We changed the names of our two Russian children adopted at ages 3 & 4 . We kept their first names as their middle names. They weren't even called by their Russian names though - they were called by their Russian nicknames. Example, Alexander was called
"Vova". We kept his name but it was NEW to him because he wasn't called Alex or Alexander. We made the switch by calling them by both their names at first (their new name followed by the nickname they were used to). They got used to hearing it and it became easy to drop the 2nd name - their Russian nickname.
Our domestic adoptions were older, twins ages 7 and brother 8. We told them we wanted to give them a name because they were now our children and asked them if they were ok with this. They wanted to change their names. We told them we wanted to keep their birth name as their middle name. The oldest didn't want to keep any of his birth names but we kept his first birth name for his middle name anyway.
The switch was more difficult but we told their teachers who told the class. We told our other children. It was hardest for the other sibs to remember... but because the boys WANTED their names changed, they would complain when someone would forget and come tell me. I told them simply to correct them, telling them that was not their name anymore. Once they realized it was their job to keep every one straight... they made sure they were called their new names.
I know another family who adopted a Russian child at age 6. They called him his Russian name until he was 13 when he asked to be called by his new American middle name. They started calling him his new name at age 13.
My children really are proud of their new names. They saw it as a form of permanancy for them. They had been in a couple of different foster homes, they knew they were finally HOME when we "named" them.
It's not for every family though and it's not for every child. Do what's right for your family.
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