Woman loses appeal court ruling after social workers raised concerns over child names
A woman who wants to name her daughter “Cyanide” and her son “Preacher” has lost the latest round of a court fight after social workers raised concerns.
The woman, who has been diagnosed with a mental health problem, said it was her human right to “exercise my right to choose their names”.
A judge ruled against her following a hearing in a family court and three Court of Appeal judges have upheld that decision.
Detail of the case emerged in a Court of Appeal ruling following a hearing in London.
The woman involved was not identified.
Appeal judges said the children are twins who will celebrate their first birthdays this year.
They were placed into foster care pending decisions about their long-term futures after social workers raised concerns about the woman’s ability to care for them.
The children’s father is not known.
Local authority social services bosses launched legal proceedings after learning of the woman’s forenames plan.
Judge Malcolm Sharpe initially ruled on the case in September after a family court hearing in Swansea.
The woman said it was “my right to name the children the names I have chosen as their mother”.
She told Judge Sharpe that Preacher was a “strong spiritual name” and a “rather cool name” which would “stand my son well for the future”.
The woman said Cyanide was a “lovely, pretty name” which was “linked with flowers and plants”.
Judge Sharpe barred the woman from registering the names Cyanide and Preacher, saying: “Even allowing for changes in taste, fashion and developing individual perception … the names the mother has chosen for her children, in particular Cyanide, are obviously not indicative of a parent who is acting so as to contribute or otherwise secure the welfare of her children.”
The woman asked appeal judges to overturn Judge Sharpe’s decision, but Lady Justice Gloster, Lady Justice King and Lord Justice David Richards ruled against her.
They said Judge Sharpe had not “erred” in his decision.
Lady Justice King said, in a ruling published on Thursday, that she had particular concerns about the name Cyanide.
“It is hard to see how … the twin girl could regard being named after this deadly poison as other than a complete rejection of her by her birth mother,” said Lady Justice King.
“Such a name potentially exposes the girl twin to treatment which goes far beyond acceptable teasing.”
She said the case was “one of those rare cases” where judges should intervene.
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