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Court orders name change

Taranaki Daily News
Last updated 00:57 24/07/2008

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Some parents have been branded abusers because of the bizarre names of their children.

Family Court Judge Rob Murfitt stated his concerns in a written decision after a custody hearing in New Plymouth revealed a couple had named their child Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii.

He was so disturbed at the effect on the nine-year-old that he ordered her temporarily placed under court guardianship so a suitable name could be chosen.

 "It makes a fool of the child and sets her up with a social disability and handicap," he said.

The girl, who had not had her birth officially registered in NZ, had not revealed her name to her friends.

The judge was stopped talking yesterday by Principal Family Court Judge Peter Boshier.

Meanwhile, Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages Brian Clarke released a statement today which said a list of unusual names believed to be registered in New Zealand issued by Judge Boshier's office was incorrect.

"The names Fish and Chips, Masport, and Mower, Yeah Detroit, Stallion, Twisty Poi, Keenan Got Lucy and Sex Fruit have not been registered," Mr Clarke said.

Names on the list from Mr Boshier's office that were not corrected included: Spiral Cicada, Kaos, Hitler and Cinderella Beauty Blossom.

Mr Clarke said names can be declined for registration if they may cause offence to a reasonable person, are unreasonably long (generally more than 100 characters) or resemble an official title or rank.  Names using numerals will also be declined.

Brian Clarke says that while legislation gives the Registrar-General the authority to decline a name or combination of names, the applicant can have that decision to decline reviewed by the Courts. 

"Where, in my view, a name cannot be registered we will normally discuss this with the parents or guardians before giving our decision. Often when we explain the situation to parents we can agree on an acceptable name to register."

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173 comments
Eric   #173   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

A Shop Rite in Phillipsburg, N.J. refused to put a 3 year old's name on his birthday cake because his name was Adolph Hitler Campbel.

elemental101   #172   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Never could be as bad as "Captain Fantastic Faster Than Superman Spiderman Batman Wolverine The Hulk and The Flash Combined"

Descolada   #171   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

my middle name is from the latin word for tree, and the meanings of my first and middle name combined is "divine peace tree" thank god no one ever looked my name up in school.

Donna   #170   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

I think that growing up in today's society is hard enough as it is without having an unusal name to hinder things further. Outlandish names might be cute when a child is 2 but how is it going sound as adult out in the real world. It is a basic human right to be able to give your child the name you want but you have to be mindful of the child's quality of life because of it.

Antoniosimango   #169   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

In my tribe and I believe in the most african tribes, a child is named after somebody or something.For instance,if you was born on a very heavy raining day, you should be named RAIN. WAR,DANGER,DISGRACE,DEATH,are very common names in my tribe.European colonial administration did not want to research the roots of these names, but accepted to register them in wrong writing and pronouaciation.Today you can name whatever you want to, but I think the Law should allow all the teenagers to validate or to change their names. This should be a right.

Starby   #168   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Working in the medical field, real names I've come across:

Sandy Beach (although this is actually a common odd name) Richard Wacker (yeah . . .I had to call and give him test results by phone: my manager and his buddy were giggling nearby: it took a minute to dawn on me: I could barely keep serious . . .what's the short version of Richard?)

Morgan Morgan (who likes to be called 'Bob' . . .)

Stogsy   #167   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Micheal Hunt (Mike), yes I know a guy with that name, he was a teacher even. If you don't catch the embarrassment of this name, well, good for you for taking the moral high road.

Ant   #166   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

oh, don't forget Superman "4Real" Wheaton.....

Uisgea   #165   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Just thought I'd contribute the following real names, which, to my knowledge, have not run afoul of the law: Maybe So McIntyre, Eugenia Badger, Smokey Beaver, Candy Cotton (a schoolgirl, not a porn star), Ugliene Porter, Mantooth Shotwell, Orma Ironmoccasin, Priscilla Liberace, Mossy Wax, Bean Burr, and Ganesh Furniturewallah.

Bren   #164   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Wyatts a cool name.


Show 114-163 of 173 comments
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