Migrants drop given names for Western version

History is repeating itself in reverse as immigrants to Ireland begin changing their names to westernised versions.

Entries in the register of those who have changed their name formally by deeds poll in the last year show many have adopted first names similar to their birth names but in forms more familiar in Ireland.

Among the changes are Ewa to Eva, Andrzej to Andrew, Elzbieta to Elizabeth, Aleksandra to Alexandra, Jevgenijs to Eugene, Krzysztof to Kris, Ewelina to Evelyn, Wlodzimierz to Walter, Grzegorz to Greg, Wieslaw to Wesley, Aleh to Alex, and Nikita to Nicholas.