Naming Glossary
Key terms and concepts from Asian naming traditions
Court-Approved Hanja
인명용 한자 (人名用 漢字)
The official list of Chinese characters approved by the South Korean Supreme Court for use in personal names on legal documents and family registers.
Soshi-kaimei
창씨개명 (創氏改名)
The Japanese colonial policy (1939-1945) that pressured Koreans to adopt Japanese-style names, a deeply traumatic episode that strengthened Korean attachment to traditional naming practices.
Household Registration Naming Rules
户口取名 (hùkǒu qǔmíng)
The legal regulations governing personal names in China's household registration (hukou) system, including permitted characters and name change procedures.
Jinmeiyō Kanji
人名用漢字 (じんめいようかんじ)
A supplementary list of kanji characters officially approved by the Japanese government for use in personal names, in addition to the jōyō kanji.
Koseki
戸籍 (こせき)
The Japanese family register system that officially records births, marriages, deaths, and names, serving as the primary legal document for identity and family relationships.
Overseas Vietnamese Naming
Đặt tên Việt Kiều
The naming practices of the Vietnamese diaspora (Việt Kiều), who navigate between preserving Vietnamese naming traditions and adapting to host country conventions.
Anti-Caste Naming Movements
जाति-विरोधी नामकरण आंदोलन
Social and political efforts in India to reject caste-identifying surnames in favor of caste-neutral names, pioneered by leaders like B.R. Ambedkar and Jyotirao Phule.
Deed Poll
Deed Poll
The primary legal instrument used in England and Wales to formally change one's name, historically a single-party legal deed that becomes the evidence of a new identity once enrolled.
État Civil
état civil
The French civil registration system, established in 1792 during the Revolution, which secularised the recording of births (and therefore names), marriages, and deaths away from the Church.
Nom d'Usage
nom d'usage
The name a French person uses in daily life when it differs from their legal birth name, most commonly a married person who uses their spouse's surname without formally changing their nom de famille.
Livret de Famille
livret de famille
The French family record booklet issued by the état civil at marriage or at the birth of a first child, containing all family members' official names and civil status records.
Loi du 11 Germinal An XI
Loi du 11 germinal an XI (1803)
The Napoleonic naming law of 1803 that restricted French parents to choosing prénoms from the saints' calendar and from ancient history, remaining in force for 190 years until 1993.
Loi du 8 Janvier 1993
Loi du 8 janvier 1993
The French law of 8 January 1993 that liberalised the naming of children by abolishing the approved-list restriction of the 1803 Napoleonic law, replacing it with a child's-best-interests standard.
Ainm Oifigiúil
An tAinm Oifigiúil
The official name (ainm oifigiúil) as recognized under Irish law, which since 2004 explicitly acknowledges Irish-language name forms as having equal legal standing with English-language forms.
National Records of Scotland
Clàran Nàiseanta na h-Alba
The National Records of Scotland (NRS) is the government agency responsible for civil registration of births, deaths, and marriages in Scotland, including the registration and legal recognition of names.
Scottish Legal Naming
Ainm fo Lagh na h-Alba
Scottish law governs name changes and registration differently from English law: Scotland does not recognize the English deed poll procedure, and name changes are effected through a statutory declaration or by simple usage under Scots common law.
Norwegian Name Act
Navneloven
The Norwegian Name Act (navneloven), enacted in 2003, is the legal framework that governs the choice, registration, and change of personal names in Norway. It replaced earlier, more restrictive name legislation.
Norwegian National Population Register
Folkeregisteret
The Folkeregisteret is Norway's official National Population Register, maintained by the Norwegian Tax Administration (Skatteetaten), which records the legal names, addresses, and civil status of all residents in Norway.
Swedish Names Act
Namnlagen
The Swedish Names Act (namnlagen) is the primary legislation governing the registration, use, and change of personal names in Sweden, currently regulated under the Names Act 2016 (lag 2016:1013 om personnamn).
Swedish Name Registration via Skatteverket
Namnregistrering hos Skatteverket
The Swedish Tax Authority (Skatteverket) is responsible for registering personal names in Sweden under the 2016 Names Act. It reviews proposed given names and processes surname changes through the national population register (folkbokföringen).
Navneloven
navneloven
The Danish Name Act (navneloven), enacted in 2006, which governs the registration of personal names in Denmark, establishing rules for given names, surnames, and legal name changes.
CPR Civil Registration
Det Centrale Personregister
Denmark's Central Person Register (Det Centrale Personregister, CPR), established in 1968, which assigns every resident a unique 10-digit personal identification number and serves as the authoritative registry for legal names and civil status.
Nimilaki
nimilaki
The Finnish Names Act (nimilaki), most recently comprehensively reformed in 2019, which regulates the registration of given names and surnames in Finland, balancing individual freedom with the child's best interests.
Väestörekisteri
Digi- ja väestötietovirasto
Finland's Digital and Population Data Services Agency (Digi- ja väestötietovirasto, DVV), the official authority responsible for maintaining the population register and processing all personal name registrations and changes in Finland.