From Thursday, 1 May 2025, new regulations will come into force that will change the determination of married names and birth names. These changes are based on the provisions of the German Civil Code (BGB) and aim to liberalise the process of changing names and make it more transparent.
Couples now have more options when choosing a married name:
As before, only one partner's name can be chosen as the married name. It is now also possible for both partners to have a double name made up of the names of both partners.
A similar principle applies to the determination of a child's birth name: Previously, for couples without a married name, only the mother's name or the father's name could be chosen as the child's birth name. Now it is possible to create a double name for the child from the names of both parents.
The new options should be equally accessible to all. Couples who are already married now have the opportunity to choose a new married name. Children born before 1 May can also have their birth name changed in accordance with the new regulations.
It is also possible to change the child's birth name if the parents' name changes.
Interested parties can find out more about the new naming law from the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Federal Government. If a specific situation already exists, the enquiry can be made directly to a registry office.
The registry office of the city of Chemnitz asks that enquiries are formulated as specifically as possible by email to standesamt(at)stadt-chemnitz.de or by post. The applicant's personal details (name, date and place of birth, address) are also required. After an initial preliminary check, the registry office of the City of Chemnitz will inform you which documents are to be submitted as proof for examination.
Due to the large number of requests received, processing may take several months. Please refrain from enquiring about the processing status.