A judge in the US has ordered a baby’s first name to be changed from Messiah to Martin, arguing that the only true messiah is Jesus Christ. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23665106  She was able to make the order because the parents were already in a child support hearing in a dispute over what their son’s last name should be.
Instead the judge ruled that the baby was to be named Martin DeShawn McCullough, which includes both parents’ last name.
“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,”
The baby’s mother, Jaleesa Martin, told WBIR she would appeal against the judge’s order.
“I didn’t think a judge could change my baby’s name because of her religious beliefs,” she said.
Last year more than 700 babies were named Messiah in the US, according to the Social Security Administration.