Mississippi Supreme Court Rules Transitioning Teen Not Entitled to Name Change

State law allows a minor’s name to be changed only when it is ‘clearly in the best interest of the child,’ the court held.

The Mississippi Supreme Court in Jackson on Oct. 13, 2022. Kenneth C. Zirkel, Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license

The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled on April 17 that a minor female undergoing gender alteration procedures may not change her name to a masculine name.

Mississippi law defines a minor as a person under the age of 21 years, according to the Mississippi chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which represented the minor.