Days ago, a UK judge ruled that a 5-month-old boy should be taken away from his parents in part because he had no first name:
“His father has refused to give him a name,” said Mrs Justice Parker in her ruling.
“I think ideally the mother independently would not have taken that view.”
The judge said the boy was starting to acquire language, and added: “Every child needs a name.”
She went on: “I truly think that it is emotionally harmful not to give a child a name.”
A century ago, it was common for parents to wait weeks, months, sometimes years before naming a baby. A handful of people (like Tifft and Gatewood) went their entire lives without a given name.
While most parents today name their babies soon after birth, some still choose to wait. Ben Harper and Laura Dern didn’t name their daughter Jaya until she was 3 months old. Picabo Street’s name wasn’t official until she was 3.
Do you agree or disagree with Mrs Justice Parker that it is “emotionally harmful not to give a child a name”? If your answer depends upon the age of the child, at what age do you think namelessness become dangerous?
P.S. “Mrs Justice” is the judge’s title. I couldn’t track down her given name.
Source: Child with no name must be adopted, judge rules (found via Twitter, thanks to Anna of Waltzing More Than Matilda)
