What’s in a name? So much

The Kerala High Court has resolved a dispute between an estranged couple over naming their child by conjoining the names suggested by them.

The court has named the child when a writ petition filed by the father of the boy came up for hearing. The relation between the parents — Sachin Narayana Pillai and Annu Susan George — got strained and they had filed a petition before the family court. The need for a birth certificate arose as their second child reached school-going age. While the mother wanted to give the name mentioned in the baptism certificate, the father insisted on retaining the name given on the 28th day ceremony conduced according to the Hindu rites. According to the petitioner, the Registrar (Births and Deaths) of the Kottayam municipality took the stand that no name could be assigned to the child for issuing a birth certificate, as both parents wanted the names chosen by them. Besides, the municipality also indicated that in the absence of a consensus, a court order would be required for it to act further.

As per the wishes of the parents, the court gave the child a name by joining the two names.

The court observed that this course of action would be in the interests of the minor child, who is now in the custody of the mother, with occasional custody granted to the father by the family court.

The court directed the secretary of the municipality (Registrar, Births and Deaths) to issue a birth certificate by showing the name given by the court.