Administration - New name desired - dozens of changes in Thuringia
With their names, not all people are happy, some even suffer greatly from it. Time and again, mayors in Thuringia deal with requests for name changes. In numerous cases, changes occur annually, as a sample from the German Press Agency in several municipalities showed. In Erfurt, for instance, there are 20 to 25 such requests per year, according to city administration. In Gera, there were 22 successful applications last year, in Gotha 14, and in Weimar 10.
No reason for change - simple displeasure is not a valid reason
"The reasons usually lie in the sensitive personal sphere," shared Wenke Ehrt from the Erfurt city administration. Changes can only be made in justified individual cases, Ehrt added. Only when it is unbearable for a person to continue bearing their current name does there is a chance of success. "Simple displeasure does not justify a name change," explained Mandy Plickert from the Weimar city administration. A person's name, according to the existing law, is not at their disposal. What matters are the regulations of the civil code. The protected interest of the applicant must outweigh the principles of name usage.
On average, there are 22 name changes per year in the Wartburgkreis, a number that has increased since the merger of the formerly independent city of Eisenach. In the Schmalkalden-Meiningen district, there are five such cases per year, and in the Eichsfeld, eight. The inhabitants of Jena currently have a poor hand: There were no official name changes made there in 2023 due to extremely limited personnel resources, explained a spokesperson.
Reasons for a successful name change include strongly negative associations with the name giver, those associated with physical or psychological violence or criminal acts, ridiculous names, or those that provide an opportunity for frivolous or inappropriate wordplay.
The number of inquiries is often three times higher than the number of actual applications, according to the spokespersons. To avoid fruitless applications, an informational conversation usually takes place beforehand. The chances of success are clarified during this conversation. This has proven effective, as most applications also come with relatively high costs.
Germanizing foreign names during naturalization is simpler
It is simpler, according to the information provided, to Germanize foreign names during naturalization. In Erfurt, for instance, there are between 80 and 100 such changes documented annually. In rural areas, however, this administrative act is the exception. During naturalization, names are often adapted to the German form. In Gera, this is most common among late immigrants who choose simplified spellings or change female name endings, explained a spokesperson. This process is only possible once - after the decision on a form, no further change is possible.
- In some municipalities in Thuringia, such as Gera and Gotha, the administration handles multiple requests for name changes each year, following the regulations set by the civil code.
- According to the Greek Press Agency, the city administration of Erfurt receives around 20 to 25 requests for name changes annually, with justified reasons being the main requirement for approval.
- When discussing the reasons for name changes, Wenke Ehrt from the Erfurt city administration mentioned the sensitive personal sphere, while Mandy Plickert from Weimar city administration highlighted that simple displeasure does not justify a name change.
- The districts of Wartburgkreis and Schmalkalden-Meiningen also see a certain number of name changes annually, with five cases in the latter district and an average of 22 changes in the former.
- During naturalization, the process of Germanizing foreign names becomes simpler, with Erfurt documenting between 80 to 100 such changes each year, while in rural areas this administrative act is less common.
