Post by earl on Jul 28, 2008 10:59:44 GMT
Parents lose custody for calling daughter Talula Does The Hula
A JUDGE in New Zealand has deplored the use of unusual children’s names after he made a nine-year-old girl called Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii a ward of court so her unfortunate moniker could be changed at her request.
Some of the rather creative names allowed by New Zealand registration officials and criticised by Judge Rob Murfitt include Number 16 Bus Shelter and Midnight Chardonnay. The judge described as “tragic” the decision to register one child under the name Violence.
The parents of twins were permitted to name their offspring Benson and Hedges, after the cigarette brand.
Among the names rejected by registration officials were Fish and Chips, Yeah Detroit, Stallion, Twisty Poi, Keenan Got Lucy and Sex Fruit. One mother even attempted to use SMS language for her daughter’s name.
In that case, the girl was initially called O.crnia, but the name was changed to Oceania during negotiations over a parenting order.
The judge listed the outlandish names in his written ruling on a custody battle over Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii, who lived with her family on New Zealand’s North Island.
A lawyer told the court the girl was so embarrassed by her name, she did not even tell her friends.
She said her name was “K” because she feared being “mocked and teased”, the lawyer added.
Judge Murfitt said such names risked exposing children to ridicule.
“The court is profoundly concerned about the very poor judgment which this child’s parents have shown in choosing this name,” he wrote. “It makes a fool of the child and sets her up with a social disability and handicap, unnecessarily.”
The court was told the girl fully understood the absurdity of her name, unlike her parents who had apparently not considered the implications of their unusual choice.
The judge ordered that the court take custody of the girl until her name could be formally changed. The ruling was issued in February but only came to light in law reports made public this week. The girl has since changed her name, but it has not been disclosed in order to protect her privacy.
Registrar Brian Clarke said New Zealand law prohibits names that would offend a reasonable person, that consist of more than 100 characters or that include titles, military rank, punctuation or numerals.
A JUDGE in New Zealand has deplored the use of unusual children’s names after he made a nine-year-old girl called Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii a ward of court so her unfortunate moniker could be changed at her request.
Some of the rather creative names allowed by New Zealand registration officials and criticised by Judge Rob Murfitt include Number 16 Bus Shelter and Midnight Chardonnay. The judge described as “tragic” the decision to register one child under the name Violence.
The parents of twins were permitted to name their offspring Benson and Hedges, after the cigarette brand.
Among the names rejected by registration officials were Fish and Chips, Yeah Detroit, Stallion, Twisty Poi, Keenan Got Lucy and Sex Fruit. One mother even attempted to use SMS language for her daughter’s name.
In that case, the girl was initially called O.crnia, but the name was changed to Oceania during negotiations over a parenting order.
The judge listed the outlandish names in his written ruling on a custody battle over Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii, who lived with her family on New Zealand’s North Island.
A lawyer told the court the girl was so embarrassed by her name, she did not even tell her friends.
She said her name was “K” because she feared being “mocked and teased”, the lawyer added.
Judge Murfitt said such names risked exposing children to ridicule.
“The court is profoundly concerned about the very poor judgment which this child’s parents have shown in choosing this name,” he wrote. “It makes a fool of the child and sets her up with a social disability and handicap, unnecessarily.”
The court was told the girl fully understood the absurdity of her name, unlike her parents who had apparently not considered the implications of their unusual choice.
The judge ordered that the court take custody of the girl until her name could be formally changed. The ruling was issued in February but only came to light in law reports made public this week. The girl has since changed her name, but it has not been disclosed in order to protect her privacy.
Registrar Brian Clarke said New Zealand law prohibits names that would offend a reasonable person, that consist of more than 100 characters or that include titles, military rank, punctuation or numerals.
