Let’s start the week with a third legal battle* involving a baby’s name. This one didn’t cause a divorce, but it was caused by a divorce.
In 1980, William and Tammi Wilcox of Illinois were expecting a baby. They’d already decided that, if the baby was a boy, he’d be named William Earl Wilcox IV.
But in August, when she was about seven months pregnant, Tammi filed for divorce. She also declared that she would name the baby whatever she wanted.
William then filed an emergency petition seeking to force Tammi to name the baby William Earl Wilcox IV if it was a boy.
In mid-October, the judge “continued the case to Nov. 19, giving himself a 50-50 chance that he [would] not have to make a ruling.”
What happened?
No ruling needed — in late October, Tammi gave birth to a baby girl. She named the baby Kirsten.
*Here are the first and second battles.
Sources:
- “Birth of Girl Ends Lawsuit Over a Name.” Milwaukee Journal 1 Nov. 1980: Green Sheet, 2.
- “The Judge May Have to Name This Baby.” St. Petersburg Independent 17 Oct. 1980: 11-A.