Naming of children

It is unusual for the state, through its courts, to interfere with the naming of a child. The reported cases relating to children’s names are not numerous, and almost all refer to changing registered names, rather than challenging a parent’s original choice of name. Hitherto, if required, intervention in parental choice has focused on the surname, often in the context of maintaining a link between a child and their father.1 Courts recognise that given names have a less ‘concrete’ character, whereby nicknames and alternative names become adherent to the maturing child. Judges have previously speculated that ‘too much emphasis’ should not be placed on a registered forename.2 By contrast, a more recent judgement (focussing on the effect on a child of changing its forename once it is sentient) found that the principles to be applied to a proposed change of name are the same regardless...

Source: Archives of Disease in Childhood - October 30, 2023 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Wheeler, R. Tags: Clinical law for clinical practice Source Type: research