The amendment to the regulations in force since March 2015 (Act of November 28, 2014 – Law on Civil Status Records) has opened up a wide scope of maneuver for parents: you can give your child names of foreign origin, archaic, rare, or even those that have an unusual connotation in common perception. However, the boundaries are clear. Article 59 of the Act states directly:
- you can choose no more than two names,
- names cannot be in diminutive form,
- names cannot be ridiculous or obscene,
- when assessing gender, the official is guided by the common meaning of the name (which leaves a margin of common sense, but does not allow for semantic freedom).
Regardless of the citizenship and nationality of the parents, names may be foreign – the legislator consciously abandoned the old, rigid practice, moving towards the cultural and linguistic realities of contemporary Poland.
If the official finds that the name chosen violates these criteria, is obliged to refuse to accept the declaration and issue an administrative decision subject to immediate execution. In practice, he or she can indicate the name ex officio, and the parents have the right to appeal – first through administrative procedures, and ultimately the path leads to court. This mechanism protects the child’s interests and at the same time does not suppress reasonable creativity, which may be rooted in family tradition or another culture.
Statistics from the first half of 2025 published by the Ministry of Digitization show that although classic names dominate the rankings, unusual choices are becoming more and more common. In many cases, these are names with deep cultural roots that sound foreign in Poland, but have a long tradition in other countries:
- Taras – 7 registrations. In Polish it is associated with architecture, but in fact it is a popular name in Ukraine, derived from the name Tarasios;
- Radomir – 8 registrations. A name of Slavic origin, meaning “one who enjoys peace”;
- Krzesimir – 4 registrations. A rare, old Polish name that had, among others, famous composer Krzesimir Dębski;
- Denys – 4 registrations. A variant of the name Dionizy, popular in Eastern Slavic countries;
- Zahar, Nil, Orion, Symeon, Sani – 2 registrations each. Orion is a reference to Greek mythology and the constellation, Nile – to one of the most important rivers in the world, Simeon – to the biblical tradition;
- Cosmic – 24 registrations. A name with Christian roots, associated with the cult of Saints Cosmas and Damian;
- Damir – 58 registrations. Most often chosen from the group of rare ones, popular in the Balkans, it means “peace” or “one who gives peace”.
Although the numbers show that such names are still marginal, their presence in the registers is not accidental. This phenomenon is part of the global trend of searching for uniqueness. Parents are increasingly choosing rare names to emphasize the child’s individuality and distinguish him from the peer group. Interestingly, psychologists point out that they may influence social development. On the one hand, they contribute to building a strong identity, on the other hand, they can lead to a sense of otherness.
Statistics from the Ministry of Digitization clearly show that in 2025, Poles still remain faithful to names with strong cultural roots:
- Nicodemuswhich topped the scoreboard 2777 registrationsis a name of Greek origin, meaning “victory of the people”. It has gained enormous popularity in recent years, including: thanks to its presence in literature and popular culture;
- they came right behind him Antoni (2461) i Jan (2373) – names that have enjoyed the unwavering trust of parents for generations;
- also took high places Leon (2237), Aleksander (2192) i Franciszek (2171), which confirms that the Christian and historical tradition is still strongly present in Polish families.
She became the undisputed leader among the girls Sophia – a name of Greek origin, meaning “wisdom”. They were given to as many as 2117 timeswhich allowed her to overtake Maya i Susannawhich dominated the rankings a few years ago. The name Zofia, like Nikodem, is coming back into favor thanks to its timeless character – it is elegant, simple, and at the same time full of meaning.
An interesting fact is that many of the most popular names in Poland have their equivalents in European rankings. Leon i Aleksander have been at the forefront in Germany and Spain for years, a Sophia (Sophia/Sofia) has been ruling many Western European countries for a decade. Although parents in Poland willingly experiment with originality, they still remain part of a broader, international trend in which classics and tradition win over temporary fashion.
