Parental custody in relation to naming

A child must be named before the age of 6 months. The custodial parent(s) must sign the application.

If one of the parents is not registered as parent in the CPR

If you have sole custody, and the other parent is not registered as parent to your child, you alone must apply for naming.

Please note if you have sole custody: Your child can only inherit your family name or a non-protected family name (in Danish “frit efternavn”) if the other parent is not registered as parent.

> Check the list on non-protected family names (in Danish “frie efternavne”) on the website of the Agency of Family Law

If your child is going to be baptized

If the father/co-mother is not yet registered as parent on the day of the baptism, your child cannot be given the father's/co-mother's family name(s) and must be given a family name inherited from the mother's family.

Later, when the father/co-mother has been registered as parent in the CPR you must apply for a name change to inherit the family name(s) of the father/co-mother and an administration fee is charged.

If both parents are registered as parents in the CPR, but only one of them has custody

If you are both registered as parents, but only one of you have the custody, only the custodial parent must apply for naming. Your child can inherit family names from the parent who does not have custody without consent from him/her.

> Look up any words and terms that you are not familiar with