Greyhounds Australasia Naming Policy
(as of 5 June 2020)

The orderly and responsible issuing of a greyhound name is a feature of high-quality greyhound
racing administration.
In considering an application to register a greyhound, the controlling body will require the
greyhound name to be assessed and allocated by the Naming Registrar. Pursuant to the National
Rules, Greyhounds Australasia is the Naming Registrar.
While the Naming Registrar may accept or refuse a greyhound name for registration in its absolute
discretion, Greyhounds Australasia operates under a policy approved by member controlling
bodies and operates in the best interest of the greyhound racing industry.
Applicants should note that the approval or allocation of a greyhound name does not amount to an
endorsement or representation by Greyhounds Australasia or any controlling body that use of the
name will not infringe the rights of any other person. The applicant will need to make its own
inquiries to ensure that it will not be infringing any other person's intellectual property rights.
Each application is considered on its own merits. Any previous decision of the Naming Registrar in
respect of any other greyhound will have no bearing, and not serve as a binding precedent, on the
decision of the Naming Registrar in considering any other application.
Without limiting its general discretion, the following guidelines are published as non-exhaustive
bases on which the Naming Registrar may refuse a prospective name of a greyhound:

Depiction of the name

1. It has more than 16 characters inclusive of spaces and apostrophes.

2. It contains punctuation other than spaces or apostrophes.

3. It contains any numerals.

4. It uses apostrophes excessively.

5. It contains more than three words, whether or not represented as three separate words.

6. It commences with either the definite (i.e. "the") or indefinite (i.e. "a") article (e.g. "The
Architect" or “A Long Summer".

7. It uses one or more single letters anywhere in the name (e.g. “I Am Trouble" or "I E C") or
the use of words to reflect letters (e.g. "EYE EE CEE").

8. Names made up entirely of words that represent numbers.

9. Names prohibited by law or that require the approval of another person by law
(e.g. ANZAC").

10. Names that do not accord with the indexation requirements of the Stud Books. This
includes abbreviated words (other than commonly used contractions – e.g. "she's", "can't"),
words misspelt, or words rendered in a manner that is grammatically incorrect (Note:
Abbreviated words will be assessed and, if acceptable recorded, as complete words. For
example, "Stop "N" Think" would be assessed as "Stop And Think"; "Round em up" would
be assessed as "Round them up"; "Shesa Lady" would be assessed as "She’s A Lady".)
Similar names

11. It has been allocated to a greyhound anywhere in Australia or New Zealand during the 15
years previous to receipt of the allocation.

12. It has previously been granted to a greyhound recorded as a sire or dam in the
Greyhounds Australasia database.

13. It has previously been granted to a greyhound recorded as a group winner in the
Greyhounds Australasia database.

14. It is the name of a prominent or renowned greyhound, regardless of when registered.

15. It has close similarity in the pronunciation of another registered name or name to which this
policy refers (e.g. Mr. Yew, Mister You).

16. It uses a term allocated to another person as a Prefix or Suffix in accordance with the
Prefix/Suffix Policy.

Unacceptable names

17. The name, in the opinion of Greyhounds Australasia:
(a) has a political or religious connotation;
(b) is too difficult to pronounce;
(c) is derogatory, downgrading or offensive;
(d) is obscene, vulgar, scandalous or controversial;
(e) contains any word or words that use, or infer, the concept of "dog" (e.g. "hound",
"poodle", "canine", "pup", "puppy", "canine", "kay nine") or any other breed of dog
(e.g. "poodle", "snoodle");
(f) rhymes with, or has the pronunciation that is similar to, other names that would be
unacceptable;
(g) is offensive or prejudicial to the image or interests of the greyhound racing industry;
or
(h) includes words not commonly recognised or understood in Australia and New
Zealand.

18. It indicates the opposite to the actual sex of the subject greyhound.

19. It imitates wagering or track terms (e.g. "Vacant Box", "Late Scratching", "Number Four",
"Red Rug", "Blue Box") or would otherwise cause confusion in that regard.

20. It is the name of a prominent racing event without the permission of the appropriate
authority.

Commercial names

21. It is a trade name (whether or not registered as a business name), a registered company or
association name, or contains a trade mark (whether or not registered) in use, or
reasonably likely to be known, in Australia or New Zealand or anything substantially
identical with or deceptively similar to, such a trade mark.

22. It is regarded by the Naming Registrar as having the purpose, effect, or likely effect of
promoting a business or the brand name of any goods or services.

23. It uses the names of, or suggestive of, wagering or broadcasting entities.
Names of individuals

24. It is the name, or pseudonym, of, or infers or is a suggestive of, a prominent person
(whether living or deceased) (e.g. "Marilyn Monroe" or "Norma Jean Baker").