A U.S. judge told Tennessee parents that they couldn’t name their 7-month-old son Messiah because the only true Messiah was Jesus Christ.
She ordered the baby’s name, Messiah DeShawn Martin, to be changed to Martin DeShawn McCullough, which includes both parents’ last name, media reports said.
The boy’s mother, Jaleesa Martin, of Newport, said she will appeal, The Associated Press reported.
“[The name] 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 Lu Ann Ballew of Cocke County said to the parents, referring to the large Christian population in the area, CNN reported.
Christianity refers to Jesus as the Messiah. Judaism refers to the Messiah as the savior who in soon-coming. Meanwhile, the dictionary defined Messiah as a liberator or savior.
The parents had actually gone to court over the baby’s last name, hoping to change it. But the judge ordered that they change the first name, also.
The Social Security Administration reports that 700-plus babies were named Messiah in the United States last year.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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