Disney Denies Passport Because Of Star Wars Name?
A British family reported that their government denied their 7-year-old son’s travel documents due to his name being owned by Disney. Loki Skywalker Mowbray’s middle name had long ago been trademarked, resulting in the government rejecting the passport. The Mowbray family was initially told by officials that the only way the government would be able to print the name on the passport would be if Disney signed off with permission.
Rejected The Skywalker name
The boy’s parents, Christian and Becky Mowbray, had long been fans of the popular Star Wars franchise. Coincidentally enough, the couple’s child was born on May 4, an annual day of celebration for Star Wars fans worldwide. They reported that for the first seven years of young Loki’s life, he never faced any hurdles associated with his given name.
But when the family tried to take a long overdue vacation to the Dominican Republic they had scheduled for this October, the Disney Star Wars passport issue took front and center stage in throwing a wrench into their plans. Britain’s Home Office, which handles the country’s immigration and security matters, rejected Loki’s application after telling the Mowbray parents that they were not able to print “Skywalker” on any official government form.
Needed Disney’s Permission Or A Name Change
In order for the passport to be issued, the family would have to do one of two things. They could legally change their son’s name, an option that would be costly and time-consuming and likely not happen in time for their trip. The second option was for the family to get written permission from Disney that specified that they had the company’s permission to use the Star Wars name “Skywalker,” making it legally passport worthy.
Modern Names Evolving
The Mowbray father told the media that while he understood the concerns that the Home Office had, he was frustrated with the process as he and his wife have zero intentions of using their child’s name for any financial gain.
He further pointed out that the government needs to recognize that “modern names are evolving,” perhaps predicting that his family might not be the only ones who might be inadvertently using a legal name owned by Disney (Star Wars related, or not) that will be used on a passport.
The Family Wins Out
Thankfully, after appealing the denial and waiting patiently, the family received the news that their son’s passport was issued with his full legal name. The military family has put the issue behind them, and now have an interesting story to tell about how their child’s middle name almost kept them home.
Not The First Time
Strangely enough, the Disney Star Wars passport incident was not the first time that someone from the United Kingdom had issues with officials because of their name being based on fictional characters.
Several years ago, a Wiltshire woman told reporters that the passport office rejected an application she submitted for her young daughter, Khaleesi, who was named after a character from the hit fantasy series Game of Thrones. The passport office initially rejected the document for similar reasons, stating that unless Warner Bros. (who owned the rights to the name) signed off with permission, they would be unable to issue it.
Source: Suffolk News
