Choosing a surname for your child

Parents can choose together which surname their first child will have. You must notify the municipality of the chosen surname.

Approach

How to choose a different surname for your first child:

Make an appointment at the municipality for you and the other parent.
Please bring valid identification with you to the appointment.
You choose the surname no later than when you register the birth. However, you can already submit your choice of name before your child is born. Because the mother has to attend the appointment, this is often easier than registering the birth. This is because you must register the birth within three working days of the birth. It can be inconvenient for the mother to come to the town hall at that time.

Costs

Rates for 2025

The choice of surname upon recognition is free of charge.
€17.10 for an extract of the accreditation.

Rates for 2026

The choice of surname upon recognition is free of charge.
€17.80 for an extract from the recognition.

Description

You can choose whether your first child will have the mother's or father's surname. You can also give your first child two surnames, one from each parent. The order does not matter. Each subsequent child from the same relationship will have the same surname or surnames as the first child.

You are married or in a registered partnership

Your child will automatically receive the father's surname. If you want this, you do not need to notify anyone. If you want to give your child the mother's surname, or a combination of the mother's and father's surnames, you must notify the authorities.

You are not married and do not have a registered partnership.

Your child will automatically receive the mother's surname. Would you like to give the child the father's surname? Or a combination of the mother's and father's surnames? In that case, the father must have acknowledged the child. Acknowledging a child and choosing a surname can be done at the same time.

Does the child have two mothers or two fathers? Or are you adopting a child? If so, please visit Rijksoverheid.nl for the rules.