Overview

• The Selbstbestimmungsgesetz, effective November 1, 2024, lets individuals change their gender entry and first name by simple declaration without expert or court involvement.
• Major Hessian registry offices have logged over 1,000 applications, with Frankfurt receiving more than 450 requests by the end of May.
• The Gesellschaft für deutsche Sprache reviews about 15–20 weekly name inquiries and approves roughly 60–70% of gender-change name requests compared to a 90% approval rate for newborn names.
• While Wiesbaden and Kassel have yet to reject any proposals, Darmstadt and Marburg have declined unconventional requests such as “Diamond Caramel” and “Pudding.”
• Applicants face a mandatory three-month waiting period and those adopting a “divers” or no-gender entry enjoy greater freedom in choosing their new first names.