Mother Names Child ‘Messiah’, Judge Orders Her To Change It

Posted: Aug 11, 2013 4:14 PM CST Updated: Aug 11, 2013 4:14 PM CST

There’s a debate brewing in Tennessee after a mother decided to name her baby “Messiah,” only to have a judge order her to change it.

The parents were in court, arguing over the child’s last name, when his first name came into question.

On the baby’s birth certificate it reads “Messiah Deshawn Martin.”  But the mother and father could not agree on a last name, which is how they ended up at a child support hearing in Cocke County Chancery court.

The Child Support Judge ordered his name be, “Martin Mccullough.” It includes both parents’ last names, but leaves out “Messiah.”

“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,” Judge Lu Ann Ballew said.

Ballew also said the decision is best for the child while growing up in a county with a large Christian population.

The mother’s two older children are named Micah and Mason. She liked the name Messiah, and thought it was unique. She is appealing the judge’s decision.

August 11, 2013 – Report: (WBIR-Newport) A Newport mother is appealing a court’s decision after a judge ordered her son’s name be changed from “Messiah.” Jaleesa Martin and the father of Messiah could not agree on a last name, which is how they ended up at a child support hearing in Cocke County Chancery Court on Thursday. That is when the first name came into question. Child Support Magistrate Lu Ann Ballew serves the 4th Judicial District of Tenn. including the following counties: Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson, and Sevier. The name change was part of Judge Ballew’s case; however, the parents did not think the first name would be changed.

Judge Ballew ordered the 7-month-old’s name be “Martin DeShawn McCullough.” It includes both parent’s last names but leaves out Messiah.

“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,” Judge Ballew said.

Martin responded saying, “I was shocked. I never intended on naming my son Messiah because it means God and I didn’t think a judge could make me change my baby’s name because of her religious beliefs.”

According to Judge Ballew, it is the first time she has ordered a first name change. She said the decision is best for the child, especially while growing up in a county with a large Christian population.

“It could put him at odds with a lot of people and at this point he has had no choice in what his name is,” Judge Ballew said.

Martin’s two older children are named Micah and Mason. She liked how the name Messiah sounded alongside the other two siblings and thought it was unique.

“Everybody believes what they want so I think I should be able to name my child what I want to name him, not someone else,” Martin said.

Judge Ballew said the parents will have to change the name on the birth certificate.

However, Martin is appealing the judge’s decision. It will go before the Cocke County Chancellor on Sept. 17.

Tenn. judge changes infant’s name from ‘Messiah’

2 hours ago Religious name

NEWPORT, Tenn. (AP) – A judge in Tennessee changed a 7-month-old boy’s name to Martin from Messiah, saying the religious name was earned by one person and “that one person is Jesus Christ.”

Child Support Magistrate Lu Ann Ballew ordered the name change last week, according to WBIR-TV (http://on.wbir.com/1cDOeTY). The boy’s parents were in court because they could not agree on the child’s last name, but when the judge heard the boy’s first name, she ordered it changed, too.

“It could put him at odds with a lot of people and at this point he has had no choice in what his name is,” Ballew said.

It was the first time she ordered a first name change, the judge said.

Messiah was No. 4 among the fastest-rising baby names in 2012, according to the Social Security Administration’s annual list of popular baby names.

The judge in eastern Tennessee said the baby was to be named Martin DeShawn McCullough, which includes both parents’ last name.

The boy’s mother, Jaleesa Martin, of Newport, said she will appeal. She says Messiah is unique and she liked how it sounded alongside the boy’s two siblings – Micah and Mason.

“Everybody believes what they want so I think I should be able to name my child what I want to name him, not someone else,” Martin said.

Ballew said the name Messiah could cause problems if the child grows up in Cocke County, which has a large Christian population.

“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 judge said.

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newmom3012

by

Member on Aug. 11, 2013 at 10:12 PM

 
Lmao at Messiah residing in Cocke County!!!! And last I checked religion should have no place in the judicial system……..

