In Ukraine, patronymics are now being registered after the mother, not the father
Ukrainian legislation has allowed people to change their patronymic since 2021, including replacing the father's name with the mother's name.
In Ukraine, cases have emerged of citizens replacing the traditional patronymic with a so-called matronymic — a name derived from the mother's name. One such case was described by lawyer Kateryna Yasko on her Facebook page. She reported that her daughter, upon turning 19, received a new first name, surname, and matronymic in place of her former patronymic.
"Before our eyes, a dear young person is creating themselves step by step — choosing who to be, what to be called, what to love, where to live, what to study, and what to leave behind," wrote Yasko, congratulating her daughter.
The post sparked a discussion about the very concept of a matronymic. One user pointed out that the suffix "-ivna" is traditionally used to form the feminine patronymic. Yasko responded that a patronymic is a name derived from the father, while a matronymic is a name derived from the mother. As an example, she cited the form "Katerynivna," which in this case is derived from the mother's name Kateryna and is used specifically as a matronymic.
The ability to independently change one's patronymic appeared in Ukrainian legislation following amendments to Article 295 of the Civil Code. From the age of 16, a person may change their surname, first name, and patronymic at their own discretion, while from the age of 14, a change is possible subject to the conditions prescribed by law.
As the SPJ reported, the Czech Republic rejected the Istanbul Convention due to gender ideology.
