WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 83, 3 December 1912, Page 5

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

THE ORIGIN OF NAMES. (Per Press Association.) Auckland, November 30. A case in which the law relating to names was involved came before Mr Justice Chapman this morning, when a man named Edward Rabbitts was charged with having wrongfully given his name as Robert Louis Roberts to the registrar of marriages. In the course of his summing up his Honor made some interesting remarks on names. He reminded the jury that to get to the origin of names we had to go back to the time when the missionaries baptised our savage ancestors and gave them Christian

names. The changing of a Christian name was very rare, and if one came across an instance one generally suspected some illegitimate reason. With regard, to the surname, the case was }■ different. Contrary to what was generally thought, no man was born with a surname. People only got their surnames “by repute.” In consequenco. hy English law, which differed from French law, a man was still at liberty to change his name should he desire to do so. The change was usually effected by advertising in the local papers. There were other methods adopted by weal thy people, such, for instance, as invoking the aid of the court for obtaining a royal license. The law on the subject of names was stated in a few words. As in the first instance they were arbitrarily assumed, they could bo changed if the person desired it. A change of name did not mean having one name in Auckland; another in Taranaki, and another in Marlborough. Such names were called aliases, and as such wore very well,known in Police Court proceedings. In order to determine the accused's motive in what he had done thlrjurj must look at the surrounding circumstances. Thus jury found prisoner guilty and recomipended' that he be dealt with as leniently as possible. His Honor pointed out the seriousness of the offence. Ho said the present case would be met by the infliction of a substantial fine. Prisoner was ordered to pay a. fine of £2O, f elting whicli he would he imprisoned for months.