Changing baby name after 12 months!

As you both seems so unhappy with his current name, I would just go ahead and change it. I think even changing by deedpoll is pretty straightforward to do. As DinahRod says, its not very often that previous names are asked for. I can't remember the last time I needed to state my maiden name, and I've hardly ever had to produce my birth certificate. As soon as your DS has a passport, this will become his primary ID.

We changed DS's name btw. I did it at about 5 months so just had the birth certificate changed, but I understand how you feel. I was really unhappy with the original name and felt instantly happier as soon as we decided to make the change

I also think they are much stricter about procedures than they were X years ago when you would have got your first passport too.

once you HAVE a passport you can just keep renewing it so it wouldn't cause any problems for you now
but acquiring a first passport these days they're very strict about rules.

no, i am just wondering if perhaps the fact that you were not born in the UK meant it was ok for you to get a passport without using your birth certificate/under a different name

you're being very defensive.

your situation is NOT the same as the OP's. and as you cannot clarify whether or not your poace of birth meant it was a different scenario, and as the passport office clearly says it requires a birth certificate as proof of identity I think it would be prudent of the OP to assume that this is, in fact, the case.

so tell me how you get a passport, when you need to send in your birth certificate as a supporting document to prove who you are

That is true MH. :)

i'm not saying you are lying, just that your situation is different to the OP's.

i am capable of knowing about stuff without having first hand experience of it

no, you can't apply for a passoport in any old name. otherwise you'd have criminals with hundreds of passports.

to get a passport you uhave to send a copy of your birth certificate.

mahgichomes, maybe it's different for you as you weren't born in the uk? i don't know. but the site you linked to does not back up what you are claiming.

I suppose the hassle I'm envisaging is when forms require you to declare any names by which you were formerly known. I suppose it only takes a few seconds longer to fill it out. I wonder if it affects processing time of passports etc?

And will DD's school / GP etc think I'm a loon?

that's really good to hear MH :)

Perhaps I was misunderstanding the direct gov info? I read it as:

The new forenames were given in baptism

or

by regular use within 12 months

IYSWIM?

Does the 12 months rider apply to both "in baptism" and "in regular use"?

This is what direct gov says:

You can change a child?s forename in the following circumstances:

* new forenames were given in baptism or by regular use within 12 months of the birth being registered
* if your child has been baptised, only the baptismal names can be added to the register - the minister with custody of the baptismal register needs to confirm this with the 'Certificate of name given in Baptism' form linked below

Flowchart from UKDP:

www.ukdp.co.uk/pdfs/birth-certificate-flowchart-england-wales.pdf

TBH it's not a biggie if I have to do it by deed poll...I only want to choose whichever option is going to be the least hassle for her in the long run.

And surely anyone CAN apply for a passport in any name? Changing by deed poll is a fairly straughtforward affair as far as I can see.

i'm sorry, but you do need to do it by deed poll

the link says that a name can be changed on the register if the child has been baptised (the baptismal name can be added) or if an alternative name can be proved to have been in use during the first 12 months of life

if you could just change your name for the fun of it then ANYONE could apply for a passport in ANY name and the entire thing would be utterly pointless.
you cannot just change your name without deed poll

Oooh this is interesting - particularly your post shelscrape.

My five year old DD's official (birth cert) name is Rosie, but we often call her Rosalina (which she loves), and I'm really kicking myself that we didn't give her that as a "long" name, with Rosie as a nickname.

I'm currently looking into getting her name changed on the birth certificate, and I'm a bit confused about the rules. It seems from everything that I've read that a child under the age of 16 can have their forename changed on the certificate if they are baptised with that name. It seems that the 12 month rule doesn't apply in this instance.

DD has not yet been baptised, so I'm thinking I might go down that route. My only worry is that it will cause her hassle in the future.

A couple of Asian friends have called their dcs by a family nn and then reverted to their full and more grown up name which is nothing like the nn once they were 3 or 4 years old. Also Chinese children often have a Chinese name and then an 'English' name without disorientating them.

If you know you dislike it then change it and do the paperwork. It's not that often that you are called on to show you've been known by another name tbh. Once they get into the education system it gets more complicated so I would do it before then.

if you are going to change it, to make it easier for him, maybe start using the new name but also still use the old one a bit too for a few days and then gradually fade the old one out. play games like 'where is mummy?' 'here i am' and pointing, then do the same with his name perhaps?
as you both dislike the proper name i agree that changing it now would be the best in the long run.
i am known by my middle name and it is a bit annoying having to explain it everytime i ring the doctor's or or do official things, but it is no biggy really and an interesting quirk he can tell his friends when he's older!

I think because your DS is 16mths you will have to change it by deed poll.
No i don't think it will mess him up,he is to young to be able to remember the name he has now.
When i had DS1 i wasn't 16 so he had my maiden name.I went on to marry his dad,but it wasn't till DS went to high school that we changed his name.He was always known by my married name even through it wasn't on his birth certificate.I think people just took it that because i was married to his dad he had the same last name.We finally changed it while registered DD 12 years later.It was never a problem and it is just a normal thing for DS to declare another known name,just like we declare our maiden name.
HTH