• Source:JND
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In New Zealand, one man holds a record that no one is likely to break. Laurence Alon Aloys Watkins is famous for having the world’s longest personal name, a record he set over three decades ago. Today, the law in New Zealand prevents anyone from repeating what he did.

From Library Worker To Record Breaker:

Watkins was 24 years old when he decided to add 2,310 middle names to his original name in 1990 (later updated to 2,253 names). He worked at the Auckland City Library at the time and chose names from books and suggestions from co-workers. According to him, “My favourite name is AZ2000, meaning I have names from A-Z and I have 2000 names.”

He wanted to set a quirky record. Speaking to Guinness World Records, he said, “I read the Guinness World Records book from cover to cover to see if there was a record I could beat and the only one I had a chance at beating was adding more names than the current holder.”

Marriage Becomes A Marathon:

The list of names is so long that when Watkins got married, it took more than 20 minutes for the celebrant to say his full name. Unsurprisingly, most people can’t believe how many names he has.

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Legal Battles And New Laws:

Changing his name wasn’t easy. Watkins first applied to the Auckland District Court, which approved the change, but the Registrar General in Wellington rejected it. He then took the case to the High Court and won. His record-breaking decision even led to two new laws in New Zealand, ensuring that no one else could legally add hundreds or thousands of names to their own name.

Life With A 2,253-Word Name:

Being a world record holder comes with challenges. Government forms can’t handle the length of his name, so he usually signs using only his surname or the first three names: Laurence Alon Aloys Watkins. Despite the variety of names, from Māori, Samoan, Japanese and Chinese origins, Watkins admits he has no personal ties to most of them.

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Even after more than 30 years, no one has topped him and due to New Zealand’s legal changes, his record will likely stand forever.