What to do about inconsistent names (1948 route)

[turkeytrot]

The last document I need is a birth certificate. I have found her baptism record after much searching because her name is so different on the baptism record. I am using the name on the baptism record to request (again) a birth certificate from the state since they couldn't find one under the name I knew her by. I have a certified record of her baptism from the church.

Her name that I knew her by was Anna Marie Valentino. On her baptism record, her name is listed as Veneram Mariam Zombo. How do I know it's her? The birth date is the same, her dad's first name is consistent, and her mom's full maiden name is consistent (despite it being slightly misspelled). Also, her parent's place of birth from a tiny comune in Italy is consistent. I also learned it was customary for parents to name their second daughter after the maternal grandmother which is consistent (her grandmother's name was Venera). Lastly, on the 1920 census her name is "Virginia Zumo." I can only assume the census taker misheard "Venera Zombo" or something similar. Her age on the 1920 census, along with her parent's and siblings names and ages is consistent.

The church informed me that it was normal for names to be Latinized in the accusative case when recording baptisms. The whole baptism record is in Latin. Therefore, the name written on the baptism record, "Veneram Mariam" is actually "Venera Maria." How do I prove to the courts that this person, around the time of her birth, went by a different name? For some reason this family used a wildly different last name for about a decade. Any insight into why?

I've read about one and the same affidavits, but what is needed to get one of these? Is it applicable in this case? Can you get them for deceased people?

Thanks.

[jennyct]

I had the same problem with my GGparents marriage. I found a church marriage certificate in Latin. Fortunately, I did not need to file this, but I did find out more information on the marriage. It was not in the state database because it got lost before they created the database in the 1990s. Because I have a Genealogist's membership, I was able to access the vault in the city and found the register containing the filing information - but no actual certificate. It was enough to get an abstract.
You may be able to get an affidavit from the church and get it notarized. I don't know if they will apostille it, but I believe as long as it is notarized, they will. The person creating the church baptism certificate will have to get it notarized.