Facts
Donika Ibrahimi (born 25.08.1990) and Vera Ibrahimi (born 14.01.1993) live with their mother, who was divorced from their father, Mahmud Ibrahimi, in 1997 and resumed her maiden name Gretler after the divorce. The applicants requested to be allowed to carry the maternal name Gretler as their family name. After the Directorate of Justice and Home Affairs of the Canton of Zurich initially granted the request, it later rejected it following an objection by the father. The High Court of the Canton of Zurich confirmed this decision. The applicants have appealed the High Court's decision to the Federal Supreme Court.Considerations
The Federal Supreme Court dismissed the appeal. It stated that according to Art. 30 para. 1 CC, a name change is only permissible if there are important reasons. Such reasons are to be affirmed if the interest of the name bearer in a new name outweighs the interest of the administration and the general public in the immutability of the name once acquired and entered in the registers, as well as in the identification of the individual.
The Federal Supreme Court concluded that the reasons put forward by the appellants - such as the Balkan origin of the name, possible disadvantages on the job market, as well as psychological and emotional reasons - do not constitute important…