South Australian Current Acts South Australian Current Acts23—Name of child
(1) Where the Court
makes an order for the adoption of a child it may by the same or a subsequent
order declare the name by which the child is to be known.
(2) Before making an
order changing the name of a child, the Court should take into account any
wishes expressed by the child on the subject.
(3) The Court will
not—
(a) in
the case of a child who is over the age of 12 years—change the name
of the child unless—
(i)
the child consents to the change; or
(ii)
the child is intellectually incapable of consenting; and
(b) in
all cases—change the first name of a child unless—
(i)
the first name is offensive or unsuitable; or
(ii)
another child of the adoptive parents has the same first
name.
(3a) If the Court
changes the first name of a child in accordance with subsection (3)(b),
the Court should, so far as is reasonably practicable, seek to change the
first name—
(a) so
that the child's second name becomes the first name of the child; or
(b) to
another name brought to the attention of the Court that is of significance to
the child, taking into account the child's identity, language and cultural and
(if relevant) religious ties.
(4) An order under
this section does not prevent a subsequent change of name in accordance with
the law of the State.