A California woman is challenging the state’s demand to change her personalized license plate, which officials worry may be mistaken for a reference to a terrorist organization.
Isis Wharton, a 26-year-old driver from the Sacramento suburbs, has used the custom plate “IAMISIS” on her white Kia since 2022. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) recently contacted her, requesting she change it due to concerns it could be interpreted as an acronym for ISIS — the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, a group designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. government.
Wharton, however, insists there’s no connection. “My name was a name thousands of years before the terrorist group,” she told ABC 10. “It’s a harmful thing to come after someone’s name, and I think things like this should be taken into more careful consideration.”
The license plate features “IAMISIS” in yellow letters on a black background, framed with what appears to be barbed wire design. Despite the DMV’s concerns, Wharton said the plate had been approved without issue for three years, including recent renewals. “I just did my registration a couple months ago, and they didn’t say anything then either,” she told ABC Los Angeles. “I was confused since I’ve had it for so long, and I was honestly super hurt.”
Wharton explained that she was named after the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis — a symbol of healing and motherhood — and not the militant group. “It’s much more peaceful than they’re putting it out to be,” she said.
The DMV has given her until September 25 to appeal their decision or receive a new, randomly assigned plate. While “ISIS” is not listed among the DMV’s officially banned plate terms, the agency said it has the right to reject configurations that may be considered offensive or misleading.
“The DMV understands that language and symbols can hold different meanings across cultures and communities,” the agency said in a statement to ABC 10. “What may be a term of endearment in one context can be perceived differently in another.”
According to DMV policy, plates may be denied for reasons including the potential to incite violence or perceived affiliations with criminal groups. Wharton said she was thrilled when her plate was first approved. “I know that there is a little bit of controversy, so I was super happy that I was able to put my name on there,” she said.
Now, she hopes the DMV will reconsider and recognize the personal — not political — meaning behind her plate.