⚠️This fact has been debunked
Unable to find any credible sources, official DMV records, or fact-checking articles supporting this claim. While California does have naming laws and one notable case exists of a person who legally changed their name to Jesus Christ in other jurisdictions, no evidence supports the specific '6 licenses' statistic for California.
California has issued at least 6 drivers licenses to people named Jesus Christ.
The Jesus Christ Driver's License Myth, Debunked
You've probably seen this claim floating around the internet: California has issued at least six driver's licenses to people named Jesus Christ. It's the kind of fact that makes you do a double-take—quirky, specific, and just believable enough to share. But here's the thing: there's no evidence this is actually true.
Despite exhaustive searches through DMV records, fact-checking databases, and news archives, this specific statistic doesn't appear anywhere credible. No official California DMV reports mention it. No newspaper has documented it. It seems to be one of those "facts" that gets repeated online until people assume it must be real.
Can You Even Name Yourself Jesus Christ?
The bigger question is whether California would allow someone to get a license under that name in the first place. Jesus Christ is actually on the list of names that have faced legal challenges in various U.S. states. While naming laws vary, many jurisdictions have rejected "Jesus Christ" as a legal name because it references a major religious and historical figure.
That said, it's not impossible. One man, born Peter Robert Phillips Jr., successfully changed his name to Jesus Christ and obtained official documents—including a passport and driver's license—in Washington, D.C. after a legal battle. But that's one person, in one jurisdiction, and it took significant effort.
Why This Myth Persists
False statistics like this one spread because they're memorable and amusing. California has nearly 27 million licensed drivers, so the idea that six of them might be named Jesus Christ doesn't sound completely absurd. Add in California's reputation for being unconventional, and the story writes itself.
The truth is, unusual names do exist on driver's licenses. People have mononyms (single names), hyphenated surnames, and culturally diverse naming conventions that don't always fit neatly into DMV forms. But "Jesus Christ"—especially six of them—appears to be fiction.
So next time you see this fact pop up, you'll know: it's a myth. Sometimes the truth is less interesting than the internet wants it to be.