Parents in France are reportedly having their choice of baby name debated by authorities.
When the couple went to their local town hall in a Toulouse suburb, in order to register the name Jihad for their son, officials alerted the public prosecutor to their choice of name, The Local of France reported.
The family of the baby, who was born in August, will now have to wait to learn if the prosecutors will refer the case to a family court, where a judge would rule on the legality of the name.
Jihad is a name with Muslim origins, which means spiritual striving.
Aderrahmane Oumachar co-founder of the Toulouse Centre of Muslim Spirituality told The Local of France Jihad is a “fundamental concept in Islam” which refers to “the effort to achieve good”.
He explained that the name has nothing to do with the interpretation adopted by terrorist groups.
Until 1993, French parents had to choose baby names from an officially approved list, but now they are allowed to pick any name as long as it does not “go against the child’s interest”.
However, this isn’t the first time a family’s baby name choice has run into issues with French authorities since the law change.
In September 2017, a couple were banned from naming their baby boy Fañch.
Another baby named Jihad hit the headlines in November 2011. His mum Elif Yaghi, in Berlin, Germany, gave the name to her 14th child - who weighed a massive 13lbs.