Like many new parents, choosing the right name for your child can be hard. But what happens when the father wants to reference a Star Wars character and the mother thinks a more culturally traditional name is better?
Well, like one estranged Sydney couple has learned this month, you end up in the NSW Family Court to battle it out.
"The question of what name the child would be given by the parents had caused considerable difficulty between the parties," the Sydney Morning Herald report Justice William Johnston as telling the court.
Born in 2015, the father of the little boy - identified in court documents by the pseudonym Mr Koruba - wished to name his son Vader after his favourite Star Wars character. The boy's mother, identified in court documents by the pseudonym Ms Furst, didn't exactly share Koruba's enthusiasm for the dark side and refused to sign the birth certificate until another name could be agreed upon.
Eventually, the pair settled upon a first name, selected a name paying tribute to Koruba's African heritage for his middle name, and adopted Furst's surname for the little boy.
And now 18 months on, the now-separated couple are debating their son's name again.
Having agreed to allow Furst to return to her native European home with their son, Koruba petitioned to have his son adopt the surname Furst-Koruba. Furst, however, said the name would be too "exotic" for her home, adding that she was "concerned that the child would be embarrassed by a last name which differed so much from that of herself and her family and from others in the area."
Listen: Hello Bump discuss shotgunning baby names. Post continues...
Koruba then petitioned to have his surname added as his son's second middle name, but again Furst objected, saying having two African names would, again, be too "exotic," a complaint Koruba called "mean and petty-minded."
After hearing both sides of the story, Justice Johnston eventually ordered the young boy's name be changed to include Koruba's surname as a second middle name, telling Furst the addition should "only promote the likelihood of the child having a meaningful relationship with his father, connection with his paternal family and serve as a reminder of his background, culture and heritage".
Would you ever name your baby after a movie character?
Top Comments
Seeing as Vader means Father in Dutch, Vader shouldn't have been a problem unless he became a priest (Father Father). Arguing that a name is too exotic these days seems a bit ridiculous the mother seems to have been trying to ensure the father had as little influence of the child's life as possible - a little selfish really
Yeah, naming your kid 'Vader' is a bit ridiculous. But the mum was being a but mean to not want the kid to have the dad's last name as a second middle name. The argument that it's too 'exotic' seems a bit odd, especially for a middle name. How often do people even use their middle names? Apart from official documents (marriage certificates, drivers licences etc), no one needs to know. I'm pretty sure none of my friends know mine. And if anyone comments, I'm sure a simple "It's African, it's my father's name" would suffice.