Changing my surname via deed poll... advice and suggestions?

[HeyDemonsItsYaGirl]

I've been thinking of changing my surname. I still have my ex-husband's and don't want to go back my maiden - both of them are hard to pronounce and spell - so I'd be choosing something totally new.

If anyone's done it, was it relatively easy to sort things out afterwards, or a pain in the butt? Will it be just like when I got married and sent my certificate off everywhere, or are there additional complications from a deed poll? I'm thinking stuff like credit checks, CRB checks (occasionally need these to access sensitive information for my job), etc?

Suggestions for my new surname also welcome.

Hamilton

Hey I did this. It's much better signing your own name, than the name of an XH (who I hated). Can I just say that, re spelling, people still manage to bodge it up sometimes? My new name is the name of a colour. Someone with the same name was once asked to spell it, and they said, "Blue, as in colour". Blue is not my name btw. The letter came adressed to Mrs Blueasincolour, so you can't outplan stupid unfortunately

MarkRuffaloCrumble The email thing is a pain for sure. I'm an author and I already have email accounts with my real name and pen name - I just use the auto-forwarding thing so I only have to look at one inbox.

Winters or Carter

SpongeBobJudgeyPants Oh god

My current name (ex's) is very unusual but also the name of a celebrity, so everybody thinks they can pronounce it. Trouble is, she pronounces it differently. I've given up correcting people and just nod.

Love
Fox
Greenwood
Lake
Ash
Moss
Avon
Eyre
Redmond
Cartwright

Are you thinking of a particular number of syllables?

Are you thinking of a particular number of syllables?

No, any number. I love the suggestions from everyone.

What's your occupation?

Also worth noting that Badger is a phonetically strong name. Imagine speaking to a taxi company on a dodgy line and “BADGER” is unmistakable.

I've been considering doing this too for the same reasons. The problem is I can't decide on a surname!

DavidsSchitt I'm a writer.

MyMushroomsInATimeSlip How about Badger?

If you're a writer what about Quill, Pen, Reader, Scribe, Booker, Bard, Fable, Legend, Page or Story? I quite like Quill and Bard myself.

I was at school with a girl called Sally Loving and I was dead jealous. Changed mine by deed poll for exactly the same reason as you. Picked something weather related for the same reason- easy to spell and pronounce etc.

Swann.

Shakespeare then

Thorn. Ash. Rowan. Linden. All tree based. This is fun.

Wood. Forest. Woolfe..?

And finally... TURBOT.

I'll try to stop now.

As you're an author, you probably know the trick that writers use, for characters's surnames they use place names (e.g. small villages), then for place names they use surnames!

Look for names of quaint villages near you, or that you've been to (or even look at a map), that are easy to spell and pronounce. That's your answer!

@FiveFootTwoEyesOfBlue

As you're an author, you probably know the trick that writers use, for characters's surnames they use place names (e.g. small villages), then for place names they use surnames!

Look for names of quaint villages near you, or that you've been to (or even look at a map), that are easy to spell and pronounce. That's your answer!

I wonder if that's how Karin Slaughter came by her surname? Perhaps she'd had a nice visit to the Cotswolds.

Use this website - freedeedpoll.org.uk/ You do not need to pay anyone anything (apart from new passport and the like, obviously). I did it that way and it’s been accepted everywhere - print out multiple copies and have them all signed, then you don’t have to keep waiting for a single copy to be sent back before you can change it somewhere else. Have fun with your new name - I changed mine to something boring but I did add myself a new middle name

You could also go back through your family tree and take an ancestor's first name as your surname. It probably works best with male names, but could also work with some female names. Those nice, solid, old names make nice, solid surnames, like Thomas, Harold, Alma, Pearl, Olive or Hazel.

I've always liked D'Vere.

Dolphin would be a great choice!

I did this. Changed it to a name associated with one side of the family but a couple of generations back. Not my x-husbands name, not my fathers name, my name.

Have to say it feels quite liberating.

Just get the wording from the internet, no need to pay anyone. And prepare yourself for the ginormous list of things you'll need to change your name on. never again

@MrsCat1

Dolphin would be a great choice!

I agree ! One of my neighbours is a Dolphin, I think it's brilliant