Saudis Ban 50 Names Including Linda, Sandy and Elaine

Here's a good laugh. According to Gulf News, Saudi Arabians will no longer be allowed to name their newborns Linda, Sandy, Elaine, Loland (hmm), or Abdul Naser, Malek or Binyamin. Fifty names in total were banned, some of which no-one seems to know the reason why.

Some are obvious, like  Binyamin which is the Arabic for Benjamin, and we know how hated Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu is in the pro-Palestinian world. Others are prohibited because they:

 contradict the culture or religion of the Kingdom, according to reports by local media

[snip]

... they are considered “blasphemous,” non-Arabic or non-Islamic, or contradictory to the kingdom’s culture or religion..."

The ban was also allegedly justified by the ministry because some of the names were deemed foreign or "inappropriate".

Other sets of forbidden names include those with royal connotations, such as Sumuw (highness), Malek (king) and Malika (queen).

Here's all 50 banned names.

Malaak (angel)
Abdul Aati
Abdul Naser
Abdul Musleh
Binyamin (Arabic for Benjamin)
Naris
Yara
Sitav
Loland
Tilaj
Barrah
Abdul Nabi
Abdul Rasool
Sumuw (highness)
Al Mamlaka (the kingdom)
Malika (queen)
Mamlaka (kingdom)
Tabarak (blessed)
Nardeen
Sandy
Rama (Hindu god)
Maline
Elaine
Inar
Maliktina
Maya
Linda
Randa
Basmala (utterance of the name of God)
Jibreel (angel Gabriel)
Abdul Mu’een
Abrar
Iman
Bayan
Baseel
Wireelam
Nabi (prophet)
Nabiyya (female prophet)
Amir (prince)
Taline
Aram
Nareej
Rital
Alice
Lareen
Kibrial
Lauren

Pretty darn wacky.

Source: Independent UK