French Civil Code
In forceWhere filiation is established under the conditions laid down in article 342-11 by joint acknowledgement, the women named therein choose the surname that will devolve on the child at the latest at the time of the declaration of birth: either the name of one of them, or their two names together in the order chosen by them, subject to a limit of one surname for each of them. In the absence of a joint declaration to the civil registrar mentioning the choice of the child's name, the child takes both their names, up to the limit of the first surname of each of them, joined in alphabetical order.
In the event of birth abroad, the child's name is chosen by the civil registrar.
In the event of the birth abroad of a child of whom at least one of the parents is French, the parents who have not exercised their right to choose a name under the conditions set out in the first paragraph of this article may make such a declaration when applying for the transcription of the record, at the latest within three years of the child's birth.
Where this article, article 311-21, the second paragraph of article 311-23 or article 357 have already been applied in respect of a common child, the name previously devolved or chosen applies to the other common children.
Where the parents, or one of them, bear a double surname, they may, by a joint declaration in writing, pass on only one surname to their children.
Where the last paragraph of article 342-13 is applied and the child's filiation is modified as a result, the public prosecutor shall change the child's name by application of this article.
