Choosing a child's last name
Choosing a child's last name
With your first child (with Dutch citizenship), you can choose the last name yourself. You can give your child the surname of the mother, father or duo mother. You can also choose a combination of the parents' last names: a double last name. The last name you choose for your first child also applies to all subsequent children of the same parents. Is the last name determined? Then you usually cannot change it anymore.
How does it work?
If you do not choose a surname or register it with the municipality in time, the law determines which surname your child will have. Which name that is depends on your personal situation. See below which situation applies to you.
How do you record this choice?
Do you want a surname for your child other than the "automatic surname"? Record this with the municipality. You come together to the appointment for this. This can be done before the birth or (at the latest) during the birth registration.
Note! Often the mother cannot be present at the birth registration. It is therefore best to visit the municipality together before the birth.
Child with a second (foreign) nationality
Does your child (born from 2024) have another nationality besides Dutch? And is another surname possible according to that nationality? Then you can choose that last name for this child as well.
Husband and wife, married or registered partnership
Your child will automatically receive the father's last name. If you want your child to have the mother's last name or a double last name, you must register this with the municipality before or during the birth registration together.
Two women, married or registered partnership
- If the mother is pregnant by an unknown donor, your child will automatically receive the surname of the paired mother. This is only possible if the paternal mother automatically becomes a legal parent at birth. This requires a declaration of parenthood. If you want your child to have the birth mother's last name, or a dual last name, you must register this together at the municipality.
- If the mother is pregnant from a known donor and the duo mother acknowledges your child, your child will automatically receive the birth mother's last name. If you want your child to have the duo- mother's last name, or a double last name, you must register this together at the municipality.
Parents who are not married and not registered partners
Your child automatically receives the mother's last name. If you want your child to have the father's or duo mother's last name, or a double last name, the father or duo mother must acknowledge your child. When acknowledging, you will then choose the surname together.
Family of two men
At the moment of a child's birth, there is always a mother. Motherhood can only end through adoption. With adoption, you can choose the last name of your 1st child. This is done in court. Subsequent children of you and your partner together will have the same last name.