Government regulated baby names?

[danakscully64]

What are your thoughts on the government being able to say no to parents wanting to give their child an unusual name? I've read many articles in the past, but the recent one made me curious as to what everyone elses thoughts are. Here's the article:


WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A family court judge in New Zealand has had enough with parents giving their children bizarre names here, and did something about it.

Just ask Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii. He had her renamed.

Judge Rob Murfitt made the 9-year-old girl a ward of the court so that her name could be changed, he said in a ruling made public Thursday. The girl was involved in a custody battle, he said.
...

Registration officials blocked some names, including Fish and Chips, Yeah Detroit, Keenan Got Lucy and Sex Fruit, he said. But others were allowed, including Number 16 Bus Shelter "and tragically, Violence," he said.
...
Rest of article here (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080724/ap_on_re_au_an/new_zealand_bizarre_names)

Your thoughts?

[ALSTA34]

The whole weird baby names is getting out of hand.

I just wonder how could the parents names their child such bad names. That's almost asking for you child to be picked on their entire childhood.

[gillibean]

The poor little girl! You'd think parents would get the point when the child refused to tell people her name.

[Amy SF]

and I thought Gwyneth Paltrow was being ridiculous for naming her daughter Apple. But those listed in the article go beyond bizarre.

That said, I don't think the government should have a say in what people name their kids. If the kids want to change their names to something they like better, then they should be free to do so. Frank Zappa named his daughter Moon Unit, and she usually goes by Moon, which sounds really nice. Moon Unit is silly, but if she wants to be known as Moon Unit, then she's free to do so.

[gillibean]

For the most part I agree but if it's causing harm to the child, then someone needs to step in.

[Nickle00]

When I saw the title of this thread I was mad about the gov't wanting to regulate the choice in names but when it comes to parents wanting to name their kids things like SEX FRUIT....I think a line needs to be drawn SOMEWHERE....What the hell is wrong with these people anyway?? Sex Fruit, are you freaking kidding me?? *disgusted*

[Amy SF]

I have news for people who think that "ordinary" names get you off the hook when it comes to teasing from other kids.

They don't.

My last name is Fisher, and the kids at school seized upon that as a way of teasing me endlessly. "AmyFishy" "StinkyAmy" "HeyFish!" and so on.

no wonder I have very few fond memories of my school years. :stinkeye:

[PlaybackGuru]

I have news for people who think that "ordinary" names get you off the hook when it comes to teasing from other kids.

They don't.

My last name is Fisher, and the kids at school seized upon that as a way of teasing me endlessly. "AmyFishy" "StinkyAmy" "HeyFish!" and so on.

no wonder I have very few fond memories of my school years. :stinkeye:

:hug: awwwww I can't say what names they came up with for me in school on VB!

[danakscully64]

I think weird names are fine, but think there needs to be a line drawn when it gets too bad. Yes, Sex Fruit is child abuse. Seriously. Emotional abuse.

Amy - That's true, but last names aren't chosen. My last name is german and looks like Baller, so all my co-workers call me baller. I think it's funny :)

Children already go through so much growing up, why add to the trauma?

[SomebodyElse]

Children already go through so much growing up, why add to the trauma?
Yeah, I don't like the government butting in to most things, but this isn't right. And the trouble is, a five year old kid can't just up and go to court all by himself to have his name changed, and its not likely that his parents would take him to court for such a purpose either, since they are the ones who gave him the stupid name. By the time the child is old enough to go to court on his own, the damage is already done. And it isn't even a question of how other people will react to the name. Most people's identities are closely linked to their names, and their names can really have an effect on how they see themselves as they are growing up.

I think its really sad and weird that people do stuff like this to their children, treating them like sources of comic amusement rather than real people.

[Sevenseas]

I'm sorry, but it is my inalienable right as a free citizen to name my kids as I want. I'll be damned if anyone will take my son Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern-schplenden-schlitter-crasscrenbon-fried-digger-dingle-dangle-dongle-dungle-burstein-von-knacker-thrasher-apple-banger-horowitz-ticolensic-grander-knotty-spelltinkle-grandlich-grumblemeyer-spelterwasser-kurstlich-himbleeisen- bahnwagen-gutenabend-bitte-ein-nürnburger-bratwustle-gerspurten-mitz-weimache- luber-hundsfut-gumberaber-shönedanker-kalbsfleisch-mittler-aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm's proud name away.

