Summary

Every person has a name: the given name and surname which allow his or her identification from other persons. Such an official name should always be written in the same way in all state databases and documents. This is normally the case with Estonian and foreign personal names. Foreign names written in the Latin alphabet maintain their original form and no exceptions are made in favour of the Estonian manner of writing. However, there are problems with personal names whose original form is not in the Latin alphabet, particularly in the transcription of Russian personal names into Estonian and in their transliteration into the Latin alphabet. This means that a Russian speaking person may have two, three or even four different forms of name.

Drawing on problems encountered in the past and today, the author examines how it has become possible to use several forms of Russian names and how to discourage such use.