Frenchifying your surname or given name during naturalisation
Par Antonin GAVREL - le jeudi 27 août 2026 - 7 min read
An option, never an obligation
Becoming French does not require you to change your surname or given name. Frenchification is a voluntary process where the appearance, sound or foreign character of a surname or given name may hinder integration into the French community.
You can request it during the acquisition procedure or, in the cases provided for, within the following year. Take time to consider the personal and administrative consequences: diplomas, accounts, contracts and foreign documents will often continue to bear your former identity.
What changes are possible?
Under the rules on Frenchification, several options may be considered: translating a surname, adapting its appearance, taking a French surname borne by an ancestor, replacing or changing a given name, or assigning a French given name if the person has none.
The requested change must fall within the permitted categories. This is not a general procedure allowing you to choose any surname freely without a connection to Frenchification.
When should you submit the request?
Frenchification can be requested with naturalisation, reinstatement of French nationality or certain declarations of nationality. Service-Public also indicates that a request may be made within one year of acquisition for the procedures concerned.
Use the official form and include the required supporting documents. A translation of the meaning of the surname may be necessary where the request is based on its French translation.
Consequences for minor children
Frenchification of the parent’s surname may extend to a minor child who becomes French at the same time if the child is named in the decree or declaration. The parent may also request Frenchification of the child’s given names or the assignment of a French given name.
From the age of 13, the child must give written consent to a change of surname or given name. Prepare this consent with the family documents instead of discovering the requirement at the last moment.
A change of identity deserves a complete review
VisaPref helps you distinguish Frenchification, collective effect and the reconciliation of civil-status records.
Consider consistency between documents
After Frenchification, you will need to update identity documents and inform several organisations. Keep the decree or declaration that establishes the link between the former and new identities.
Before choosing the spelling, check the consequences for your spouse and children, the pronunciation, compound surnames and documents from the country of origin. The same person must not appear to have two identities without a linking document.
Frenchification and correction are not the same
Frenchification voluntarily alters the foreign character of a surname or given name as part of acquiring nationality. A correction remedies a civil-status error. Reconciliation addresses certain differences between civil-status records. Each procedure has its own legal basis and supporting documents.
If your birth certificate already contains an error, do not request Frenchification simply to circumvent the necessary correction.
Frequently asked questions
Can you keep all your foreign given names?
Yes. Frenchification is optional and may concern all or some of the permitted elements, depending on the request.
Can I change my mind after the decree?
The options and time limits depend on the stage of the procedure. After the special deadline, the ordinary rules for changing a surname or given name may apply, with different conditions.
Does the new name appear in the decree?
The Frenchification decision is linked to the acquisition and subsequently allows French civil-status records to be updated. Keep every decision published or provided to you.
Official source
Article updated on 16 September 2026. Frenchification is a personal choice that should be prepared carefully.