The principles of not using a trans person’s former name (vana nimi) apply after death as well. In posthumous reporting, obituaries, and similar contexts, it is recommended to use the name that the person wished to be known by during their lifetime. This is an important step in maintaining the dignity of the deceased.
If, due to lack of information, a person’s former name was used in the original report (for example, in a murder case), the error should be corrected immediately in the original article (in the case of online publications).
In situations where speed is a priority and facts are unclear, we recommend leaving out gender details and using gender-neutral words such as “person,” “individual,” “victim,” or similar. In many cases, a surname or initials alone are sufficient.