ESPN, Apple, Peanut, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday… not in his court.
A judge in Wellington, New Zealand is cracking down on bizarre baby names.
According to reports, Judge Rob Murfitt is putting his foot down. The family court commissioner says he has had enough with parents giving their children “strange” names and he is not going to take it anymore.
Case in point: Nine-year-old Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii (yes, that was her real name) was recently made a ward of the court so that her name could be legally changed.
According to court documents, the girl formerly known as Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii was involved in a custody battle, and was told by the judge to choose a different name.
“The court is profoundly concerned about the very poor judgment which this child’s parents have shown in choosing this name,” the judge wrote in his ruling. “It makes a fool of the child and sets her up with a social disability and handicap, unnecessarily.”
According to the girl’s attorney, the tween was so embarrassed by her given name that she told people to call her “K” instead of her real name, which she refused to disclose to anyone, including her teachers and friends.
The girl’s new name was not made public to protect her privacy.
In his ruling, which was made public a few days ago, the family court judge cited a list of other children who were given “unique” names, which they wanted changed. In addition, the court made public the names it blocked, including Fish and Chips, Yeah Detroit, Keenan Got Lucy and Sex Fruit. Others that were allowed (but are still considered bizarre by most people) include Number 16 Bus Shelter and Violence.
According to New Zealand law, parents cannot give their children names that would “cause offense to a reasonable person.”
Officials noted that they usually talk to parents who propose unusual names and try to warn them about the potential for embarrassment.
So I ask you… what kind of parent names his or her child Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii?