Brutal blow for young mum after she is told to change her son’s very controversial name a SECOND time

EXCLUSIVE 

A mother has lashed out after she was informed she would not be allowed to name her son after an iconic Australian car manufacturer. 

Isabella Hardy, 25, said she had wanted to originally name her son ‘Commodore’, but was told it was ‘illegal’ so she switched it to ‘Holden Commodore’ in 2022.

The mother-of-two revealed in a TikTok video on Sunday that she was ‘absolutely devastated’ as she was told the name would have to be changed again after she received a call from a worker at Births, Deaths and Marriages.

‘She said that they’d had a review of my son’s birth certificate and this is the words she used; “we are regretfully basically taking back his name, and we will send you out a new registration for free of charge to give him a new name”,’ Ms Hardy said.

She sighed as she explained why it would be a challenge to rename her son.

‘He’s three-years-old and I have to give him a new name? Like, that’s all he knows,’ she said.

She then opened a letter which she claimed was to inform her of a ‘new law’ as of September 2024.

The letter supposedly prevented her from using the names ‘Holden’ or ‘Commodore’ for her son.

The attached registration form carried a 29-day deadline.

‘If (the name) hasn’t [been changed], I will receive a fine, and his name will be taken away from him anyway,’ she said.

‘So looks like I have to change my son’s name.

‘Why even approve it in the first place? Where do you go from there? How do you change a little boy’s name after three years?

‘I can’t. I’m going to have to keep calling him the same thing. It’s going to just have to be a legal thing.’

Ms Hardy described the whole ordeal as ‘wild’ and said she was ‘close to seeing a lawyer’.

‘Can you imagine your two or three-year-old changing their name. Like it’s just stupid. It’s literally just a name.

Isabella Hardy, 25, has tried to name her son ‘Commodore’ and ‘Holden Commodore’, but has been told she must choose a different name 

‘Next thing, they’ll make me change my daughter’s name too, I’m sure it’ll probably be under review.’

Ms Hardy’s other daughter is named Suzuki.

Despite Ms Hardy’s intention to name her son after the beloved Australian car, ‘Commodore’ is a banned name.

Many titles of political, religious and military positions are banned names under Australian law.

Commodore is a senior rank in the Navy which falls below Rear Admiral, above Captain.

Ms Hardy’s first released a video in 2022 revealing she had wanted to call her son Commodore.

‘Originally we wanted to call him Commodore, but that’s illegal in Australia,’ she said.

‘So, we called him Holden Commodore. He’ll be one soon, and I do not regret it at all.

The mother-of-two said in a TikTok video she was 'absolutely devastated' to have received a call from a worker at Births, Deaths and Marriages (stock image)

The mother-of-two said in a TikTok video she was ‘absolutely devastated’ to have received a call from a worker at Births, Deaths and Marriages (stock image)

‘Holden Commodore suits him perfectly, and I know people will probably start copying me with the name because it’s so cool.’

Ms Hardy’s latest video attracted thousands of comments, with many poking fun at her son’s name.

‘Couldn’t you just register him with the Department of Transport instead?’ one asked.

‘This whole time I genuinely thought this was always a joke?’ another said.

‘I had the same issue with my son, Nissan Patrol! My heart breaks for you during this hard time. I had to change his name. Worst day ever,’ a third sarcastically said.

Some were glad the government had intervened.

‘How lucky is your son that someone with half a brain saved him from having the dumbest name ever,’ one woman wrote.

‘Thank goodness someone is looking out for the kid and his future. He will be grateful for this,’ another said.

Many viewers took the young mother’s side.

‘How can they take a name away once it’s already done like I fully get not approving new ones, but, like, I know an old bloke named Holden, he is like 60,’ one woman said.

‘You should be able to appeal the decision. I would get some legal advice,’ another said.

Others asked if she could simply change the spelling to skirt the rules, however, words with a resemblance to official titles and ranks are likely to be prohibited.

The laws exist to prevent cases where someone’s name might mislead others to presume they are corresponding with somebody who holds a military rank.

Names ‘contrary to public interest’ are ones that ‘appear to have been chosen for the dominant or exclusive purpose of business marketing or promotion or that either deliberately or accidentally create confusion with a trademark or business name’.

Justice Family Lawyers explains on their site that atypical names are often allowed for registration in Australia.

‘Unique and unusual names can be legally registered in Australia if they comply with the legal restrictions and are not on the list of illegal names in Australia.

‘However, parents must consider the possible ramifications of giving a child an extremely unusual name, as it might subject the child to unnecessary attention or ridicule.

‘Consulting with family lawyers can be beneficial if parents find themselves in legal or familial disputes over the chosen name.’

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Hardy for comment. 

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