The Names Act divides personal names into different types. Today there are three types of personal name: first name, surname and middle name.

First name

Your first names can be those given to you by your parents, but you can also choose to add to or change your names yourself. It is possible to have several first names.

Surname

Surnames usually come from parents. The main rule is that the children of parents with the same surname take that name. If the parents have different surnames, different rules apply.

Middle name

You can take a middle name if you, for example, choose your spouse's surname when you marry.
Please note that middle names are dealt with by the Swedish Tax Agency.