Genghis Khan
Ancient Mariner
Once I read this, I had to post it here. I never contemplated a possiblity of a parent wanting to place a number in their child's name. But apparently such things happen. 
After reading this bit of news, I was ridiculing the parents but I also thought about the thin line between rights and limits placed on rights. Is the name "4real" offensive or inappropriate in some manner, as to be reasonably disallowed in public birth registry? I can understand the disallowance of "Adolph Hitler" for example, but "4real" is benign. However, the little boys peers may not agree once he reaches school age. I can see the ridicule now. I would have to agree with the authorities, though I'm contradicting my otherwise libertarian stance. There is a practical reason for this. Humans usually associate names with letters not numbers. Imagine having a name like 4652bhty or some none-sense like that. What do the rest of you think?
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/070621/koddities/odd_new_zealand_real_name
The full story:
New Zealand officials block '4real' as child's name; no numbers allowed
Thu Jun 21, 3:58 AM
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - New Zealand authorities have blocked a couple's bid to officially name their new son "4real," saying numerals are not allowed.
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Pat and Sheena Wheaton said they decided to name their new baby "4real" shortly after glimpsing him for the first time as a fetus during an ultrasound examination and being struck by the reality of his impending arrival.
"For most of us, when we try to figure out what our names mean, we have to look it up in a babies book and ... there's no direct link between the meaning and the name," Pat Wheaton told TV One on Wednesday. "With this name, everyone knows what it means."
But when the parents filed the name with New Zealand's Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, they were told names beginning with a number were against the rules.
The government office has opened negotiations with the parents about the name under a policy that says all unusual names must be given case-by-case consideration.
"The name has not at this stage been rejected," Registrar-General Brian Clarke said in a statement Thursday. "We are currently in discussions with the parents ... to clarify the situation."
Clarke said the rules are designed to prevent names that are "likely to cause offence to a reasonable person." Satan and Adolf Hitler were proposed names that have been declined, he said.
If no compromise has been reached by July 9, the baby will be registered as "real," officials say.
New Zealand law requires all children born in the South Pacific nation to be registered with the Births, Deaths and Marriages registry within two months of birth.
After reading this bit of news, I was ridiculing the parents but I also thought about the thin line between rights and limits placed on rights. Is the name "4real" offensive or inappropriate in some manner, as to be reasonably disallowed in public birth registry? I can understand the disallowance of "Adolph Hitler" for example, but "4real" is benign. However, the little boys peers may not agree once he reaches school age. I can see the ridicule now. I would have to agree with the authorities, though I'm contradicting my otherwise libertarian stance. There is a practical reason for this. Humans usually associate names with letters not numbers. Imagine having a name like 4652bhty or some none-sense like that. What do the rest of you think?
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/070621/koddities/odd_new_zealand_real_name
The full story:
New Zealand officials block '4real' as child's name; no numbers allowed
Thu Jun 21, 3:58 AM
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - New Zealand authorities have blocked a couple's bid to officially name their new son "4real," saying numerals are not allowed.
ADVERTISEMENT
Pat and Sheena Wheaton said they decided to name their new baby "4real" shortly after glimpsing him for the first time as a fetus during an ultrasound examination and being struck by the reality of his impending arrival.
"For most of us, when we try to figure out what our names mean, we have to look it up in a babies book and ... there's no direct link between the meaning and the name," Pat Wheaton told TV One on Wednesday. "With this name, everyone knows what it means."
But when the parents filed the name with New Zealand's Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, they were told names beginning with a number were against the rules.
The government office has opened negotiations with the parents about the name under a policy that says all unusual names must be given case-by-case consideration.
"The name has not at this stage been rejected," Registrar-General Brian Clarke said in a statement Thursday. "We are currently in discussions with the parents ... to clarify the situation."
Clarke said the rules are designed to prevent names that are "likely to cause offence to a reasonable person." Satan and Adolf Hitler were proposed names that have been declined, he said.
If no compromise has been reached by July 9, the baby will be registered as "real," officials say.
New Zealand law requires all children born in the South Pacific nation to be registered with the Births, Deaths and Marriages registry within two months of birth.
