New Zealand Man's Astonishing Feat: Registers World's Longest Name

A New Zealand man has performed an astonishing feat that has earned him a place in the Guinness World Records. What is this record? Let's find out.

There is no shortage of people in the world who do not shy away from doing unique and amazing things. Often, people who do such things also get their names registered in the Guinness World Records. A man from New Zealand has done something similar. He changed his name to something that set a new Guinness World Record.

He Kept the World's Longest Name

Laurence Watkins from New Zealand legally changed his name in 1990 to have the world's longest name. He added 2,253 different 'Christian names' to his name, each word of which is a name in itself. This peculiar initiative of his got his name registered in the Guinness World Records.

How Long is Watkins' Name?

Watkins' name is so long that it cannot be written in full on any official form, bank document, or ID card. During his wedding, when his full name was read out, the ceremony was halted for about 20 minutes.

The Government Had to Change Rules

Watkins stated that he was obsessed with adding names from every culture in the world to his name so that it could become a 'symbol of human diversity'. However, after this strange record, the New Zealand government had to change the rules for name changes so that no one else could have such a long name.