The naming convention used in Eritrea and Ethiopia does not have family namesand typically consists of an individual personal name and a separate patronymic. This is similar to Arabic,Icelandic, and Somali naming conventions. Traditionally for Ethiopians and Eritreans the lineage is traced paternally; legislation has been passed in Eritrea that allows for this to be done on the maternal side as well.
In this convention, children are given a name at birth, by which name they will be known. To differentiate from others in the same generation with the same name, their father's first name and sometimes grandfather's first name is added. This may continuead infinitum. Outside Ethiopia, this is often mistaken for asurname or middle name but unlike European names, different generations do not have the same second or third names.
In marriage, unlike in some Western societies, women do not change their maiden name, as the second name is not a surname.
