Spirituality

Karnataka High Court lets minor change name from Lakshmi to Veena over astrology beliefs

The Karnataka High Court granted a minor girl permission to adopt the name Veena N. in place of Lakshmi N., ruling that being recognized by one's chosen name is a civil right, The Law Advice and Court Book report. Justice Hanchate Sanjeevkumar set aside a civil court decision that had refused the change and directed that Veena N. be reflected in her school records, according to Court Book.

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Why the parents sought the change#

The girl was named Lakshmi at her naming ceremony, but her parents later wanted her called Veena N., citing astrological and numerological beliefs and their view that the new name would bring prosperity, Court Book reports. Bhaskar English reports she was born on 10 October 2010 and that her father filed the case seeking to have the new name entered in her school records.

Numerology is described by Wikipedia as a belief in a mystical relationship between numbers and events or qualities, often linked to astrology and other divinatory practices, and applied to names it is a form of onomancy. Astrology itself is described by Wikipedia as a range of divinatory practices that has been treated as pseudoscientific since the 18th century.

How the lower court's refusal was overturned#

The trial court had dismissed the father's suit, finding no documentary evidence that the girl was already known as Veena N. and noting that the parents had failed to seek permission from her school before requesting the change, according to The Law Advice and Bhaskar English.

Justice Hanchate Sanjeevkumar disagreed, holding that this was a case of changing a name rather than correcting a wrongly recorded one, so there could be no requirement for earlier documents proving the girl went by Veena N., Court Book reports. The High Court also observed that the proposed change had received no opposition and would cause no harm to the defendants or any other party, per The Law Advice.

"Every person in society is necessarily to be recognized by his/her name. It is a civil right of every citizen in India to be recognized by his/her name," the court said, according to The Law Advice.

During the appeal, identified by Court Book as Regular First Appeal No. 703 of 2026, the parents produced a newspaper public notice about the proposed name change, and Bhaskar English reports they also cited a Karnataka government circular that mandates obtaining a civil court order to alter one's name.

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