Changing your name is not to be taken lightly, but if you decide that you don't like your new name or you get fed up of it, you can always change it back or change it to something else!
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One man (for example) had a car registration number such as A123 BCD. He thought that the easiest way of getting a personalised number plate was not to change the number plate on the car but to change his name to A123 BCD! We wouldn't recommend it, but it can be done. It is debatable whether you can have an Arabic number (1,2,3 etc) in your name but there is no reason in law why not.
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Changing Children's names
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If have sole parental responsibility and you are changing your child's name, then you do not need the consent of the child's other parent. If you are not the only person with parental responsibility, or not the only parent named on the child's Birth Certificate then you do need the other parent's consent.
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Birth Certificate
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Under normal circumstances it isn't possible to change the name on your birth certificate unless you have had your gender re-assigned and have a Gender Recognition Certificate. It is possible to change children's names under certain circumstances such as if the parents weren't married at the time of registration of a child's birth and the father was not present at the registration but the father subsequently consents for the child to use his name.
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How do I change my name?
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There are many ways of changing your name but the two most popular are by Statutory Declaration and Deed Poll. Most people have heard of both ways of changing a name but few know the difference. We shall explain;
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Name Change by Deed Poll
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Deed Poll is a legal document which, (unlike most deeds) only has one party; you! There are various words on the deed whereby you relinquish your former name and adopt your new name. You then require everybody to stop using your old name and address you by your new name only.
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The deed is signed you and witnessed by two independent people, (not relatives). That is all there is to it!
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Before 1989 the deed had to be (remember the Stevie Wonder song?) signed, sealed, delivered (I'm yours). Since 1989 deeds have to be signed, witnessed and delivered. There is no longer a need to seal them.
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What do I do with my Deed Poll?
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If you are changing your name on your bank or building society account or applying for a new passport then you will need to produce the original document (or a copy certified by a Solicitor), to the organisation to which you are applying. It is as easy as that. They will then return the document to you after they have taken copies themselves. Be aware that many organisations will not accept certified copies.
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Deed Poll Registration (enrolment).
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It is possible to enrol i.e. lodge for safe keeping, in the Enrolment Books of the Supreme Court of Judicature which is within in the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand, London. There is a fee for this which is a couple of hundred pounds. Less than one quarter of 1% of deeds are ever enrolled and the reason is quite simply that enrolling the deed is of no benefit to anyone whatsoever. It is simply a central record which is 99.75% incomplete. We would not recommend it as it is an unnecessary cost.
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Name Change by Statutory Declaration
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The other most popular way of changing a name is done by Statutory Declaration. Statutory Declaration is a legal document, sworn on oath in front of a Solicitor, Judge, Officer of the Court or Commissioner of Oaths. Once you receive your Statutory Declaration of name change from us, you simply need to take it to any firm of Solicitors (they will usually do it with no appointment) to have the document "sworn" on oath. It takes two minutes and there is a standard fee of five pounds. Traditionally, the five pounds is paid in cash as it is the Solicitors pocket money. If however you have the document sworn at the Court they make no charge.
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A Statutory Declaration does not need to be witnessed it is simply a matter between you and whoever does the swear on oath for you.
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The Difference between Statutory Declaration and Deed Poll
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Our preferred option is to swear a Statutory Declaration. That is because it is sworn on oath in front of a Solicitor. We believe it makes the document a little more "official" but the legal affect is no different.
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In any event, if you are changing your name on change-name.co.uk the process that you go through, and the cost, is exactly the same. Choosing whether you do your name change by Deed Poll or by Statutory Declaration really comes down to personal choice and whether you wish to have the document witnessed by two people (perhaps friends) or have it sworn in front of a Solicitor for £5. The effect of the document is exactly the same.
Author Resource:
James Mather is a solicioter and legal moderator on legal advice website Expert Answers. James is also a legal advisor on change a name website www.change-name.co.uk the online change name website.
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