Australian Capital Territory Consolidated Acts

ADOPTION ACT 1993 - SECT 45

    (1)     Subject to subsection (2), on the making of an adoption order, the adopted child must have as his or her surname—

        (a)     if both parents are known by the same surname—that surname; or

        (b)     in any other case—

              (i)     the maiden name or other surname of the child's mother; or

              (ii)     the surname of the child's father; or

              (iii)     the surname or former surname of any other parent of the child; or

              (iv)     a surname formed by combining the parents' surnames or former surnames;

whichever the court, on the application of either of the adoptive parents, approves in the adoption order.

    (2)     Subject to subsection (3), on the making of an adoption order, the adopted child must have as his or her forename or forenames such name or names as, on the application of the adoptive parents, the court approves in the adoption order.

    (3)     If, before the making of an adoption order, the adopted child had been generally known by a particular name, the court may, in the adoption order, order that the child must have that name.

    (4)     Nothing in this section prevents the changing of any name of an adopted child, after the making of the adoption order, in accordance with the law of the Territory.