diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/common/directives/components/umbavatar.directive.js b/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/common/directives/components/umbavatar.directive.js
index 2c561d3505..9ad475ad85 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/common/directives/components/umbavatar.directive.js
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/common/directives/components/umbavatar.directive.js
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ Use this directive to render an avatar.
 
             function getNameInitials(name) {
                 if (name) {
-                    const notAllowed = /[\[\]\{\}\*\?\&\$\@\!\(\)\%\#]+/g;
-                    var names = name.replace(notAllowed,'').trim().split(' '),
+                    const notAllowedRegex = /[^\p{Letter}\p{Number} ]+/gu;
+                    var names = name.replace(notAllowedRegex, '').trim().split(' '),
                         initials = names[0].substring(0, 1);
 
                     if (names.length > 1) {