There are people who forget a name in a few seconds and others who have more than two thousand. This is the case of Laurence Gregory Watkins, a sixty-year-old originally from Auckland, New Zealand, now living in Sydney, who earned a place in the Guinness World Records thanks to his 2,253-word long name. It takes about 20 minutes to pronounce it in its entirety, a feat that has made it unique in the world.
The idea to enter the Guinness World Records
From a young age, Watkins was fascinated by the most bizarre records: the fastest man, the tallest man, the longest fingernails in the world. But, not feeling that he had particular talents in any field, he decided to focus on something that could really stand out: creating the longest name on the planet.”
Six pages of names and a typist paid $400
In 1990, after a month of research, Watkins put together a list of names taken from ancient books, Latin and Maori dictionaries and even British television programmes. To transcribe everything, he paid a typist 400 New Zealand dollars, resulting in a six-page document full of words. Among the curiosities: the name “AZ2000”, symbol of its over two thousand names from A to Z and a tribute to the American gymnast Mitch Gaylord.
A legal battle worthy of a film
His name change application was initially accepted by the Auckland District Court, but then rejected by the Registry General. Watkins didn’t give up: he took the case all the way to the High Court, which ruled in his favour, forcing the authorities to officially recognize his infinite name. Since then, governments have even changed laws to prevent others from replicating the feat.
A record impossible to beat
The Guinness Book of World Records certified his name in 1992 and recently updated it to 2,253 words, calling it “the world’s longest personal name.” Today Watkins uses a shortened version – Laurence Alon Aloy Watkins – and signs simply “Watkins V”. On his digital passport, a note appears that explains: “Another 2,249 names registered.” A great little record that demonstrates how, sometimes, all you need to make history is… a very, very long name.
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