Italy: Court orders couple to name child after saint.

[HeadCone 0]

On a related note, from the bonfire:

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2912040;

The couple wanted to name their baby "4real" but that got blocked. Now it's going to be named Superman. I think Pat and Sheena Wheaton need a mental evaluation.

I think it's a shame that the government has put bounds on what parent's name their babies, but dumb-ass parents are pushing the boundaries.

For English names I'd say:

* letters only, no numbers, symbols, etc...
* must be pronounceable
* must be pronounced reasonably close to how it's spelled

So, you can't call your baby "fa$%#g999" and when asked how to say it reply "it's beyond the capability of human vocal cords to properly pronounce the name".

With respect to this story, Friday isn't the worst thing in the world but sure as hell isn't anything I'd name my kid. I can see the government stepping in to protect the kid, but it's going to far here.

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[billvon 2,381]

>For English names I'd say:

> letters only, no numbers, symbols, etc...
> must be pronounceable
> must be pronounced reasonably close to how it's spelled

Da3ve is going to be a bit taken aback! Come to think of it, my legal name wouldn't be allowed under those rules.

[HeadCone 0]

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>For English names I'd say:

> letters only, no numbers, symbols, etc...
> must be pronounceable
> must be pronounced reasonably close to how it's spelled

Da3ve is going to be a bit taken aback! Come to think of it, my legal name wouldn't be allowed under those rules.

Da3ve is someone's legal first name?

From you're profile, I take it that your first name is Bill. If so and you don't mind, since it fits the letters only rule, how do you pronounce it?

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[jakee 1,254]

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They made a judgement based on current law? I thought that was what courts where supposed to do?

Two quotes from the story.

1) When the boy was about five months old, a city hall clerk brought the odd name to the attention of a tribunal, which informed the couple of an administrative norm which bars parents from giving "ridiculous or shameful" first names to children.

2) "I really doubt this would have happened to the child of parents who are rich and famous," the boy's mother told Reuters, recalling that some famous Italians had given their children unorthodox names such as "Ocean" or "Chanel".

So, justify the court's actions.

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Why don't you tell me why it is stupid, instead?

It is a simply obscene intrusion into the minutiae of people's lives. It is based on the notion that anything unconventional should be squashed. It is based on the assumption that being called Friday will somehow cripple the kid for life. It is dangerously close to 'thoughtcrime'. It's stupid.

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It's called respect towards other peoples, something you obviously lack.

Utter rubbish. Respect for other people's choices is why I think this case is stupid. I respect the freedom of this couple to name their child. You don't, and think they should be forced to bend their knee to the system.

Oh, and so far in this thread I have called a law stupid, and you have insulted me personally. Bear that in mind if you want to keep talking about respect.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[masterblaster72 0]

Isn't there a precedent for naming someone Friday? I know it's a surname (and a fictional one at that), but he was known to the world as "Friday" nonetheless.

Translating to " venerdi' " doesn't have quite the same ring to it though. A bit tacky.

By the way, if there are famous people with the name "Ermenegildo" or my father's cousin "Nunzi" or my aunt in Rome who is named after the country -- "Italia"...I think the law should accommodate a name like "Friday."

Pardon the non-PC comment, but I think Italians are second only to American blacks when it comes to naming their kids goofy things.

Be humble, ask questions, listen, learn, follow the golden rule, talk when necessary, and know when to shut the fuck up.

[Muenkel 0]

I agree that this is ridiculous. Just be clear, it was not the Catholic Church who objected but the 'law of the land'. Notice a priest baptized him Friday. The law may have been on the books for hundreds of years and may have a Catholic route, but it does not appear to be the case here.

_________________________________________
Chris

[rehmwa 2]

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Isn't there a precedent for naming someone Friday? I know it's a surname (and a fictional one at that), but he was known to the world as "Friday" nonetheless.

also a Heinlein character too

I actually like the name

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[jakee 1,254]

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I agree that this is ridiculous. Just be clear, it was not the Catholic Church who objected but the 'law of the land'. Notice a priest baptized him Friday. The law may have been on the books for hundreds of years and may have a Catholic route, but it does not appear to be the case here.

If you'll notice, the title of the thread is "Court orders..." - I thought that was clear enough

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[jakee 1,254]

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Isn't there a precedent for naming someone Friday? I know it's a surname (and a fictional one at that), but he was known to the world as "Friday" nonetheless.

The appeals court ruled against Friday because it recalled the servile savage in Daniel Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe...

I wonder what other names can be banned because they have been used on fictional characters....

