Names - is "known as" enough?

[musicposy]

I've just watched a conversation on TV (Big Brother) where they are debating the issue that you can be known as anything you want to be. It brought up an issue that I've been wondering about.

My DD has been known by a shortened version of her name since birth. I wanted to call her by the shortened version on her birth certificate but DH didn't really think it was a "proper" name at the time. He now regrets that because she really fits the shortened version so well - she hates her birth certificate name and it really doesn't suit her.

So everybody, absolutely everybody, knows her by shortened version. She is even down at the doctors, dentist, local authority etc as "known as".

She's taken a few formal exams (music grades, dance grades etc) and we have always put the name she is known by on the certificates because she didn't want to go into the room and be called something unfamiliar, and because they weren't that important so we didn't think it mattered.

But now things like GCSEs and much more important exams will be looming and I'm not sure what to put her down as. Most people (dance school, singing teacher, etc) have never even been told she has a longer name, so it will be weird to change it just because the exams are getting a higher level and more important.

So, is "known as" enough? If she does GCSEs/ applies to uni/ for jobs (a bit of a way off, but I'm getting my head round it now) in shortened name, is it enough that she has been known as that name her whole life?

I'm reluctant to go the deed poll route because she is only a minor and it's something I think she would be better to do for herself later on, if that makes sense.

Any legal people out there?

[scurryfunge]

I was known by one name all my childhood and had a different name on my birth certificate. I had to revert to my "proper" name for exams and also for passport.

At work I'm known by one name formally but use my other name....to be honest it is a pain in the neck....suggest a formal resolution to avoid having to explain two names all the time.

[musicposy]

Yes, I suspected it would become an increasing pain in the neck for her...somebody told me you didn't need deed poll because known as is enough but I don't know where they got that info from. She is full name on her passport, now I think of it - that's the only thing other than birth certificate - but of course, I'm guessing when she gets national insurance number etc, that will all be full name too.

Grrr! I wish I could go back and call her short name on birth certificate and save a load of hassle! It just would feel a bit weird doing a deed poll on our child when we were the ones who gave her that name, IYSWIM.

[SmellsLikeTeenSweat]

At my dch's secondary school, you have to supply the child's legal name - the one on their birth certificate - but then you can give a 'preferred' name. So the child can be known on everything at the school as the shortened version; however, the legal name would be on GCSEs etc. But by then, presumably she'll be old enough to be able to cope with the fact that she's called Connie but has Constantinople on her birth certificate.