It’s not uncommon for couples to fight over their children’s names, but it rarely ends up in court.
But a couple from the southern Indian state of Karnataka found themselves in need of court intervention after fighting for three years over their son’s name.
In fact, the arguments have become so intense that the couple is seeking a divorce.
It all started back in 2021, when the unnamed woman gave birth to a boy and went to live with her parents for a few weeks. It’s common for Indian women to move into their parents’ home to rest and recover after giving birth.
Normally, the husband would come to pick up the mother and children and take them home.
But when the 21-year-old refused to accept her husband’s choice of name for their son, he became frustrated and never went to bring her back.
Sowmya MN, Hunsur’s assistant prosecutor, said she chose the name Adi for her child, which consists of the first letters of her name and part of her husband’s first name.
As months turned into years, the woman, still at her parents’ home, approached the local court in Hunsur town in the state’s Mysuru district seeking financial support from her husband.
Her lawyer Mr Harish told BBC Hindi the dispute had now escalated to the point where she was seeking divorce.
“She wanted alimony because she was a housewife,” he said.
The case was initially filed in a local court and later transferred to the People’s Court, also known as Lok Adalat, which handles cases that can be resolved through mediation.
Despite multiple suggestions from the judge, the couple remained steadfast until they finally agreed on the name chosen by the court.
Ms Soumya said the child was now named Aryavardhana, which means “noble”.
The couple then exchanged garlands, a traditional Indian symbol of acceptance, and left, visibly happy, to continue their marriage.
This is not the only time in recent years that Indian courts have intervened in the naming of children.
Last September, a child in Kerala was denied admission to school due to a blank birth certificate.
Her mother explained to the court that she had tried to register her now four-year-old child, but officials refused to fill out the form because her estranged father was not present.
In its order, the high court directed the birth registration office to accept the name suggested by the mother and add the father’s name.