The number of Latvians changing their names to distance themselves from Slavic origins has surged since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to data from the country’s Justice Ministry.
Over the past two to three years, more than 2,000 people annually have opted for a name change, up from just over 1,000 per year before the invasion.
Ministry official Solvita Saukuma-Laimere said that while name changes occur for various reasons, a key motivation has been the desire to replace Slavic surnames.
“Already in the first half-year after the war started, we noticed this trend,” she said. “Many people want to change their Slavic surname to something more characteristic of our cultural space.”
Kristaps Zemdaugavietis, formerly Vladislavs Podvinskis, changed both his first and last names along with his family. Their new surname, which translates to “under the Daugava,” is now unique in Latvia. He had considered the change for years but decided to proceed after the war began.
“I felt that people perceived me differently based on my name,” he said. “Whenever I dealt with banks, mobile operators or service providers, they would immediately speak to me in Russian. That is absolutely not OK.”
Historian Toms Ķikuts of the Latvian National Museum of History noted that mass name changes are not new to Latvia. In the 1920s and 1930s, many people altered their surnames to sound more Latvian, particularly those of German origin.
Under Latvian law, name changes are permitted under specific conditions, and applications are processed within a month. There are no legal limits on how many times a person can change their name.
Ministry official Solvita Saukuma-Laimere said that while name changes occur for various reasons, a key motivation has been the desire to replace Slavic surnames.
“Already in the first half-year after the war started, we noticed this trend,” she said. “Many people want to change their Slavic surname to something more characteristic of our cultural space.”
Kristaps Zemdaugavietis, formerly Vladislavs Podvinskis, changed both his first and last names along with his family. Their new surname, which translates to “under the Daugava,” is now unique in Latvia. He had considered the change for years but decided to proceed after the war began.
“I felt that people perceived me differently based on my name,” he said. “Whenever I dealt with banks, mobile operators or service providers, they would immediately speak to me in Russian. That is absolutely not OK.”
Historian Toms Ķikuts of the Latvian National Museum of History noted that mass name changes are not new to Latvia. In the 1920s and 1930s, many people altered their surnames to sound more Latvian, particularly those of German origin.
Under Latvian law, name changes are permitted under specific conditions, and applications are processed within a month. There are no legal limits on how many times a person can change their name.
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