The Process to Legally Change your Name

Each individual has a right to change his or her name as per will. There are a certain rules and laws that must be followed in order to get the new name in action. This article throws light on some of the essential legal processes involved in changing one’s name after marriage, or for any other purposes. 


There are many reasons that might drive the idea of changing one’s name as it exists. The decision to legally change your name is a crucial one and must not be taken in haste. Your name reflects your identity and plays a vital role in your professional as well as day to day life. There are several important steps that must be followed as a part of the process of changing names. Remember, change of name is a huge step and a hasty decision can ruin the same. The whole process of going about the act is simple and very user friendly. Further, you may like to read about the process in some detail and get a fair idea about proceeding in the matter with convenience.

The legal notes to follow while changing names

The first and foremost things to do while applying for a new name is fill out a form at the local government office so that the legal proceedings can begin. Other than that, as an applicant, you will also have to apply for a modified social security card after deciding to change your name. A social security card works as a proof of identity and is very important to have. All the relevant details in the prescribed form have to be filled up and submitted in the local office. All the important details about such forms and the right ways of submission can be found on the government website. After you have your new modified social security card number in hand, you may move ahead with other legal formalities.

The driving license is also something that is very essential and must bear the right name of the user. Therefore, it is essential that you visit your local DMV office in order to get your name changed in their records. It is very pivotal that the government records have your right name as these details can be important in ways more than one. Additionally, travelling is something that everyone likes to do once in a while and almost everyone has a passport for the said purpose. Just like a driver’s license, the passport too must have the correct name on it. Therefore it is the duty of the person changing his name to inform the requisite offices about this big change.

These above mentioned changes must be taken seriously. This is because if the names on them do not match with the name of the person travelling or driving with them, then, it might be a serious issue. Other than that, there are many other government and non-government bodies that must be informed about the change of name; some of these are:

• Post office
• School associations
• Banks
• Insurance agents
• Employers
• Credit card companies
• State taxing authority
• Utility and telephone companies, etc.

Undoubtedly, the legal formalities are essential but there are some non-legal points too that must be remembered while changing one’s name legally.

The non-legal perspective to changing names

Everyone has a right to change their birth name if they do not approve of it for some reason or the other. They can choose the name of their choice but there are some exceptions that must be kept in mind while thinking of a new name. For instance, one cannot pick a name that matches that of a famous personality or celebrity. Such change of names can be very misleading in nature and thus are not allowed. There are some people who choose to change their name to run from their criminal activities and that is strictly prohibited by the law.

A valid reason must be provided to change the name and the government authorities will also conduct a proper background check of the applicant to rule out the above mentioned possibility. Some people wish to hide their illicit activities by changing their name while there are many others who change their name to commit wrongful actions. This kind of name change is strictly not possible and must not be done under any circumstances. A modified name must not contain punctuation marks or some numeric characters as that is a strict no-no. Besides, one cannot choose a new name that offends the society or is obscene in nature. All these mentioned pointers have their individual importance and must not be missed while changing names. 

Overall, the decision to legally change your name is a personal decision but the above points must be kept in mind.

The final call

One has to be totally sure when he or she decides to legally change the name. Some people regard this as a very tricky, time consuming and cumbersome matter but it is not so at all. The applicants can go through the entire process by themselves and do not need the services of a lawyer to do their bidding. However, if some people wish to hire expert help then there are professional service providers for the same. These name change facilitators offer a variety of packages to the customers to take the load off their shoulders.

All applicants can find a lot of useful information about these service providers on the internet. If you decide to legally change your name then it is advisable to do so in a careful manner. Complexities may arise only if one does not follow the legal process or chooses a questionable name. In absence of both the aforementioned possibilities, the entire process of name change is simple and very easy going. The government bodies have worked hard over the years in order to simplify the entire process of changing names so that the applicants face no troubles whatsoever. – Just go for it.

Why should you get a New Married Name?

