In Re: Petition for Change of Name of Julian Lin ISSUE: May a person be allowed to drop his middle
Carulasan Wang (2005) name?
Facts: Julian Lin Carulasan Wang, a minor, RULING represented by his mother Anna Lisa Wang, filed a petition for change of name and/or Middle names serve to identify the maternal lineage correction/cancellation of entry in the Civil Registry. or affiliation of a person and further distinguish him etitioner sought to drop his middle name and have his from others who may have the same given name and registered name changed from Julian surname as he has. When an illegitimate child is Lin Carulasan Wang to Julian Lin Wang. legitimated by subsequent marriage of his parents or acknowledged by the father in a public instrument or Julian Lin Carulasan Wang was born in February 1998 a private handwritten instrument, he then bears both to parents Anna Lisa Wang and Sing-Foe Wang who his mother’s surname as his middle name and his were then not yet married to each other. When his father’s surname as his surname, reflecting his status parents subsequently married in September 1998, as a legitimated child or an acknowledged natural they executed a deed of legitimation of their son so child. The registered name of a legitimate, legitimated that the child's name was changed from Julian Lin and recognized illegitimate child thus contains a given Carulasan to Julian Lin Carulasan Wang. name, a middle name and a surname. The parents of petitioner plan to stay in Singapore for Before the registered name of a person may be a long time because they will let him study there changed he must show proper or reasonable cause, together with his sister, Wang Mei Jasmine. Since in or any compelling reason that may justify such Singapore middle names or the maiden surname of change. Among the grounds are: (a) when the name the mother are not carried in a person's name, they is ridiculous, dishonorable or extremely difficult to anticipate that Julian Lin Carulasan Wang will be write or pronounce; (b) when the change results as a discriminated against. Julian and his sister might also legal consequence as in legitimation; (c) when the be asking whether they are brother and sister since change will avoid confusion; (d) when one has they have different surnames. Carulasan sounds continuously used and been known since childhood funny in Singapore's Mandarin language since they do by a Filipino name and is unaware of alien parentage; not have the letter "R" but if there is, they pronounce (e) a sincere desire to adopt a Filipino name to erase it as "L." It is for these reasons that the name of signs of former alien parentage, all in good faith and petitioner is requested to be changed to Julian Lin without prejudicing anybody; and (f) when the Wang. surname causes embarrassment and there is no showing that the desired change of name is for a The RTC denied the petition. It ruled that the change fraudulent purpose or that the change of name would sought is merely for the convenience of the child and prejudice public interest. does not fall under the grounds provided in the law. Under Article 174 of the Family Code, legitimate In the case at bar, the only reason advanced by Julian children have the right to bear the surnames of the for dropping his middle name is convenience. How father and the mother, and there is no reason why such change of name would make his integration into this right should now be taken from petitioner Julian, Singaporean society easier and convenient is not considering that he is still a minor. The trial court clearly established. That the continued use of his added that when petitioner reaches the age of middle name would cause confusion and difficulty majority, he could then decide whether he will does not constitute proper and reasonable cause to change his name by dropping his middle name. drop it from his registered complete name. Motion for reconsideration was denied.
Petitioner then filed a Petition for Review on
Certiorari (Under Rule 45) to the Supreme Court. The issue is whether or not dropping the middle name of a minor child is contrary to Article 174of the Family Code.