German parents not allowed to call child Lucifer

Parents may not call a child Lucifer
The devil has many names - and one of them is Lucifer. A Kassel couple now wanted their son to be named in that way. The local court then intervened.
The Fall of Lucifer from Heaven

With the unusual name "Lucifer" for their child, parents in Kassel failed to the authorities. According to Matthias Grund of the District Court of Kassel on Wednesday, a city clerk had assumed that the first name could jeopardise the child's welfare. The official had gone to the court to clarify the case. Initially, the "Hessisch Niedersächsische Allgemeine" newspaper reported on the case.

In a non-public hearing the parents were convinced by another name - now the child will be called "Lucian". This is a variant of the Roman name "Lucius", which among other people already was the name of three Popes. If the parents had insisted on their name selection, the Court of Law would have had to decide whether the name Lucifer is permissible.

According to Frauke Rüdebusch of the German Society for German Language (GfdS), there is no general ban on certain names in Germany : "There are guidelines, but no laws". "Lucifer" is a term for the devil . Originally, this name in antiquity designated the Morning Star. Literally translated, the Latin word means "light carrier". It was only in the course of the centuries that the name became identical with the devil and absolutely evil. In early Christianity the name had a positive sound and was used as a baptismal name.

Source

Bishop St Lucifer of Calgari in Sardinia- a fierce opponent of the heresiarch, Arius


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