Getting a new married name will avoid confusion in various circles and help you get all documentation in order

Traditionally, all women after marriage changed and used the last name of their husband, but the important question is “Why?” Well, earlier it was felt and assumed that a husband would build a house and after marriage the wife would come and stay in it so the surname has to be adopted by her.  In most cases, even till date, the children are given their father’s surname rather than the mother’s maiden surname.

Usually, a woman takes her husband’s surname, but though uncommon, the reverse of this is also happening; many husbands are taking on the surname of their wives. Now-a-days, the thought process that a woman needs to take her husband’s surname is slowly changing and many women are keeping their maiden names even after marriage. But, getting a new married name doesn’t mean that you lose your identity, it just binds you into the new family.

Reasons to Change your Maiden Surname after Marriage

• Once you are married, you become partners for life and everyone sees you as a package. So, what’s the harm in having a common tag or label for identification? It becomes easier to identify your family as Mr. and Mrs. Cruz (say) and even the children get the same surname, therefore all of you are tagged as the Cruz family. Don’t you think it is easier?

• Generally, when you are attending an official party, you are addressed as Mrs. so and so, but if you are using your maiden name, then people often get confused in how to address you. Should they call you by your first name or is it Ms. so and so? Why make life more complicated than it already is? A new married name makes life so much simpler for you and your family.

• Yes, once you are married, you are probably going to have a joint bank account in your new name; not to forget the marriage certificate, security cards, and the birth certificate of your children that will have your name too. Also, when you buy a property jointly, then, to avoid the paper work from getting complicated, it is a good idea to have the same surname. So, if you happen to be newly married and have changed your maiden surname to that of your husband, you need not go through the trouble of proving your marital status and identity every time you plan to start a joint venture with your husband. It is a wise decision to get a new married name and make all paper work easy.

• Remember that if you change your name it definitely does not mean that you (as a person) are going to change in any way. There is so much more that changes for you as woman when you get married, like you move into a new home, adjust with your husband and his family, etc. So, why create confusion over a surname? A change in your surname is not going to change your identity or your personality, then why resist it?

Things to keep in mind if you are thinking of a new married name

Life does change after marriage, and along with it you have a change in name too. As you want to be a part of your husband’s family, you decide to change your last name so that you have a sense of belonging with the whole family. Yes, it is a big step to have a new married name and before you consider changing your last name legally, there are a few things to be kept in mind.

• After marriage, changing your name to your husband’s name is quite easy; all that you have to do is start using his last name. The first place where you will have a new name is on the marriage certificate which you will obtain from the office of the Registrar of Marriage. That’s where the journey of your new married name begins! Yes, using your changed name in social settings is not a problem at all, but in certain places like banks, your driving license, social security card and other legal and financial matters may require documentation to prove your new identity. Mostly, in all these cases, your marriage certificate should suffice. 

• The next important step would be to change and update your name in all documentations and identity cards because these days it is almost impossible to do any financial transaction without having a copy of the same. All you need to do is submit your old documents along with your marriage certificate, a copy of the official government gazette, and a copy of a joint notarized affidavit. Once your name is updated, do ensure that your income tax papers and all other important papers are updated with your new name.

• The next important step would be to change and update your name in all documentations and identity cards because these days it is almost impossible to do any financial transaction without having a copy of the same. All you need to do is submit your old documents along with your marriage certificate, a copy of the official government gazette, and a copy of a joint notarized affidavit. Once your name is updated, do ensure that your income tax papers and all other important papers are updated with your new name.

• Some important offices have to be notified about your legal name change like the passport office, post office, registrar of voters, your creditors and debtors, insurance agencies, Department of Records, social security administration, banks, financial institutions, department of motor vehicles, state taxing authority, telephone and utility companies – and most importantly, don’t forget to notify your employer.

• You may think that you can go through all the processes by yourself, but the task is not as easy as it sounds and may take more than a month for your new married name to be updated in all essential documents. Therefore, it is always advisable to speak with a qualified family law attorney in your area so that you do it the right way. Agreed that it sounds overwhelming, but the sooner you update your documents the lesser problems you will have in future. Enjoy the feeling of being tagged into a new name and a new family.

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