• USA Today, Thursday, November 11, 2010 10:39 AM

A French judge has ruled that Renault can call its electric car Zoe, throwing out a suit filed on behalf of two girls named Zoe Renault (ages 2 and 8) that contended they faced a lifetime of grief, from playground taunts to sexual innuendo.

"Can you imagine what little Zoes would have to endure on the playground, and even worse, when they get a little bit older and someone comes up to them in a bar and says, 'Can I see your air bags?' or 'Can I shine your bumper?'" attorney David Koubbi told The Associated Press in an interview.

The judge ruled that the plaintiffs would have a case only if they proved the car name would cause the girls "certain, direct and current harm"; the lawyer said he'd appeal. Renault said it's happy with the decision, and 36,000 other French Zoes presumably will soon learn what it's like to be named Lincoln or Edsel in this country.

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