What's in a name: Should you keep or change your adopted child's name?

One of the first choices every parent has to make is what to name their child. But when your child already arrives with a name, this decision becomes more complex. Changing or keeping a birth name can affect an adopted child’s sense of identity and connection.

Jenny Gilder with daughter Mimi Source: Jenny Gilder

For families adopting kids from other countries and cultures choosing a name is not straightforward. 

Do you keep the child's birth name? Or do you opt for an English name that makes it easier for your kid to blend in, or that you feel more connection to, and risk cutting a cultural tie to their country of birth?

Choosing a name for adoptees is a really important and also complex thing to be thinking about.

         Nikki Hartmann  

Nikki Hartmann from Relationships Australia has worked with intercultural adoptive families for nearly twenty years.  Over that time naming practices have evolved to reflect what adopted kids are saying about the importance of birth names.

There's a general understanding that you shouldn't be changing your adopted child's original name, unless there's a very good reason to do that.

Jenny Gilder tried to strike a compromise for her toddler, whom she adopted from Ethiopia. Retaining cultural connection was important, but she worried that her daughter's current name, Etsub, would be difficult to manage in Melbourne. She opted for Mimi, also an Ethiopian name but one that would translate easier in Australia and that resonated more with Jenny personally.

For Lisa and Dave Morey, retaining their kids’ original names was crucial. Although they knew some people in Australia might think the names Abel and Samrawit are unusual, Lisa and Dave believed that it was an important way to honour the history of their children's birthplace.

Lisa and Dave Morey with their children Abel and Samrawit. Source: Lisa Morey

Mother Country is a four-part podcast series that looks at intercultural adoption through the lives of Australian families. 

Follow Mother Country in the SBS radio app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google podcasts or in your favourite podcast app.

Produced and created by Aimee Chan.