Of Basque origin, this Frenchwoman’s first name was refused at birth. Today, at 28, she can finally wear it, despite its particularity.
The first name is often an integral part of our identity. No wonder parents are racking their brains to find the perfect first name for their child (here are the 2024 trends to inspire you). Some give it a very special meaning, as is the case for the choreographer Kamel Ouali with his son. Other artists choose to hide theirs with a nickname. We think in particular of Vitaa who says she hates her real first name.
But this French girl loves hers and couldn’t wear it officially. In 2023, the parents of little Artús had to fight for their offspring to keep his first name of Occitan origin. It’s young Aña’s turn to win her case. In France Blueshe explains that his first name was refused by the civil registry at his birth due to the tilde on the “n”current in Spanish and the Basque language.
The rest after this ad
Like the “ú” of Artús, the “ñ” of Aña does not exist in the French language. Not officially accepted, Aña’s first name therefore became “Ana”. HAS France Bluethe young woman explains what this meant for her: “Even if Ana is a first name, it’s not mine, I always had the impression that I was being called with a first name that is not mine”. This impacted his everyday life: “When we made the call, I didn’t recognize myself, to take the exams, the baccalaureate… It was on a daily basis, the people I met, ‘ah Ania is Russian? Ah with tilde so it’s Spanish?”.
In September 2023, Aña decided to file a request for compliance with the Bayonne prosecutor. To his great surprise, it was accepted! A real change for her: “All my papers were in Ana’s name, it’s me without being exactly my identity, I didn’t think that at 28 I would be able to get my tilde back, and I’m very happy about it.” A bill going in this direction was censored by the Constitutional Council in 2021 but these individual spelling changes could influence a more global upheaval.
Editor for Aufeminin since 2022, Charlotte is passionate about cinema, French and international, and a fortune reader. Curious about everything, she talks as much about personalities as…