TLDR: Yes, there are laws that require you to have a name since it's considered a first-generation right, but enforcing it can conflict with personal freedom.

Now, let’s expand on this:
The word "name" we use comes from the Latin nomen, which also derives from nominis, meaning designation. The early Indo-Europeans wanted to distinguish each other, so they started labeling things or people. We use names to characterize and identify a person.
In legal terms, names have historical functions:
  1. They allow us to identify individuals and their origin. For example, Darthcoin of Tatooine isn’t the same as Darthcoin of Coruscant. Even if there are two Darthcoins in the known universe, we differentiate by nomen, in this case, of planets or places.
  2. Names convey attributes: Humans often attribute magical qualities to names (Harari discusses this extensively in Sapiens), and names can carry those attributes. Examples that come to mind are Pepin the Short, Ivan the Terrible, Catherine the Great. Royal names like Juan Carlos of Spain, Charles of England, or Charles III are used to distinguish one from another.
  3. Names reinforce the person-community bond, as humans are inherently social. Function 1 highlights this point again.
  4. They facilitate communication, which is obvious. Try communicating without names. The mental image of that scenario is quite funny.
Why did naming start being enforced?
There’s no simple answer, but over the years, emperors and feudal lords needed to label those under their rule to collect taxes. We see this in Sumerian and Mesopotamian tablets, Egyptian hieroglyphs, and Roman censuses. Now, having looked at the historical function of names, we ask: is it necessary to have one?
Usually, names are chosen by legal guardians, such as parents. Many people see this as an imposition, and indeed, the State today allows people to reject their birth names and choose another as a reflection of personal autonomy.
This is where social responsibility comes in. The laws originating thousands of years ago require each individual to act according to their individual obligations. Without this, it would be impossible to assign you legal rights and obligations. In matters of inheritance or crime, having an identity is the starting point.
So, do I need to have a name?
Here, I think the analysis narrows down to:
  • Having a name to differentiate myself from others
  • Having a name to claim rights and responsibilities
  • Having a name to exercise rights and responsibilities
This is where the State itself allows name changes but within legal limits.
So, what’s the answer? No, they cannot impose an identity on you, as identity changes over time. The real issue lies in the imposition or lack of labeling by a State. A person identifies by a name, which could change tomorrow. States tend to discourage this as it affects one of their primary tasks mentioned earlier: taxation.
Remember, according to the State, you own your country because there's a social contract.
54 sats \ 2 replies \ @Lux 12h
there are laws that require you to have a name since it's considered a first-generation right
is it a right or a requirement?
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Well, you could say a bunch of rights
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Lux 11h
human rights are privileges
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