A judge in Georgia denied two transgender men's requests for a name change, insisting it "would be confusing and considered fraudulent."

Columbia County Superior Court Judge J. David Roper said he would allow Rowan Elijah Feldhaus and Andrew Norman Baumert to choose gender-neutral names, but allowing them to pick male names would “confuse or mislead the general public.”

Feldhaus and Baumert appealed Roper's ruling and, on Friday, an appeals court ruled they may legally change their names.

The appeals court said the only reason to prohibit a change of name is if the petitioner has an "improper motive," such as trying to defraud through mistaken identity or “intentionally assuming another person’s name for the purpose of embarrassing that person or avoiding the petitioner’s own criminal past.”

In these instances, Both Feldhaus and Baumert specified that the requested names were the ones used by family and friends.

“I’m beyond happy this is finally done, that there’s precedent over this, regardless of whether you’re trans or not,” said Feldhaus, a sociology major at Augusta University. “I hope it helps everybody.”

Attorney Beth Littrell of Lambda Legal, which helped Feldhaus and Baumert with their case, said the appeals court decision "solidifies an important right for the transgender community and obliterates the notion that living in conformity with their gender identity is somehow fraudulent or otherwise a concern for the government.”