• News
  • Life
  • TV & Film
  • Beauty
  • Style
  • Home
  • News
    • Celebrity
    • Entertainment
    • Politics
    • Royal Family
  • Life
    • Animals
    • Food & Drink
    • Women's Health
    • Mental Health
    • Sex & Relationships
    • Travel
    • Real Life
  • TV & Film
    • True Crime
    • Documentaries
    • Netflix
    • BBC
    • ITV
    • Tyla Recommends
  • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Make-up
    • Skincare
  • Style
    • Home
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
Submit Your Content
Woman who has same unique name as US city forced to show people her ID to prove it’s not fake

Home> Life

Updated 12:06 9 Apr 2025 GMT+1Published 12:05 9 Apr 2025 GMT+1

Woman who has same unique name as US city forced to show people her ID to prove it’s not fake

The singer, from London, is struggling to obtain a copy of her birth certificate because of it

Bec Oakes

Bec Oakes

A north London woman with a rather unique name says she's spent her whole life trying to convince people that it's real, and has faced further set backs thanks to a little-known law change shortly after she was born.

The 36-year-old's mother came up with the unusual moniker by combining the initials of surnames from both sides of her family, but it's caused a few hiccups down the line.

Now, the singer and social media creator spends her time correcting people's pronunciation of it and admits she even has to show them her ID to prove the name she shares with a US city isn't fake.

A London woman is struggling to obtain a copy of her birth certificate because of her unique name (SWNS)
A London woman is struggling to obtain a copy of her birth certificate because of her unique name (SWNS)

Advert

L.A. Cartier is a singer-songwriter from north London.

She's convinced that she's the only person with her unusual name and shared the difficulties she's faced because of it on TikTok.

L.A. said: "People think I don’t want to give them my real name.

"Or that it’s a fake name or that I’m trying to withhold my real name — so sometimes I have to show my driver’s license to prove it.

Advert

"People ask how I spell it and think it’s Ellay I say 'no, it’s just L dot A dot.'"

She continued: "It’s just having to explain every time, and the conversation that has to happen before they understand.

"Whenever I write my name online I have to type it as an L and a small a as it wont go into the system.

"Anything I sign up for online, I don’t put the dots in as none of the systems will accept it.

Advert

The full stops in L.A.'s name have been forbidden by law since she was born (SWNS)
The full stops in L.A.'s name have been forbidden by law since she was born (SWNS)

"People call me and say is this 'La' and I correct them and they still don’t know what it is.

"Some call me Cartier and think L.A. is a mistake."

But L.A.'s problems go beyond awkward introductions.

Advert

Her already unique name was made even more unusual by the added full stops after each letter. However, shortly after she was born, full stops in names became forbidden by law.

Now, she's struggling to obtain a copy of her birth certificate because of it.

After requesting a copy of the certificate, she was first sent one with her name spelt 'La' despite the original saying L.A.

The General Register Office (GRO) now refuses to correct the spelling error unless she changes her name, something she is unable to do because of the change in law since she was born.

Advert



L.A. explained: "When they gave me the [birth certificate] copy, they put it as 'La' and I went back and told them this is not how it’s spelt.

"They said it was correct, and I told them it can’t be. They need to go by my original birth certificate.

"They’re telling me I need to go to deed poll to change it to L.A. but I can’t change it as the law states you’re no longer allowed full stops now.

"So it’s just been left at that for now."

Featured Image Credit: SWNS

Topics: UK News, Real Life

Bec Oakes
Bec Oakes

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

4 hours ago
11 hours ago
3 days ago
  • 4 hours ago

    'Silent disease' with no warning signs is becoming increasingly common among men, doctors reveal

    Dr Paul Lewis - an interventional radiologist at Wexner - has spoken about the very real risk to mens' health

    Life
  • 4 hours ago

    Doctors reveal early warning signs of life-threatening illness linked to weight loss jabs

    Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have both issued statements on the matter

    Life
  • 11 hours ago

    Starbucks customer furious over ‘illegal’ message written on her cup

    A customer went to pick up a drink and was shocked to find what was written on her cup

    Life
  • 3 days ago

    Man who received 47-year-old’s face in major transplant reveals why he thought he was in the afterlife

    Joe DiMeo was just 18 when he was in a horrific car crash, which left him in a coma for three months

    Life
  • ‘Dirtiest’ US city has been revealed and it’s surprisingly not New York City
  • Family of brain dead woman who had baby delivered while she was forced to be kept alive speak out
  • 'Fetal personhood’ law explained as brain dead pregnant woman delivers 1lb baby after being forced to be kept alive
  • Brain dead pregnant woman who was forced to be kept alive has baby delivered by doctors and he only weighs 1lb