Laurence Watkins from New Zealand holds the Guinness World Record for the longest personal name, containing 2,253 individual words that take 20 minutes to recite. The 60-year-old retired security guard changed his name in 1990 after being inspired by "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" and wanting to appear in the Guinness book of records. "I was amazed by these record holders – the world's fastest man, the tallest, the strongest," Watkins said. He spent a month choosing names from Latin, Old English, Māori, and other languages, paying a typist 400 New Zealand dollars to record them. His full name spans seven pages on his birth certificate and required six extra passport pages. At his 1991 wedding, the celebrant pre-recorded his complete name while guests mingled. Following Watkins' legal victory, New Zealand changed laws limiting names to 70 characters, securing his record permanently. (Story URL)
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