GREYHOUNDS AUSTRALASIA NAMING POLICY

As at August 2018

The orderly and responsible issuing of a greyhound name is a feature of high quality greyhound racing administration.  The process has been delegated by controlling bodies to Greyhounds Australasia as a vital national service. 

The Greyhounds Australasia naming Registrar operates under a policy approved by member controlling bodies and operates in the best interest of the greyhound racing industry.

A key feature of the policy is that Greyhounds Australasia and the Controlling Bodies reserve the right to refuse any name.

The Naming Registrar will apply common sense and knowledge from significant experience and will use readily available search tools as the foundation approach to the assessment of all naming applications.

To support official naming of greyhounds, the policies detailed below are applied at the time of the naming application being processed.

In addition, the naming Registrar will apply the following criteria to refuse an application.

1. The name has been granted to a greyhound during the 15 years previous to receipt of the allocation.

2. The name has previously been granted to a greyhound recorded as a sire or dam in the Greyhounds Australasia database.

3. The name has previously been granted to a greyhound recorded as a group winner in the Greyhounds Australasia database.

4. Close similarity in the pronunciation of names, i.e. Mr. Yew, Mister You.

5. Names that we consider to have a political or religious connotation.

6. Names that we consider are difficult to pronounce.

7. Names that we consider are derogatory or down-grading or offensive.

8. Names that we consider are obscene or vulgar.

9. Words that we consider are not commonly recognised or understood in Australia and New Zealand.

10. Names with more than sixteen characters inclusive of spaces, apostrophes, etc.

11. Names with more than three words, including single words made up of three or more words with limited spacing between words.

12. Names which imitate race track phrases or terms i.e. “Vacant Box”, “Late Scratching”, “Number Four”, “Red Rug”, “Blue Box”, etc.

13. The use of names of Wagering or Broadcasting entities.

14. Names which indicate opposite to the actual sex of the subject greyhound.

15. The use of pronouns, prefixes and affixes, i.e. “The” Architect.

16. Trade names unless the Naming Registrar receives written approval from the owner of the trade name.

17. Names of prominent racing events without the permission of the appropriate authority.

18. Full names of their 'pseudonym' name of prominent persons e.g. Marilyn Monroe (being her stage name) or Norma Jean Baker (being her real name).

19. The use of initials and/or single letters, or the use of words to reflect initials e.g. I E C or EYE EE CEE.

20. The excessive use of apostrophe.

21. The use of numerals

22. A name already registered as a Prefix/Suffix to some other applicant.

23. Names of prominent or renowned Greyhounds.

24. Certain words that may be used generally but are 'owner' word e.g. ANZAC.

25. As the indexations of the Stud Book demands correct English, names such as "Stop "N" Think" would be granted as "Stop And Think".

Naming applications received that are deemed vulgar or offensive shall be referred to the jurisdiction that the participant is registered with.

It should be noted that the Greyhounds Australasia office receives approximately 2,500 names per working week in the preferential listings submitted.  Where all names on an application are exhausted, the GA policy is that the Registrar shall choose a name from elsewhere.