Change of name

You can use our services to manage matters related to changes of name. 

You can change your forename and surname in Finland, if  

• you live in Finland and your data has been entered in the Finnish Population Information System. 
• you are a Finnish citizen and live abroad outside Norway, Sweden and Denmark. If you live in Norway, Sweden or Denmark and would like to change your name, please contact the authorities in your country of residence.  

Remember to also notify us if you have changed your name abroad so that we can enter it in the Population Information System.  

Forename

Everyone must have at least one and no more than four forenames. You can change your forename by following the instructions on our website. Please also notify us if you have changed your name abroad.  

You can view other people's forenames in the name service. We also publish data on the most popular names of children born in Finland each year.  

Surname

You can change your surname or modify its spelling. Please also notify us if you have changed your name abroad.  

When you get married, your surnames will remain unchanged unless you notify us of changing them. You do not need to apply for a change of surname when you get married. Instead, you will notify the change of surname when you request an examination of impediments to marriage.

The child's names 

When you notify us of the child’s names for the first time, it is a notification of the child’s personal details. Instead of submitting an application for a name change, notify us of the personal details of your child according to the instructions on a different page. 

The name of a minor child entered in the Population Information System can be changed using the instructions on our website.

Acts related to the matter

Anna palautetta ja tee kehitysehdotuksia