Guillot v. France (52/1995/558/644) 24 October 1996: refusal of registrar of births, deaths and marriages and subsequently of courts to allow parents to name their daughter "Fleur de Marie"
France - refusal of registrar of births, deaths and marriages and subsequently of courts to allow parents to name their daughter "Fleur de Marie"
Article 8 of the Convention
A. Applicability
As a means of identifying persons within their families and the community, forenames concern private and family life.
Choice of child's forename by parents a personal, emotional matter and therefore comes within their private sphere.
Conclusion: Article 8 applicable (unanimously).
B. Compliance
Child regularly used forename in issue without hindrance and the courts had allowed application made in alternative by applicants for registration of forename "Fleur-Marie".
Consequently, inconvenience complained of by applicants was insufficient to raise issue of failure to respect their private and family life under Article 8 § 1.
Conclusion: no violation (seven votes to two).