Name of a minor adopted by a couple

Verified 15 January 2025 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister), Ministry of Justice

Are you in a relationship and want to know what name you can give to the child you adopt? The choice of surname are different between simple and plenary adoption. We present you the information you need to know about the name of a minor adopted by a couple (spouse, former spouse or common-law partner).

Please note

A specific page shows the adoption procedure.

Adoption creates a link of parentage between the adopters and the adopted. Adoption may be single or full.

In the case of simple adoption, the links with the family of origin are maintained.

In the case of adoption by the plenaryYes, there's a total failure the adopted person's ties to his or her family of origin.

Simple adoption

Choices

Adopters (spouses, past members, or cohabiting partners) can give one of the names following to the adopted minor:

  • Name of the adoptee + name of one of the 2 adopters. The order of the names is free within the limit of one name for each
  • Replace the adopted person's name with the name of one of the adopters
  • Replacement of the adopted person's name by the 2 names of the adopters next to each other. The order of the names is free within the limit of one name for each.

Example :

Fabien Caron and Leila Lopez adopt Nathan Veron.

Nathan's last name can be: Caron Veron or Lopez Veron or Veron Caron or Veron Lopez or Caron or Lopez or Caron Lopez or Lopez Caron

Minor 13 years of age and over

The adoptive parents (spouses, past members or cohabiting partners) must collect the consent of the adopted at the choice of his name if he is 13 years of age or older.

Adopters (spouses, past members or cohabiting partners) indicate the name chosen for the adopted person in their application for adoption.

If the adopted person is 13 years of age or older, the application must indicate that he or she has given his or her consent.

The request is done on free paper or using the form cerfa no. 15740.

FYI  

Adopters may apply to the court for a change of first name(s) of the adopted. If the adopted person is 13 years of age or older, the application must indicate that he or she has given his or her consent.

In the absence of a choice or in the event of disagreement, the court responsible for the adoption procedure shall decide on the name of the adopted person.

The 1er name of adopters in alphabetical order is added in 2of position on behalf of the adopted party. If the adopted has a double name, only the 1re Part is retained.

Example :

Theophile Gautier Dumas and Leila Martin Alain adopt Kévin Monceau Dupont.

Kevin's last name is Monceau Alain.

When the simple adoption procedure is complete, adopters may request the renewal of the identity card and/or the passport of the minor.

Adopters may also inform the authorities and bodies concerned by the new name of the adopted minor: health insurance, mutual insurance...

Plenary adoption

The adopted person takes the name of one or more adopters who replaces his or her original name.

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1st child

The child may have one of the following names:

  • Either the name of one of the members of the couple, or a single word of the double name of one of them
  • Let their two names be placed side by side, in the order chosen by them, and within the limit of one surname for each of them in the case of a double name.

The choice of a child's name cannot be exercised only once.

Example :

Adopter's Name #1: Dupond Durand

Name of adopter No. 2: Dupuis

Name of adopted child: Dupond Durand or Dupuis or Dupond Dupuis or Durand Dupuis or Dupuis Dupond or Dupuis Durand or Dupond or Durand

Subsequent Children

The name given to the 1er common child of the couple, irrespective of the method of establishment of his parentage, must be given to the following children of the couple.

Example :

Eric Rollin and Fanny Dupont have chosen the name Dupont for their 1er child adopted or born on 1er October 2022.

They shall adopt by plenary adoption a 2e child on 4 january 2024. That child must be called Dupont.

At the same time, the court shall rule on the motion for full adoption and the name change.

You can make the joint declaration of choice of name in 2 ways:

Please note

Adopters may apply to the court for a change of first name(s) of the adopted. If the adopted person is 13 years of age or older, the motion for adoption must indicate that he has given his consent.

In the absence of a joint declaration of choice of name, the court responsible for adoption procedure pronounces on the child's name.

The child takes the name of each of the 2 members of the couple, up to 1er name in case of double names, placed alphabetically.

Example :

Adopter's Name #1: Avril Marion

Name of adopter No. 2: Gautier Diallo

Name of adopted child: Avril Gautier

When the plenary adoption procedure has been completed and a new birth certificate has been issued, adopters may apply for renewal of the identity card and/or the passport of the minor.

Adopters may also inform the authorities and bodies concerned by the new name of the adopted minor: health insurance, mutual insurance...

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