Parents of 'nameless' children face fines

The Swedish Tax Agency is sending letters to parents who take too long giving first names to children for the tax registry.

The letters, which the agency began sending this year, inform parents that Swedish law requires them to give their children names before they are 3 months old. Non-compliant parents could face fines of up to $1,200.

It's every child's right to have a name, said Thomas Norgren of the Tax Agency. He said agency officials decided to step up enforcement of the law after they learned the number of children in the registry without names, The Local reported Monday.

We decided that this is our job, after all, he said. That's what the law says; that it's important for every child to have a name.

Norgren said the agency is focusing on the parents of 400 nameless children but officials believe there are many more offenders in the country.

Right now are efforts are concentrated in the south of the country since that is the region for which our office is responsible, he said.