Laurence Watkins of New Zealand legally added 2,253 unique words to his name in 1990, securing the title of having the world’s longest personal name. The list of names is so extensive that when he got married, it took his celebrant more than 20 minutes to recite his full name.

Speaking to Guinness World Records, Watkins said he had always been fascinated by the “quirky, unusual records” that people went for, and wanted to be a part of the scene. Working at the time in Auckland’s city library, he reportedly drew names from books and colleagues’ suggestions to build his extraordinary moniker.

Watkins’ many names include a mix of Māori, Samoan, Japanese, and Chinese origins, despite Watkins admitting he has no personal ties to most of them.

Watkins’ application was initially approved by the Auckland District Court, later rejected by the Registrar-General’s office, and eventually upheld by the New Zealand High Court. Soon after, two laws were changed to stop other Kiwis from following in his footsteps.