To some people, “Lucía” and “Lucia” might seem like the same name, but take away the accent mark and you have a different name altogether — at least in California. The Golden State is one of the most racially and ethnically diverse states in the country, but it doesn’t allow diacritics — accent marks to indicate correct pronunciation — to be included in state vital records. The 1986 passage of Proposition 63 made English the official state language, and in doing so prohibited diacritics on records such as birth, death and marriage certificates. Those records must be completed using "the 26 alphabetical characters of the English language,” and “diacritical marks are unacceptable.” So, someone who names their child Lucía can’t have that reflected on a birth certificate — the child’s name will officially be Lucia. It’s the equivalent of parents choosing the name “Sean” for their child to honor the family’s Irish heritage but being told by the government that only “Shaun” is acceptable. Hyphens and apostrophes are exempt from this restriction, so if your surname is O’Malley, your birth certificate will reflect that accurately, but if your surname is Núñez, you’re out of luck.
