THE FAMILY NAME GIVEN TO CHILDREN BORN IN 2012
Since the law no. 2002-304 of 4 March 2002
applicable to children born since January 2005,
parents can now choose between four options
for their child’s family name: the child can bear
the father’s name, the mother’s name, or both
names, with that of the mother in either first or
second position. This choice of name must be
made, at the latest, when the child is registere.
Nine percent of children born in 2012 bear both parents’ names
Almost ten years after the new law was introduced, it is interesting to see how parents make use of
the many choices available for naming their child. A large majority of parents (83%) choose to give the
father’s name (Table 8), and the mother’s name is chosen for just 6.6% of children. In practically all
cases, these are children not recognized by their biological father at birth, though a small number of
fathers and mothers do deliberately opt for the mother’s name. Some cases correspond to children
born within a lesbian union and who are recognized by the biological mother only (the law authorizing
the registration of two persons of the same sex on a child’s birth record came into force in 2013).
Fewer than 10% of children have a double name (the father’s name is most often in first position).
Note that the general public is largely unaware of this new right to give a child both parents’ names; in
practice, the law has not substantially modified the way in which family names are transmitted.
LINKS FOR MORE INFO
Magali Mazuy, Magali Barbieri, Hippolyte d’Albis, Recent demographic trends in France: fertility
remains stable, Ined, Population-E, 68 (3), 2013, 329-374 [PDF]
Institut national d’études démographiques • 133, bld Davout 75 980 Paris cedex 20 • www.ined.fr