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[Muenkel 0]

If you'll notice, I replied to Bigun; who was the first poster to mention the Catholic Church.

I thought that was clear enough.

_________________________________________
Chris

[billvon 2,381]

>Da3ve is someone's legal first name?

Yep. Da3ve Ruckert, somewhat notorious RW organizer.

>how do you pronounce it?

"Bill."

The question is - how do you pronounce III? (I'm the third in a line of Bills)

[jakee 1,254]

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If you'll notice, I replied to Bigun; who was the first poster to mention the Catholic Church.

I thought that was clear enough.

I see that, now

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[Muenkel 0]

You'll probably be surprised to see me of all people post this, but here goes:

As we all know, the Catholic Church had enormous power in Italy several centuries ago. Many laws were written by the Catholic Church. I'm sure many are still on the books, which could have allowed a Catholic fanatic in the court system to make this particular ruling.

That's right, I'm admitting; Catholics are not immune to having 'fanatics' among their membership.

_________________________________________
Chris

[HeadCone 0]

>Yep. Da3ve Ruckert, somewhat notorious RW organizer.

Never heard of anything like that before. I'm surprised it was allowed. I suppose it's pronounced like Dave.

>The question is - how do you pronounce III? (I'm the third in a line of Bills)

The posts have been about first names, not suffixes. I'd pronounce III by screaming EYE YI YI!!!

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[BIGUN 1,049]

I made an assumption based on, "When ordered to change the name, the parents refused and the court ruled the boy would be legally registered as Gregory because he was born on that saint's feast day..." and that I'm doubting there's many Baptists or Protestants on any tribunals in Rome. And, because most of the "Law of the Land" is heralded from the Roman Catholic Church.

My favorite part of the article was, "The appeals court ruled against Friday because it recalled the servile savage in Daniel Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe and because superstitious Italians consider Friday an unlucky day."

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[billvon 2,381]

>I suppose it's pronounced like Dave.

Yep. To quote Da3ve "the 3 is silent."

[Muenkel 0]

Bigun,

I agree with both of your paragraphs. My assumption is there was a nut in the court. Whether the nut used old Catholic law or a character in a novel. I don't know.

_________________________________________
Chris

[BIGUN 1,049]

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My assumption is there was a nut in the court.

Chris, if you'd made this post #2; I'm thinking that would have ended this whole conversation/thread in agreement....

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[jakee 1,254]

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Bigun,

I agree with both of your paragraphs. My assumption is there was a nut in the court. Whether the nut used old Catholic law or a character in a novel. I don't know.

More than one nut, unfortunately. There was the guy who pointed it out in the first place, then the first court that ordered the change and the appeals court that upheld the ruling. Crazy.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[Muenkel 0]

Well I guess it's true that you really can't stop at just one nut.

_________________________________________
Chris

[jakee 1,254]

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Well I guess it's true that you really can't stop at just one nut.

I've just eaten a massive pack of monkey nuts. When they were finished I had to go and get some peanutbutter on crumpets. I love nuts*.









* In a completely non-homosexual way.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[masterblaster72 0]

Quote

Quote

Isn't there a precedent for naming someone Friday? I know it's a surname (and a fictional one at that), but he was known to the world as "Friday" nonetheless.

also a Heinlein character too

I actually like the name

I think it's a decent name too. Naming a kid "Monday" or "Tuesday" -- that would be a bit cruel. Friday is a day that everybody likes.

Be humble, ask questions, listen, learn, follow the golden rule, talk when necessary, and know when to shut the fuck up.

[Andrewwhyte 1]

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I think it's a decent name too. Naming a kid "Monday" or "Tuesday" -- that would be a bit cruel. Friday is a day that everybody likes.

Except superstitious Italians, apparently.

[vpozzoli 0]

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Except superstitious Italians, apparently.

Except that's a completely made up fact. Trust me on that. I wonder what else they fabricated in this story, curiously enough all the stories I found about this incident are just reprints of the same Reuters piece, thus preventing any form of verification.
Cheers,

Vale

[Jasmin 0]

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There is no "village" that takes priorities over parents' freedoms.

Once the kid achieve adulthood, he then is responsible for himself and certainly can legally change his name at that time.

Funnily enough the dept here which covers name registration does have a few restrictions:
The NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages has strict rules that names have to be written in English alphabetical characters, with no umlauts or diphthongs. They cannot be offensive.

This didn't stop two of my mates from changing their names legally to "feral" and "7" respectively.

xj

"I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."