[gillibean]

I'm sorry, but it is my inalienable right as a free citizen to name my kids as I want. I'll be damned if anyone will take my son Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern-schplenden-schlitter-crasscrenbon-fried-digger-dingle-dangle-dongle-dungle-burstein-von-knacker-thrasher-apple-banger-horowitz-ticolensic-grander-knotty-spelltinkle-grandlich-grumblemeyer-spelterwasser-kurstlich-himbleeisen- bahnwagen-gutenabend-bitte-ein-nürnburger-bratwustle-gerspurten-mitz-weimache- luber-hundsfut-gumberaber-shönedanker-kalbsfleisch-mittler-aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm's proud name away.

Your rights stop when it causes harm to the child.

[Sevenseas]

I agree :)

[danakscully64]

Yeah, I don't like the government butting in to most things, but this isn't right. And the trouble is, a five year old kid can't just up and go to court all by himself to have his name changed, and its not likely that his parents would take him to court for such a purpose either, since they are the ones who gave him the stupid name. By the time the child is old enough to go to court on his own, the damage is already done. And it isn't even a question of how other people will react to the name. Most people's identities are closely linked to their names, and their names can really have an effect on how they see themselves as they are growing up.

I think its really sad and weird that people do stuff like this to their children, treating them like sources of comic amusement rather than real people.

:yes::yes::yes: :up:

[JLRodgers]

After seeing this thread I went searching for bad baby names.... I saw a news thing where a guy said that most people that had a "bad" name wouldn't want to change it (once they lived through all the crap) because it made them unique.

But this being something like parents naming their child "Harry" when they had a last name of "Bals" -- nothing like those weird looking names like in that article. Granted while the name "apple" is strange for a kid... it's not that bad. But until changing your name is cheap (not hundreds-thousands, whatever it is today), the least the parents could do is name the kids similar to how they name registered dogs (I know sounds bad, but wait!).

We had one dog called "Foreznashaw Jade Nicole" (something like that) on the papers. She was called "Nikki"
If a parent wants to name the kid something like "Sex Fruit" they should at least use a nickname (and treat it as the legal whenever possible) like "Kiwi"

Although thinking first would be best.... governments shouldn't have to step in.

[PlaybackGuru]

I'm sorry, but it is my inalienable right as a free citizen to name my kids as I want. I'll be damned if anyone will take my son Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern-schplenden-schlitter-crasscrenbon-fried-digger-dingle-dangle-dongle-dungle-burstein-von-knacker-thrasher-apple-banger-horowitz-ticolensic-grander-knotty-spelltinkle-grandlich-grumblemeyer-spelterwasser-kurstlich-himbleeisen- bahnwagen-gutenabend-bitte-ein-nürnburger-bratwustle-gerspurten-mitz-weimache- luber-hundsfut-gumberaber-shönedanker-kalbsfleisch-mittler-aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm's proud name away.

Is that of the East Coast Gambolputty de von Ausfern-schplenden-schlitter-crasscrenbon-fried-digger-dingle-dangle-dongle-dungle-burstein-von-knacker-thrasher-apple-banger-horowitz-ticolensic-grander-knotty-spelltinkle-grandlich-grumblemeyer-spelterwasser-kurstlich-himbleeisen- bahnwagen-gutenabend-bitte-ein-nürnburger-bratwustle-gerspurten-mitz-weimache- luber-hundsfut-gumberaber-shönedanker-kalbsfleisch-mittler-aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm's?

From the Hamptons? We may be related....

[sybaritik]

Registration officials blocked some names, including Fish and Chips, Yeah Detroit, Keenan Got Lucy and Sex Fruit, he said. But others were allowed, including Number 16 Bus Shelter "and tragically, Violence," he said.


What's wrong with 'fush and chups'...it's New Zealand after all :D

[MrsKey]

I'm on the fence. On the one hand I really don't think that any government should tell you what to name your child. On the other hand there are some truly awful names discussed in that article.

Or how about Penn Jillette's poor daughter? Her name is Moxie Crimefighter Jillette.

Or Rob Morrow's daughter? Tu.

Yup. That makes her name Tu Morrow.

Do they really like these names? Do they hate their child? Or are they just trying to garner more interest for themselves at the child's expense?

