Last year, 2,314 people in Estonia legally changed their names — 100 more than the previous year.

In addition to the reasons outlined in the Names Act, such as the desire to adopt a family name or a spouse's name, names may also legally be changed in Estonia for other valid reasons. For instance, the law explicitly permits changing one's name to adopt an Estonian-sounding surname.

"There are a variety of circumstances that fall under 'other good reason,'" explained Ulvi Klaar, an adviser at the Interior Ministry's Population Facts Department. "For example, wanting to get rid of a father's surname due to a lack of relationship, wanting to integrate into Estonian society, or the wish to start a new family with a unique surname."

Klaar noted that, broadly speaking, two-thirds of those legally changing their names are women, and one-third are men.

"No specific records are kept by age or ethnicity," she said. "It can be said, however, that people of all ages get their names changed — this has included kids less than a month old as well as people of advanced age."

Under the Names Act, freely chosen surnames must comply with Estonian language usage, meaning clearly foreign-language names cannot be accepted.

New surnames restricted by naming rules

"Estonianizing names — adapting foreign names to fit Estonian language usage — isn't currently a trend," Klaar said. "But there is interest in names without diacritical marks and which are easier to use abroad."

According to the ministry adviser, the decision to adopt a freely chosen surname is influenced by several factors.

"Sometimes it's derived from one's existing name, or they're inspired by nature or life events," she described, adding that efforts are often made to choose surnames that go together well with given names.

Several restrictions apply to chosen surnames as well, including compliance with Estonian language usage. Additionally, a surname cannot be used if it's already held by more than 500 or fewer than 20 living people listed in the population register, or in use as a given name

 A freely chosen surname also may not refer to a legal entity or registered trademark, match the applicant's given name or cause the applicant's new name to match the full name of someone else born in the same year.

The application fee for legally changing one's given name or surname, or restoring one's previous name, in Estonia is €150. Those seeking to change both their given name and surname are charged €300 — €150 for each name change.

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