change first name

If you want to change your first name, there must be an important reason that justifies the name change. There are important reasons if your private interests worthy of protection as the bearer of the name in the change of name outweigh the public interest...

If you want to change your first name, there must be an important reason that justifies the name change. There are important reasons if your private interests worthy of protection as the bearer of the name in the change of name outweigh the public interest or a private interest of third parties in keeping your name.

Important reasons are for example:

religious motives,
if the name triggers psychological problems (e.g. through associations)
if there is a risk of confusion,
if the name sounds offensive or ridiculous and is awkward to pronounce or complicated to write, or
after a sex change.

Furthermore, your name must be subject to German law. This includes not only German nationals, but also those entitled to asylum, foreign refugees and stateless persons.
A name change is out of the question if you don't like your name, for example names of foreign language origin. A name change is also not justified if you want to make identification by creditors more difficult.
For children over the age of 1 and under the age of 16, you can only change the first name for serious reasons in the best interests of the child.

Important notes

Prerequisites

You have German citizenship.
You are entitled to asylum, a foreign refugee, a stateless person, a homeless foreigner or a quota refugee.
There is an important or serious reason that justifies the name change.

Documents required

Registration certificate and valid official photo ID (identity card, passport)
Extract from the birth register (available from the registry office of the place of birth)
for stateless persons: travel document or entry by the immigration authorities in the passport or passport substitute
for homeless foreigners or persons entitled to asylum: Entry by the foreigners authority in the passport or passport substitute
for foreign refugees: Entry by the immigration authorities in the passport or passport substitute

For further documents, please inquire in advance with the name change authority responsible for you

Please note

First ask your authority by telephone whether the application has any chance of success.

Deadlines

no

Procedure & Fees

Procedure

You must apply in writing to change your first name.

Ask your competent authority for the application form or download and fill it out completely. For minors, the legal representative submits the application.
State the reasons for your application in detail. The authority must weigh up and decide, taking into account all the circumstances of the individual case. The longer the name has been in use, the greater the public interest in keeping the name.
Your competent authority will collect an advance fee and then carry out the necessary investigations. In doing so, it involves various bodies, such as the police, in the case of people over 14 years old. It obtains information from the register of debtors at the district court and, if necessary, from other bodies.
If the requirements are met, you will receive a certificate of the name change. The change of name becomes effective upon delivery. Otherwise you will receive a rejection letter.
The name change authority will notify other bodies of your name change. This includes
- the registration authority,
- the registry office that keeps the birth register,
- the registry office that keeps the marriage register or the civil partnership register.
As soon as the name change has taken effect, you must have various documents (identity card, passport, vehicle registration) changed. You must apply for these changes yourself.

Note: If another person is involved, for example the other parent when changing the name of a child after the parents have divorced, you will initially only receive notification of the name change. It advises that you must wait until the name change is no longer open to legal challenge. In these cases, the name change will take effect under the following conditions:

the other person involved accepts the name change or
the appeals authority or the courts confirm the change of name.

Processing time

About 6 months

Fees

Depending on the administrative effort and federal state.

Note: If the change is successful, follow-up costs will arise because you will have to reapply for documents, such as your identity card or passport. If the application is rejected, a fee of 10 to 50 percent of the administration fee will be charged.

Legal notes

Legal remedies

no

Legal basis

Name Change Act

http://§ 11 Name Change Act (NamÄndG)

Change of surnames and first names

http://General administrative regulation on the law on changing surnames and first names (NamÄndVwV)

Ordinance to Enforce the Surname and First Name Change Act

http://First ordinance implementing the law on changing surnames and first names