[Kenickie]

I'm on the fence. On the one hand I really don't think that any government should tell you what to name your child. On the other hand there are some truly awful names discussed in that article.

Or how about Penn Jillette's poor daughter? Her name is Moxie Crimefighter Jillette.

Or Rob Morrow's daughter? Tu.

Yup. That makes her name Tu Morrow.

Do they really like these names? Do they hate their child? Or are they just trying to garner more interest for themselves at the child's expense?

seconded. i love strange names, because usually people grow into their names. i've met a Luna, and she was wonderful. But, I don't think some dude from Detroit should be able to name his daughter Metallica or whatever. It seems like child abuse or something, like, your mom and i made a mistake and now we're going to get a private joke out of you and let you have a miserable childhood, enjoy your crap name, YEAH DETROIT.

i dunno.

but saying all this, i still want to name my kids something weirdly out of this world.

(i was teased as a kid for my name forever too. WHERE'S YOUR ALADDIN, JASMINE?? now that i'm older, i'm starting to like my name.)

[Brandon]

I'm sorry, but it is my inalienable right as a free citizen to name my kids as I want. I'll be damned if anyone will take my son Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern-schplenden-schlitter-crasscrenbon-fried-digger-dingle-dangle-dongle-dungle-burstein-von-knacker-thrasher-apple-banger-horowitz-ticolensic-grander-knotty-spelltinkle-grandlich-grumblemeyer-spelterwasser-kurstlich-himbleeisen- bahnwagen-gutenabend-bitte-ein-nürnburger-bratwustle-gerspurten-mitz-weimache- luber-hundsfut-gumberaber-shönedanker-kalbsfleisch-mittler-aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm's proud name away.

:lol: :wayne:

[Kenickie]

adding - this makes me think of that chapter in Freakeconomics - "Would a Roschanda by any other name smell as sweet?"

giving your child a messed up name does damage to them economically as well. a roschanda by any other name does not smell as sweet. i hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate when black people decide to name their kids LaFaQuShaNaDenise or some ****. It drives me insane and makes me so sad because their parents are setting them up for failure.

depressing.

[JLRodgers]

adding - this makes me think of that chapter in Freakeconomics - "Would a Roschanda by any other name smell as sweet?"


At the recent convention I went to, a woman there was being introduced -- the guy had to practice her name a half dozen times with her coaching him, AND had to read it from a piece of paper. It was a long complex confusing name, like five or six names before it got to the family name.

One of the many names would've been more than enough, but it's like her parents couldn't decide, so they gave her all.


The one thing I hate with really strange names is this: forms. They only give you so many boxes to put your name in -- if it's too long, it won't fit. Even some last names don't fit right (at one time at least). But if you start giving kids names that seem like "jokes" who knows how many times a job has tossed the application because they thought it was a joke and not serious?

[cstadt]

One of my teachers had a friend who named their daughter ****thead, pronounced shi-THEED

also,
twins with the names
Lemonjello (le-MON-jello)
and Orangejello (or-AN-jello)

[Kenickie]

At the recent convention I went to, a woman there was being introduced -- the guy had to practice her name a half dozen times with her coaching him, AND had to read it from a piece of paper. It was a long complex confusing name, like five or six names before it got to the family name.

One of the many names would've been more than enough, but it's like her parents couldn't decide, so they gave her all.


The one thing I hate with really strange names is this: forms. They only give you so many boxes to put your name in -- if it's too long, it won't fit. Even some last names don't fit right (at one time at least). But if you start giving kids names that seem like "jokes" who knows how many times a job has tossed the application because they thought it was a joke and not serious?


my boyfriend has 4 names - a (christian) first name, a (christian) middle name, and then has the two names from his native tribe. i like that, but his names are all relatively short and easy to say. and the forms thing is spot on. i have a really normal normal name, and sometimes i can't fit my name into the boxes either. they need to give atleast ten boxes. (each of my names has 7 letters.)

[hoodedclawjen]

in the uk the registrar can refuse to sign if doing so means letting you name your kid something they deem potentially offensive, but beyond that, you can call them whatever.

i think there should be common sense involved. i would hate to have gone through my childhood named superman, like some poor kids in the uk have.

i don't think things should go as far as places like spain where there is a list of officially sanctioned names that you have to choose from, but registrars should be able to say "erm, no" when a parent wants to call their kid botulism or frosted-pop-tart or something else thats gonna give them nothing but grief.