I'm trans and I want to change my name. How do I start? - DYKKA.com

Living with a name that reminds us of our incorrect gender identity is a burden. The Czech Republic is behind some other countries in this regard, but there are still options to change your name.

What does the law say?

Names and naming in the Czech Republic are regulated by the Act on Civil Registers, Names and Surnames and on Amendments to Certain Related Acts . It is a long document, but for us the most important things are:

• everyone who has Czech citizenship must have a first name and surname,
• the name must either come from a list of already approved names, or it must be proven that someone has ever had such a name,
• a person with a male official gender may not have a name intended only for persons with a female official name or vice versa,
• A new feature from 2022 is that persons with female official gender can use a surname without the suffix -ová, without having to have a non-Czech nationality, a non-Czech spouse, or without having to meet other conditions that previously applied to this change.

In the Czech Republic, we cannot change our official gender until we have undergone sterilization, so unfortunately we have to follow what we have in our documents.

Male or masculine name

Because in the Czech Republic , people with female official gender are no longer required to have a slanted surname , transgender men and other transmasculine men can change it. This does not only apply to surnames with the suffix -ová , so if your name is Zelená and you want to be Zelený, that's okay too.

If you are applying for a first-time surname change to a non-transitive one, you do not pay anything . You can also change your surname for free if you have a certificate from a sexology clinic stating that you are transitioning. In this case, you will most often be given a neutral surname (most often with the suffix -ů).

And what about first names? There is a list of gender-neutral names on the website of forensic expert Jana Valdrová, from which you can choose. However, if you choose an unusual name, one that is not on the list of approved names in the publication Jak se bude jmenovat? by another forensic expert Miloslava Knappová, the registry office will probably ask you for a professional opinion , for which you pay. Otherwise, changing your name to neutral is free for people who bring a certificate of ongoing transition. If you do not have a certificate from sexology, you will pay 1,000 CZK.

Female or feminine name

Similar rules apply here as for male names: If you want a neutral name and have a report from a sexology clinic that you are going through a transition, the registry office will change it for you free of charge. If you do not want to go the official transition route, you will pay another 1,000 CZK for the name change.

On the other hand, if you have a male official gender, you will not be able to have your surname changed to feminine.

Neutral name

To get a neutral surname, you don't have to go to a sexologist right away, but expect that, as in previous cases, you will pay a thousand crowns for this change.

Alternative: stage name

Don't like any gender-neutral name or don't want to have a non-inflected or neutral surname? Even if you will be a person with a name you don't like for the authorities, you can use a different name in other places .

In the arts and LGBT+-friendly workplaces, you can use a stage (or professional) name . This applies to people who, for example, write or translate literature, compose or play music, paint pictures, etc. If you are self-employed, you can also use a different name (see copywriter Michelle Losekoot), but invoices and official presentations should use the name you have on your documents .