What's in a name?

[Swamp Fox]

A New Zealand couple tried to name their kid "4Real", but the authorities refused, so they are trying to name him Superman, and they're even threatening to go to court for this.

I don't know anything about New Zealand, but it would probably have something similar to the BC Vital Statistics Act, (http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/stat/V/96479_01.htm) which states

9 (1) Despite sections 4, 6 and 7, if the chief executive officer considers that a name that a person applying for registration of a birth or an amendment to a registration of birth seeks to give to a child
(a) might reasonably be expected to cause
(i) mistake or confusion, or
(ii) embarrassment to the child or another person,
(b) is sought for an improper purpose, or
(c) is, on any other ground, objectionable,
the chief executive officer must
(d) register the birth without the name applied for or refuse to amend the existing name on a birth registration, as the case may be, and
(e) notify the applicant promptly of the decision.
(Bold mine.)

I wonder if there are any court cases on this. I'm gonna look it up. :)

Any comments?

[Swamp Fox]

Oops - forgot the link to the story. (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070808.wsuperman0808/BNStory/International/home) :)

[Steve]

Any comments?Nothing more than the obvious "What idiots...." reaction.

[Domh]

Reasonable and *gasp* responsible.

But very un-American.

:crazy:

[Swamp Fox]

I haven't had a chance to look up the case law, but I wonder if there are any.

BTW, your signature has an interesting thread in it - go start one in the military section. :)