NZ parents may lose battle to keep baby '4real'

'Superman' plan B to the rescue

By Chris Williams • Get more from this author

Posted in Law, 9th August 2007 15:40 GMT

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Kiwis Pat and Sheena Wheaton may be forced to abandon their brave battle with authorities for the God-given right to name their son "4real", but have announced similarly creative backup plan.

If a legal challenge is not mounted, The New Zealand Herald reports the infant will bear the official handle "Superman". According to the loving couple, the boy's family will still call him "4real".

As we reported in June, the Wheatons chose the name when they saw an ultrasound and realised the pregnancy was for real. They have met with stiff official resistance from NZ's human nomenclature soviet however, who initially said numerals were unacceptable.

Government reps have refused to comment until a final decision is made.

Mr Wheaton said: "I'm really unsure how successful we'd be if we took it to court; I'm obviously not a lawyer and [the Government] have got unlimited resources and taxpayer money."

He vowed to continue the good fight somehow: "They've turned us down but we're considering how far we want to go. No matter what, it's gonna stay 4Real. I'm certainly not a quitter." ®

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