Change of first name and surname (family name) under the Bulgarian legislation
The Bulgarian name system includes first name, father `s name and family name/surname. The three ones are obligatory to be registered in the national name register when the child is born on the territory of Republic of Bulgaria.
The first name is given by choice of the parents. The father` s name includes the first name of the father. The surname (family name) comes last and includes the father's family name.
The structure of the two last Bulgarian names indicates the origin of the father and could not be subject of change by the hospital administration or by the municipality. Thus, it often arises conflicts with other legal systems which allow the inclusion of the mother's name, for example. Very often, parents of babies from international relationships or marriages, born in Bulgaria or pretending Bulgarian cutizenship, face this problem as they cannot include the mother's family name in the name of the child. The parents have to initiate a court procedure as to change the child's name because the hospital registers the child with the father's names.
The change of the names could be done only through a court procedure under ”important circumstances”, which have to be proven in every single specific case. The judgement of such circumstances is very subjective and depends on the decision of the respective judge.
The Bulgarian legal system allows changing of first name when it is ridiculous, disgraceful or socially unacceptable.
Our law company offers consultations on any questions related with changing of second and family names as well as legal representation before the court in such cases.
Prepared by Valova and Angelova law firm