruled that his peculiar name was too out of this world.
British soldier Christian Mowbray’s son was born on May 4, 2017, informally known as “Star Wars” day, so he and his wife, Becky, fittingly named him after one of the most famous families in cinema history in homage to the hit film franchise.
Thus, Loki Skywalker Mowbray came to be, and for the first seven years of his life, there was no huge problem with the name.
That is, until the family of five planned to go on a vacation to the Dominican Republic in October.
The trip was supposed to be a joyous one because it would be the first getaway the family would have since 2014 due to the strict work schedule of young Skywalker’s parents, according to Suffolk News.
Christian Mowbray, 48, is serving in the Corps of Royal Engineers at the Rock Barracks in Sutton Heath, 100 miles northeast of London, England.
Mowbray’s wife is a former soldier and had previous struggles with complex PTSD, according to the outlet.
With it being their first international trip since before their son’s birth, they needed new passports.
The Home Office, in charge of the nation’s immigration, security, and law and order, denied the youngster’s passport, claiming it couldn’t print “Skywalker” because of Disney’s copyright on the name.
The family had no knowledge of having this issue when they named their son.
The department told the family it either had to change their son’s name or get permission from Disney to use “Skywalker.”
“We were not aware that this could be a potential issue,” Mowbray said. “We understand that Loki’s middle name is copyrighted, but we have no intention of using it for personal gain.”
“I understand their (the Home Office’s) position and reasoning, but I believe they need to recognize that modern names are evolving,” he added. “I can understand if an adult changes their name for a ‘stunt,’ but this is not the case for a child from birth.”
Mowbray says his son was eventually issued the passport and the family’s vacation is still on.
A similar situation arose for another UK family because they named their daughter after a “Game of Thrones” character.
Southwest England mother Lucy said she needed to get Warner Brothers’ permission for her 6-year-old daughter, Khaleesi, to get a passport with the trademarked name.
The 39-year-old mom was planning their “dream” trip to Disneyland Paris when she got the bad news.
Start and end your day informed with our newsletters
Morning Report and Evening Update: Your source for today’s top stories
Thanks for signing up!
“I had a letter come through from the Passport Office, saying her name is trademarked by Warner Brothers,” she told the BBC. “It was the first I’ve heard of such a thing — I was astonished.”
A Brazilian court denied a family trying to name their newborn son after an ancient king because it was ruled too similar to a dance move, which could result in bullying of the child.
Catarina and Danillo Prímola had planned to name their newborn son Piyé, in homage to the first black Egyptian pharaoh, who had ruled Egypt for 30 years and helped in founding the 25th dynasty.
However, the Court of Justice in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais and registry office ruled that Piyé’s pronunciation is too similar to plié — a Portuguese word for a ballet dance step.
Even though piyé is spelled differently, the court claimed the parents would not be permitted to “register first names that could expose their bearers to ridicule.”
