8. You Named Him What?

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While most of the world enjoys the privilege of naming their own children as they please, that’s not the case in Sweden. Before a child reaches the age of five, his or her name much be approved by the Swedish Tax Agency. Those who ignore the mandate are subject to a monetary penalty of 5,000 kroner (about $700). The tax was put in place in 1982, reportedly to prevent people from using royal names for their offspring. Surprisingly, most Swedes don’t seem put off by ridiculous regulations like this. A survey revealed that Swedes have a favorable opinion of the tax agency, second in popularity only to the country’s consumer agency. On that subject, we have nothing more to say.