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Aug. 12th, 2013 03:17 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
jeweledvixen.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
babynamesA judge in Tennessee changed a 7-month-old boy's name to Martin from Messiah, saying the religious name was earned by one person and "that one person is Jesus Christ."
Child Support Magistrate Lu Ann Ballew ordered the name change last week, according to WBIR-TV (http://on.wbir.com/1cDOeTY). The boy's parents were in court because they could not agree on the child's last name, but when the judge heard the boy's first name, she ordered it changed, too.
"It could put him at odds with a lot of people and at this point he has had no choice in what his name is," Ballew said.
It was the first time she ordered a first name change, the judge said.
Messiah was No. 4 among the fastest-rising baby names in 2012, according to the Social Security Administration's annual list of popular baby names.
The judge in eastern Tennessee said the baby was to be named Martin DeShawn McCullough, which includes both parents' last name.
The boy's mother, Jaleesa Martin, of Newport, said she will appeal. She says Messiah is unique and she liked how it sounded alongside the boy's two siblings — Micah and Mason.
SOURCE & REST OF ARTICLE
What do you think?
1. Do you like Messiah as a first name for a boy?
1a. Would you use it?
2. Do you think the judge had the right to change the name?
2a. Do you think the judge had the right to change the name because of her own religious beliefs?
3. How do you feel about Messiah being one of the 4 fastest-rising baby names last year?
Child Support Magistrate Lu Ann Ballew ordered the name change last week, according to WBIR-TV (http://on.wbir.com/1cDOeTY). The boy's parents were in court because they could not agree on the child's last name, but when the judge heard the boy's first name, she ordered it changed, too.
"It could put him at odds with a lot of people and at this point he has had no choice in what his name is," Ballew said.
It was the first time she ordered a first name change, the judge said.
Messiah was No. 4 among the fastest-rising baby names in 2012, according to the Social Security Administration's annual list of popular baby names.
The judge in eastern Tennessee said the baby was to be named Martin DeShawn McCullough, which includes both parents' last name.
The boy's mother, Jaleesa Martin, of Newport, said she will appeal. She says Messiah is unique and she liked how it sounded alongside the boy's two siblings — Micah and Mason.
SOURCE & REST OF ARTICLE
What do you think?
1. Do you like Messiah as a first name for a boy?
1a. Would you use it?
2. Do you think the judge had the right to change the name?
2a. Do you think the judge had the right to change the name because of her own religious beliefs?
3. How do you feel about Messiah being one of the 4 fastest-rising baby names last year?
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no subject
Date: 2013-08-12 08:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-08-12 08:49 pm (UTC)1a. no
2. no
2a. no
3. It just means anointed one. It is just a word. I don't care that I don't particularly care for it. I'm not in favor of banning names as they do in certain countries.
no subject
Date: 2013-08-12 09:05 pm (UTC)If Messiah was just a name and didn't have the meaning associated with it I might like it. And I do think it sounds nice with Micah and Mason, even with the alliteration.
no subject
Date: 2013-08-12 09:14 pm (UTC)1. No, I don't like Messiah as name. I mean, it has a neat sound, so I could understand someone wanting to use it, but it has got too much of a religious association to it.
1a. No, I would not use it.
2. I guess I could see where a judge could have the right to change a name if it was something awful like "Adolf Hitler Lastname," (Wasn't there a case with two or three children, who had names like Aryan Nation and whatnot, that got removed from the home of their Neo-Nazi parents?) but Messiah has a good meaning!
2a. Definitely not. I didn't click on your source, so I don't know if it's the same one, but I actually watched a video of the judge, and I felt really uncomfortable with her statements. She was clearly making the decision based on her own religious beliefs. There was definitely no Church/State separation here. She was asked about names like Jesus ("what is you opinion of children named hay-soos...or jee-sus?"), and she said she did not think it was relevant to the case. WHAT?
3. I don't think it's a great name, but at least it is spelled correctly.
no subject
Date: 2013-08-12 09:30 pm (UTC)1a) No, I would never use it.
2) Absolutely not.
2a) Again, absolutely not.
3) I don't mind. It's not a bad name at all in my opinion.
I really hope the boy's mum and dad has a good outcome with this. This is probably gonna sound shallow, but I'd be bloody livid if someone told me that my future daughter's name Meadow* was too out-there and changed it to a boring name like Mary (no offense to any Mary's out there).
*This is my favourite name at the moment. I'm not pregnant, or planning to be pregnant for another few years.
no subject
Date: 2013-08-12 09:34 pm (UTC)1a. Definitely not.
2. No.
3. While I think it's a silly name, there are way worse out there.
no subject
Date: 2013-08-12 10:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-08-12 10:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-08-12 10:56 pm (UTC)1a. No.
2. No.
2a Definitely no.
3. I feel kind of sorry for the kids, but whatever.
no subject
Date: 2013-08-12 11:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-08-12 11:56 pm (UTC)2. No. Nooooooooo.
3. Whatever.
no subject
Date: 2013-08-13 12:13 am (UTC)1a. hell no
2. definitely not
2a. definitely not
3. sad. i think it's an obnoxious, my-child-is-somehow-more-amazing-and-special-than-all-other-children kind of name
no subject
Date: 2013-08-13 05:01 am (UTC)no
no
no!
not my cup of tea really. to each their own I guess.
no subject
Date: 2013-08-13 07:35 am (UTC)As someone else said, Jesus is a common name. I would think that it could be considered more offensive than Messiah...
no subject
Date: 2013-08-14 03:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-08-13 12:20 pm (UTC)I love Micah. Mason is a solid name too. I'm guessing that the brothers are Micah Martin and Mason Martin. Awful that the judge threw their last name as little brother's first name. I'm sure the mother will win the appeal.
If Mr. McCullough wanted his son to have his last name so badly, its a conversation they should have had before they got pregnant in the first place.
no subject
Date: 2013-08-13 01:37 pm (UTC)1. Not really
1a. No
2. No!
2a. Absolutely not
3. meh. Not really my thing
I had no idea it was a fast rising name. I hope no one else with this name comes through her courtroom.
no subject
Date: 2013-08-13 11:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-08-14 03:18 am (UTC)1a. No
2. No
2a. No, talk about abuse of judicial power.
3. I think its a fad that will fade like so many other baby name fads.
no subject
Date: 2013-08-15 07:27 pm (UTC)1) No.
1a. No
2) No.
2a. Absolutely NOT.
3) I'm not surprised. I've seen my fair share on blogs, forums, etc.
no subject
Date: 2013-08-16 04:52 am (UTC)1a. Definitely not.
2. No. In the United States, I think judges can only change names if they're vulgar or unpronounceable, not just because they don't agree with them.
2a. Definitely not. Separation of church and state.
3. Ugh.
I also wonder how a mom goes from very normal names like Micah and Mason to Messiah!