World’s longest name: New Zealander takes 20 minutes to introduce himself

Dubai: For most people, introducing themselves takes only a few seconds. For Lawrence Watkins of New Zealand, it takes 20 minutes.

That’s how long it takes to recite his full name—a staggering 2,253 words, officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the longest personal name in the world.

At his wedding in 1991, Watkins pre-recorded his own name on tape; pronouncing it live would have taken longer than the ceremony itself. Now 60, he still holds the record, reaffirmed by Guinness after a recent review of his decades-old documentation.

Watkins’ fascination began in childhood, inspired by Ripley’s Believe It or Not and the Guinness Book of World Records. Lacking a superhuman talent to claim a spot, he decided to make himself memorable another way—by crafting the longest name imaginable.

He spent a month compiling names from dictionaries and encyclopedias, typing them across six typewritten pages. The list included Latin, English, Māori, Japanese, and Chinese names, alongside titles such as “Lord,” “Duke,” and “Pope.” Even a code, AZ2000, represents “every name from A to Z, two thousand times over.”

When the civil registry initially rejected his request in 1990, Watkins took the case to the High Court, which ruled in his favour, legally recognising his extraordinary name. Two years later, Guinness World Records validated it as the longest name ever recorded.

Today, Watkins uses a shortened version, Lawrence Alon Alloy Watkins, but his birth certificate still lists the full seven-page name. His passport notes: “2,249 additional names.”

Though his quest may seem whimsical, Watkins says it stemmed from curiosity and a desire to do something no one else had done. “I did it because it was unique,” he told reporters. “People don’t always get the humour, but I like to stand out.”

Over the years, he even ran for local office four times, each campaign under a different version of his monumental name.

His eccentric legacy prompted New Zealand to revise its naming laws, banning excessively long names, titles, or numerical symbols—ensuring that no one will follow in the footsteps of the man whose name never seems to end.