The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-08-12
The Law Regarding Names.

surname neeu nOJ De MS 1atner 3. Ills
Christian name need not be baptismal.
Some don't care to be baptized, and
that rite, whatever benefits it may Sc
cure in future world, in no way affects
legal rights here. He may have differ
ent names at different times or places.
Any name by which he is known is his
true name. A woman marries one
Brown, becoming Mrs. Brown She
eopes with one Clark, and becomes
Mrs. Clark. She sues as Mrs. Clark,
and it being objected she had no right
to that name, the court held that she
had, as she was known by it. He may
assume any name he pleases Except as
below, and may change his name ad
Ibitum. He may assume a name and
be estopped from denying it. If he en-
tiers into particular transaction by
particular name, that is his real name
for that transaction; the law looks only
to his identity. He may change his
name without aid of Legislature or
court. ga name assumed by the vol
untary act of a young man at his outset
into life, adopted by all who knew him,
and by which he is constantly called,
becomes for all purposes that occur to
name as if he had obtained an act of
Parliament to confer it upon him."
(Abbott, 9. j., in Doe VS.. Yates.
There is a Maryland statute giving the
Equity Courts power to decree change
OF name. And, sometimes, for the sake
of the publicity and sanction given by
the courts action, persons prefer to
avail of the statute cited. But they need
not do So
According to our law a name is not
property. A cannot sue b for calling
himself A. There are four colored
men in Baltimore City named David
Wilson, two named George H. Wilson,
twenty-seven named George Washing
ton; there is no property in these
names. There is, however, one class
of cases where a man may not only not
assume another mans name, but NAV
be prohibited from using his own.
These are cases where name has be-
come trademark. 1t is well settled,
as general proposition, that a person
has legal right to use his own name to
designate an article produced and sold
by him, although another person of the
same name has previously sold and
manufactured the like article with the
same designation. But, when it is clear
that one having like name uses it for
the purpose of imposing his own arti-
Giles upon purchasers for another arti-
Gle that has become known and well
established, be is imposing on the pub
lie, and trying to secure for himself
what belongs to another, and will be re-
strained. Thus, A. w. Faber had es-
of IL,
stamped with his name One j. III.
Faber began making pencils and stamp
ing them with his name. A. w. +.
tried to have j. H. +. enjoined But
the court held that, while it might in
convenience and cause loss to A. w. f.
to have another manufacturer of pen
ellis OF the same name, yet he had not
shown any fraud on the part of the lat
ter, and the latter could 60 on stamp
ing his pencil "J.iH. Faber.ni On the
other hand, Day & Martin were, manu-
facturers of celebrated eblaclting. A
man named Day, for the very purpose
of taking advantage of this name.
hunted up one Martin, and together
they made and sold 'sDay u Martin -
backing. But this the court quickly
stopped.
AS to the use of the initials of the
Christian name:I Though an instrument
is good when signed by initials, the
signer must be sued by his name But,
if one Christian name is given, it is
enough. A middle initial is mere sur
plusage, and may be entirely ignored.
But single letter is not necessarily an
initial-it may be a name. why may
not parents, for reason, good or bad,
say that their children shall be baptized
by the name ID, l., M, p, OF OF 1 am
just informed by a person OF most oced-
ible authority that with his own knowl-
edge person has been baptized by the
name of IT, (Lord Campbell in Regina
Us. Dale.) Thus declaration tile6 by
81. w. Hickok' is not demurrable be-
cause no name is stated The court will
not assume that -. W." is not the
plaintiff true name. The issue as to
whether the letters are the true name
must be raised by plea in abatement;
and then, if it is proved that the party
was generally known by his initials, it
is sufficient. Thus, if BENJAMIN Saw
ings was we'll known as B. Savings, his
counsel should have proved, and not
asked to amend.
Ihe spelling OF q name is legally OF
little Importance; the rule of idem SON
ans applies. Usrey may be spelt Us
ury.
1t is of course of great importance
that persons should not throw doubts
upon their identity by changing their
names. 1t is therefore important that
parents should not make such changes
desired by giving their children foolish,
common, insufficient names. There are
in Baltimore 1853 John Smiths, forty
nine of whom are colored. Is it not