A new draft of the Personal Names Act has laid out the restrictions the law will enforce when an individual wants to change their name. It will still allow criminals to change their names when they marry or divorce.
New legislation restricting convicted criminals from changing their names has been in the drafting process for months. But some of the new rules will also bring changes for ordinary people.
Ministry of Social Affairs victim support policy head Kristiina Luht said it is common practice for people to search online for background information about new acquaintances.
“If I have been convicted of such a crime and I change my name, then no one will be able to find out. I simply continue living, I have taken a new name, and I am, so to speak, a ‘clean boy.’ We stand for victims’ rights, and we feel that this is not a good solution for preventing such crimes in the future,” she said.
Ministry of the Interior Population Facts Department head Enel Pungas said checking the background of offenders is important for protecting victims and potential victims.
“These names remain visible in the criminal records register as long as the sentence is valid, but if we change the name, then that person cannot be found by name, which removes the possibility of locating that record for as long as the sentence is in force,” Pungas said.
Restricting name changes is particularly important in cases of organized crime and human trafficking, where perpetrators often seek new victims through manipulation, Luht added.
“Human trafficking is generally linked to organized crime, meaning these are people who are likely to commit such crimes repeatedly. Often, they first approach with romantic interest, go on dates, and speak kindly. A personal relationship is created, and then exploitation follows. If a person can change their name, we take away victims’ ability to conduct background checks and prevent such crimes,” she explained.
However, the draft law says that all individuals, including offenders, will still be able to change their name through marriage or divorce.
In addition to offenders, the bill will also bring changes for ordinary citizens. Changing a name will become a more regulated process requiring a valid reason.
“If you are taking a completely new name that does not exist in your family and has no connection to a spouse, then you must justify why you are taking it and why you need it. Changing a name is a change to a person’s identity, and there should be a reason to understand that this is a genuine wish — not something that just came to mind today,” Pungas said.
To avoid deliberately creating namesakes or situations where an offender might try to take, for example, their lawyer’s name, the name must be unique.
“If you say you don’t have any ‘Tamm’ in your family, but you just look at the ceiling and decide you want to be Tamm, then in fact, if the name Tamm already exists — it doesn’t have to be common, it may have appeared even once — you must choose a name that no one else bears,” Pungas said.
The law is expected to enter into force on December 1, 2027.
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