👶 Can I give my child any name I want in Albania?

With conditions

Quick answer

Yes, in essence you choose the name — but not just “any” name. The myth is that parents can give their child absolutely any name. Law no. 10129/2009 “On Civil Status” says the civil status officer records the name the parents want, except unsuitable names; a refusal of a name can be challenged in court. If the parents do not agree, the officer enters a name marked “temporary” until a court resolves the dispute. The birth is declared within 60 days (90 days abroad) at the civil status office of the residence or of the place where the birth occurred. Beware a figure that gets confused: registering within the deadline gives the mother a grant of 5,000 lek (new) — not 50,000, as it is heard in old lek. So the name is free within the limit of suitability, and the deadline has concrete consequences.

📋 The rules

The civil status officer records the name the parents want, except unsuitable names (Law no. 10129/2009).
A refusal to register a particular name can be challenged in court by the parents.
When the parents do not agree, a name is entered marked “temporary” until a court resolves the dispute.
The birth is declared within 60 days in the country (90 days abroad), at the civil status office of the residence or of the place of birth.
Registering within the deadline gives the mother a grant of 5,000 lek (new); the child's surname is set under the Family Code.

🔓 Exceptions

The officer decides on names considered unsuitable; parents who disagree have the route of the court.
A later change of the name is allowed only once and only for reasons of unsuitability (article 57/1 onwards).
When the birth is registered after the deadline, a separate procedure is followed and the ease of on-time registration is lost.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

For the name there is no classic fine, but inaction has a real cost. If you miss the 60-day deadline for declaration, you lose the grant of 5,000 lek (new — not 50,000 old lek as it is said on the street) and the child stays unregistered, which blocks everything else: the health card, vaccinations, kindergarten, passport and benefits. Late registration requires a separate procedure, often with hospital certificates and more back-and-forth. If the parents remain in disagreement, the child's name stays “temporary” until the court decides — a process that costs time, money and stress, and leaves the child with an unsettled civil status. And if you later want to change the name, the law allows it only once and only for unsuitability, so the first choice carries weight. The cheapest way is to register it correctly and on time from the start.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

Can I give my child any name at all?

In essence the parents choose the name, but the civil status officer does not record unsuitable names. If a name is refused, the parents can challenge the decision in court, so freedom of choice has a limit at suitability.

What if the parents do not agree on the name?

When the parents do not agree, the civil status officer registers a name marked “temporary” in brackets. This name stays temporary until the dispute between the parents is resolved by a court, and only then is it entered as final.

Within how long must the birth be registered?

The birth is declared within sixty days when it happens in the country and within ninety days when it happens abroad. Registration is done at the civil status office of the parents' residence or of the place where the birth occurred.

Is there any benefit to registering on time?

Yes, registering within the deadline gives the mother a grant of five thousand new lek. Beware, this sum is often heard as fifty thousand lek, but that is the value in old lek and it is the same money.

Can I change the child's name later?

A change of name is allowed only once and only for reasons of unsuitability, under articles 57/1 onwards of the civil status law. For that reason the initial choice carries weight and cannot be changed as often as you like.

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