Whos's right is it to choose a baby name? This is UNREAL!?

Question

ROME (Reuters) - An Italian court has ruled that a couple could not name their son "Friday" and ordered that he instead be called Gregory after the saint whose feast day he was born on.
Friday/Gregory Germano was born in Genoa 15 months ago. The parents registered him as Friday in the city hall and a priest even baptised him as Friday -- unusual in Italy since many priests insist that first names be of Christian origin.

When the boy was about five months old, a city hall clerk brought the odd name to the attention of a tribunal, which informed the couple of an administrative norm which bars parents from giving "ridiculous or shameful" first names ...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071218/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_italy_name

Answer 1

i always told my husband, if it comes out of my body, i get to name it.

Answer 2

Many countries have laws about names that may or may not be given, but (setting aside for a moment the issue of whether such matters are anyone's business but that of the parents) the time to enforce such laws is when the birth is registered and the child first named! That little boy has lived over a year responding to the name Friday (Venerdi, I suppose), and this is no time to tell him that his name is something else.

However, I doubt that anything is really going to change. His name may now be "officially" Gregory, but his family will probably go on calling him Friday. The time may even come when he'll have to sign documents "Gregorio ('Venerdi') Germano." I've known of quite a few people who were called by actual names, not nicknames, that weren't the ones their parents gave them. (Ever see a death notice like this: "Doe, John James (Michael)"?)

If the Germano family were Spanish rather than Italian, there would probably be no problem. Spanish girls are often named things like Pilar and Guadalupe in honor of appearances of the Virgin Mary. (That's also how the name Dolores originated.) So if a family wanted to name their child in honor of the day on which Jesus died, why not? Maybe that idea was in the mind of the priest who baptized him.

As to whether a child's name IS anyone's business but the parents', maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to have some regulation to prevent some of the truly bizarre names people saddle their children with, or to prevent, for example, Mr. and Mrs. Beach from naming their daughter Myrtle.

Answer 3

It doesnt shock me. Sweden has similar rules, in fact, you can ONLY pick your child's name off of an approved list of names. It's to prevent people from being named trailer park classics like "Nevaeh"

Answer 4

I can see perhaps barring Friday, let's face it, it's a ridiculous name, but not appointing another name for them. They should have been given the option to choose the new name.

Answer 5

If the parents want to name their child something stupid maybe someone should step in. Kids are cruel enough without having a stupid name. This is a toss up of who is right and who is wrong.

Answer 6

I agree that it is the parent's right to name their own child, but it is the responsibility of the parent to give a 'decent' name. Growing up is hard enough. Kids can be cruel.

Answer 7

Friday would be an awesome name! Think of the potential pickup line he could use:

"I'm Friday, come over Saturday, and we'll have a Sunday"

^_^

Answer 8

well it's a sad abuse of Power , But it kinda helps the protect the kids from such Stupid first names , School is hard enough these days , Kids dont need stupid names to get them made fun of ..

Answer 9

People need to get over it....People can name their kids what they want. Are they suppose to run names by you before they name their child? I don't think so. If i wanted to name my child hamburger i will.

Answer 10

Well, Friday is a pretty dumb name. But, who am I to judge?

Answer 11

Yet another example of the fact that in the US, we have freedoms we consider to be basic that are not granted in other nations!