Unacceptable names an 'emotional abuse' of children

By REBECCA WALSH

Satchel and Bechet, Sage Moon Blood, Starlite Melody, Zaedea 21a Fotherby and Triple M Rogue.

While most parents are more likely to choose Olivia and Hannah, Samuel or Matthew for their offspring, it seems movie stars and rock legends do not have the monopoly on bizarre names.

This week, Children's Commissioner Roger McClay pleaded with parents to take a commonsense approach when naming their children after receiving a complaint about a Gisborne baby named after a Mongrel Mob chapter.

Triple M Rogue, short for Mighty Mongrel Mob, Rogue chapter, was not an acceptable name for a child, Mr McClay said.

"I think it's unfair and undermines the right of children to be taken seriously and valued. In some ways it's kind of emotional abuse."

He wanted the issue debated and said a private member's bill in Parliament might be one way of getting people talking.

"I'm not talking about strange, different names ... I think there are some lovely names, but ones that immediately give an association with something obscene or negative. I think it's unfair when children can't answer for themselves."

In New Zealand, the Births, Deaths and Marriages Act 1995 bans names that are offensive, more than 100 characters long or are a title the person has not been given.

Internal Affairs spokesman Tony Wallace said the registrar-general had declined some names in the past, including Sir and Justice, but it was "pretty rare".

People who were not happy with a decision declining a name could contest it in court.

Among the more unusual girls names registered in New Zealand last year were Aoife, Phaeroa, Thuralyaa. Willani and Keturah. And for the boys, Bondfela, D'Artagnon, Galahad, Qualyhs and Zebulon.

While parents in Great Britain and the United States have virtually complete freedom in choosing a name, in many parts of Europe and South America there is legislation to prevent children being saddled with names considered ridiculous, improper or offensive.

In 1998, a Norwegian woman was sent to prison for two days for refusing to pay a fine imposed for giving her son an unapproved name.

Kirsti Larsen said she was instructed in a dream to name her 13th child Gesher, the Hebrew for bridge.

In contrast, a British father who gave his daughter the middle name "21a" in the hope it would help her achieve pop stardom, faced only a few problems before getting the name approved.

French parents have been required to register the names of their children with a Government official since the 16th century. But the law, which meant only officially recognised first names could be registered and did not allow non-French or unconventional names, has recently been relaxed.

For anyone unhappy with their parents' choice, there is always the option of picking a new name. David Bowie's son changed from Zowie to Joey, and Barbara Hershey and David Carradine's son Free decided he liked Tom better.

In New Zealand people must be 18 or older to change their name or, if they are under 18, have their parents' written permission.