Anonymous

by Anonymous on Aug. 11, 2013 at 10:13 PM
1 mom liked this

WOW…. THE JUDGE had no fucking right. And to bring religion into it like the world ALL HAS to believe the same thing, fucking pitiful!!!!!!

emsmom21

by

Bronze Member on Aug. 11, 2013 at 10:15 PM

1 mom liked this
Not only did she violate separation of church and state laws, she took away the right of the child’s mother to name her child whatever she wants. That’s messed up.

newmom3012

by

Member on Aug. 11, 2013 at 10:18 PM

 
Looks like that judge got a bad batch of crystal meth and got her personal shit too far involved in a judicial ruling where church is explicitly separate from state.

PinkButterfly66

by

Platinum Member on Aug. 11, 2013 at 10:35 PM

 

Those parents named their poor child Talula Does The Hula In Hawaii.

Quoting Anonymous:

http://www.divinecaroline.com/life-etc/culture-causes/court-rules-parents-can%E2%80%99t-name-child-talula-%E2%80%A6

Quoting LiesLiesLies:

She had no fucking right….

 

 

Judge Orders Mother To Change First Name Of Baby From “Messiah”

I might not think it a wise name to give a baby, but it’s the parent’s right. When you have a judge sticking her nose into what you can name your baby, that’s just a little too Hitlerean.

Via The Tennesean:

A Newport mother is appealing a court’s decision after a judge ordered her son’s name be changed from “Messiah.”

Jaleesa Martin and the father of Messiah could not agree on a last name, which is how they ended up at a child support hearing in Cocke County Chancery Court on Thursday.

That is when the first name came into question.

Child Support Magistrate Lu Ann Ballew serves the 4th Judicial District of Tenn. including the following counties: Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson, and Sevier.

The name change was part of Judge Ballew’s case; however, the parents did not think the first name would be changed.

Judge Ballew ordered the 7-month-old’s name be “Martin DeShawn McCullough.” It includes both parent’s last names but leaves out Messiah.

“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,” Judge Ballew said.

TN Judge orders baby’s name be changed from ‘Messiah’

 

Aug. 11, 2013 12:44 PM   |  

30 Comments

Judge orders baby’s name be changed from ‘Messiah’: A Newport, Tennessee mother is appealing a court’s decision after a judge ordered her son’s name be changed from “Messiah.”
Written by
Heidi Wigdahl |
Gannett Tennessee
A 7-month-old baby is named ‘Messiah DeShawn Martin’ but it could be permanently changed to ‘Martin DeShawn McCullough.’ / WBIR / Gannett Tennessee
 
 
 

A Newport mother is appealing a court’s decision after a judge ordered her son’s name be changed from “Messiah.”

Jaleesa Martin and the father of Messiah could not agree on a last name, which is how they ended up at a child support hearing in Cocke County Chancery Court on Thursday.

That is when the first name came into question.

Child Support Magistrate Lu Ann Ballew serves the 4th Judicial District of Tenn. including the following counties: Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson, and Sevier.

The name change was part of Judge Ballew’s case; however, the parents did not think the first name would be changed.

Judge Ballew ordered the 7-month-old’s name be “Martin DeShawn McCullough.” It includes both parent’s last names but leaves out Messiah.

“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,” Judge Ballew said.

Martin responded saying, “I was shocked. I never intended on naming my son Messiah because it means God and I didn’t think a judge could make me change my baby’s name because of her religious beliefs.”

According to Judge Ballew, it is the first time she has ordered a first name change. She said the decision is best for the child, especially while growing up in a county with a large Christian population.

“It could put him at odds with a lot of people and at this point he has had no choice in what his name is,” Judge Ballew said.

Martin’s two older children are named Micah and Mason. She liked how the name Messiah sounded alongside the other two siblings and thought it was unique.

“Everybody believes what they want so I think I should be able to name my child what I want to name him, not someone else,” Martin said.

Judge Ballew said the parents will have to change the name on the birth certificate.

However, Martin is appealing the judge’s decision. It will go before the Cocke County Chancellor on Sept. 17.