7-month-old Martin Deshawn McCullogh, formerly called Messiah. Photo: Heidi Wigdahl of WBIR-TV
Tennessee Child Support Magistrate, Lu Ann Ballew ordered a 7-month-old baby’s name to be changed last week according to WBIR TV. The boys parents were in court because they could not agree on the child’s last name. Apparently the father’s last name; McCullogh was not on the baby’s birth certificate which listed the child’s name as, Messiah Deshawn Martin.
When the judge heard the boy’s first name she ordered it changed too. Judge Ballew has been quoted as saying, “The word Messiah is a title and it’s a title that has only been earned by one person and “that one person is Jesus Christ.”
Naturally, the baby’s mother plans to appeal the ruling.
Now… for me, this one falls in the “What The Heck!??” category. I’m not at all surprised a Judge ordered the name changed and I won’t even raise an eyebrow if a higher court rules the forced name change is illegal and reverses the order.
What shocked me is that someone actually named her child, “Messiah.” I’m still trying to wrap my mind around this. It simply never occurred to me “Messiah” would be a name that anyone would even consider naming her child.
What do you think?
Share your thoughts on this one please. Leave a comment in the box below.
August 29, 2013 @ 11:27 am
I agree that is a rather inappropriate name that will offend a lot of people that he meets. So I don’t think he should be named that, but maybe the judge could have given the parents a certain amount of time to think of a different name for their child themselves. Maybe they would have picked Josiah or something else that sounds similar, so that they could be happy with it and/or their child wouldn’t have to relearn a totally different sounding name.
August 13, 2013 @ 6:23 pm
Obviously, the mom wasn’t thinking clearly when she gave her kid that name. What’s her excuse, anyway? Ignorance? That simply doesn’t cut it.
August 13, 2013 @ 4:10 pm
I saw this in the news, and I don’t quite know what to think. It’s really interesting, and that’s about all I can say on this topic.
LIke you, I sort of wonder why they chose that. For shock factor? For uniqueness? I just wonder why people do the things they do, but I suppose it’s meant to be a mystery to me (lol).
August 13, 2013 @ 9:22 am
I am a bit shocked that the judge did stand up for Jesus’s name but we all know that he was the real true Messiah. I just know that there is no imitation for the real Messiah and that there is only one. I am not sure if the parent violated the constitution which is what people are going to argue in the mom’s defense. Is it morally wrong, absolutely! Was it legally wrong, probably not. I can’t wait to see what the outcome of this case is.
If a judge tossed out Messiah it makes me wonder why a judge doesn’t toss out the Jesus (Hey – Sues). Just a thought provoking similarity.
August 13, 2013 @ 8:56 am
I read about this on a news blog yesterday and just shook my head. It was hard to believe that she seemed oblivious to the significance of the name. Wow is all I can say…
August 13, 2013 @ 9:15 am
She said she likes the way it sounds. SMH!
August 13, 2013 @ 3:58 am
This is certainly a very interesting case. Hope that the outcome will be pleasant.
August 13, 2013 @ 9:16 am
We’ll see.
August 13, 2013 @ 3:09 am
I think I’m pretty shocked at the Messiah name too. I’m actually shocked at the whole thing. I can’t think of what to quite say about it.
August 13, 2013 @ 9:12 am
Exactly! That’s where I am.
August 12, 2013 @ 5:33 pm
As much as a child’s name should be the choice of the parents, I am impressed that this judge actually stood up for the title of Jesus! Wow.
Also, it seems like a good compromise – letting the child have the father’s last name as his first.
August 13, 2013 @ 12:19 am
I’m still trying to wrap my head around it as I wait to see the outcome of this one.