Almost any name is possible — but the civil registry office may refuse one that clearly harms the child.

Updated July 2026

👶 May we give our child any first name in Liechtenstein?

With conditions

Quick answer

Almost — the freedom is wide, but not unlimited. If the parents are married to each other, they choose the first names jointly; otherwise the naming right belongs to the mother. The name must be reported to the civil registry office (Zivilstandsamt) with the notice of birth. Any first name is allowed, provided it does not clearly harm the interests of the child — that is the test flowing from the General Civil Code (ABGB, LR 210.0). The myth: „You can name your child whatever you like.“ Wrong — the registry office may refuse a name that is ridiculous, offensive or not recognisable as a first name and that harms the child. And one more difference: Liechtenstein name law sits in the ABGB and the PGR, not in the Swiss ZGB — same topics, different sources.

📋 The rules

Who decides (ABGB, LR 210.0): married parents set the first names jointly; if they are not married, the right belongs to the mother. Disagreement is no ground for „no name at all“ — it must be resolved.
The test is the welfare of the child: any first name is admissible as long as it does not clearly harm the interests of the child. Names that are ridiculous, degrading or not recognisable as a first name can be refused by the registry office.
Report with the notice of birth: the first names are reported to the Liechtenstein civil registry office together with the notice of birth and are recorded in the civil register.
The family name follows its own rules: the child's surname is governed by the provisions of the ABGB (among them § 139) and marriage and name law — the first name is the freely chosen part, the surname is not.
Changing later means a name change: a first name once entered is not swapped informally, but only through a name change under Art. 46 ff PGR with important reasons. In Switzerland the same matter would sit in the ZGB.

🔓 Exceptions

Unmarried parents: the naming right first belongs to the mother; a different allocation is possible through declarations and the rules of the ABGB, not by mere agreement at the changing table.
Refusal by the registry office: if a desired name is detrimental to the child, the office requires a different one. That is not harassment but the statutory limit of the welfare of the child.
Later correction: if you do want to change the first name afterwards, that is possible only in the name-change procedure (PGR) — with important reasons and a fee, not on request.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

There are no „penalties“ here, but the consequences of a misjudgement are real. If the registry office refuses a chosen name as detrimental to the child, the recording is delayed until an admissible name is settled. If married parents disagree, that is a question of parental responsibility and can go all the way to the court or to the involvement of the Office of Social Services. What really costs is regret: a first name once entered can be corrected only through a name change under Art. 46 ff PGR — with proof of important reasons and a fee of CHF 100. Not obvious: a name that harms the child can later give that child its own claim to a change, and every correction runs through all certificates and registers.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

Who decides the first name of our child?

If the parents are married, they choose the first names jointly; otherwise the naming right belongs to the mother. The name is reported to the civil registry office with the notice of birth, which then records it in the civil register.

Can the registry office refuse a first name?

Yes, if the name clearly harms the interests of the child, for example because it is ridiculous, offensive or not recognisable as a first name. The office then requires an admissible name before it records the birth.

Where and when must we report the name?

The first names are reported to the Liechtenstein civil registry office together with the notice of birth and are entered in the civil register. After that they are no longer freely interchangeable, but can be changed only through a name-change procedure under the PGR.

Can we change the first name later?

Only through a name-change procedure under Art. 46 ff PGR, for which important reasons are required. The fee is CHF 100, and the change then runs through all documents and registers, so it pays to choose carefully from the start.

Do the Swiss naming rules apply here?

No, Liechtenstein name law sits in the ABGB and the PGR, not in the Swiss ZGB, even though the topics are the same. The test for first names is similar, however, and focuses on whether the name harms the welfare of the child.

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