A judge in Tennessee has ordered a mum and dad to change their baby's name – after they called him Messiah.
The little boy's mum has now vowed to appeal after the Tennessee Child Support Magistrate Lu Ann Ballew said that they must change Messiah DeShawn Martin's name to just 'Martin', adding that the only true messiah is Jesus Christ.
"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," Lu Ann Ballew told the Tennessee-based WBIR TV station.
Messiah's mum and dad only ended up in court in the first place when they failed to agree on the baby's SURNAME. It was then his Christian name came to the attention of the judge.Reuters reports Ballew as saying that Messiah would likely struggle if his name wasn't changed because his home town of Cocke County is a predominantly Christian area in eastern Tennessee.
"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," she said.
Messiah's mum, Jaleesa Martin, said she would appeal the judge's order.
"I didn't think a judge could change my baby's name because of her religious beliefs," outraged Jaleesa said.
What do you think?Martin Martin might be a bit much!