While I have heard some people (mostly people without an adoption connection) totally disagree with changing a child’s or baby’s name when they are adopted. I was adopted at six weeks old along with my sister a year and a half. When we were adopted our parents decided to keep our first names and change our middle names to a family name.

The thought of keeping part of the given birth name and the adoptive parents adding a name of their own to the adoptee is a nice balance. To keep part of the past while embracing the future is how I see this.

Yes, I have heard that some adoptees are very opposed to have their birth name changed and in some cases change their names back to their birth name. In these cases I think the problem of the name change is not the true issue. In most cases the true issue is with adoption as a whole, so anything to do with adoption they will take issue with.

I have known some older foster children that were adopted and wanted their name changed. With older children I would most definitely think they should have a lot of say in whether their name is changed and to what.

When I adopted my children they received a new first name and the birth first name became their middle name. With my son’s name there was someone in the family with the same name, so that is what started us with changing the first name. We have just decided to do the same with everyone.

I want them to have a piece of their birth past (name) just as I did growing up. I have not known a lot of adoptees that were opposed to their adoptive parents changing their name. I kind of think it goes along with being adopted.

More reading:

Adoption & Young Adoptees

Thoughts of a Young Adoptee