Can you change your First name as an adult?

[namesnotfanny]

Or will people think you're weird? And up tight if they use your old one accidentally and then you say 'no, that's not my name'

I hate my name. It isn't uncommon. I think it was in the top 30 or something when I was born in 98.

But I don't like it - the sound reminds me of someone who's a push over. It's not a 'serious' name when I hear it, despite it being quite classic. I just don't like it.

Can I really change it as an adult? How will people react, specially family?

I'd been going to ask the same question then saw this thread.

I've wanted to change my name for as long as I remember. My first name is also very common (in the popular sense) and I'd like to use a name not too out there but not quite as popular.

I think Sophie is quite a nice name. I also think that being a pushover or not comes across in your manner and body language. Imagine a Sophie power dressed. Definitely not a pushover.

You can change your name if you feel strongly about it. One of mine has a name they strongly prefer over theirs. I've told them to change it legally if they need to.

Also consider how expensive it is to change legal documents and so on. If it's important enough, I suppose you won't mind though.

Call yourself Soph, sounds stronger?

My mum has a friend who changed her name in her 40s, to something completely different. All her friends find it very odd tbh. And still call her by her original name a lot of the time - not maliciously, that’s just the name that comes first to mind. So she is often referred to as “Ruth-whoops-I-mean-Annabel”

(not the actual names)

I did this at 18, I’m 23 now.

I went for a completely different name via deed poll.

Some people will think you’re weird, but those same people will judge you for other life decisions you make, you can’t please everyone. Nothing odd has come out of - it’s more like people asking why, accidentally calling you the old name etc.

Close friends took it well and our friendship didn’t change at all. They/my partner spurred me to change it as they knew I wasn’t happy before.

organisations didn’t bat an eyelid and it was very easy to change my name everywhere officially

my family had mixed reactions, however they were abusive and that was a big part of me wanting to change it and to disassociate with them.

It’s not expensive really as it’s merely the cost of a passport renewal. You don’t get charged to update your driving licence. Following on, every organisation will allow you to update your name with them online/over phone - no other charges required

Do you need to get a formal deed poll for these organisations or will they just accept your word that you've changed it?

You can just print off your own deed poll using the gov.uk free template and get someone to witness it. No need to pay for a deed poll.

I don't like my first name or middle name, they are my late Gran's so I didn't like to change them.
Go for it if you aren't happy.

I've never liked my first or middle names so when I went to uni I began calling myself by the name my dad had called me from when I was about three. Everyone I met since (including my DH) as well as friends from school etc call me by my 'new' name. I never changed it by deed poll or anything so - admittedly rather annoyingly - all my docs still have my birth name...I just never got round to doing it properly.

A few older relatives still insist on sending Christmas and birthday cards addressed to my old name, despite it now being 37 years since I told them I had a new name 🙄

Otoh, DH and I changed our surname to double barrel both our names (mine first as his is awful!) and we did this by statutory declaration soon after getting married.

If you hate your name @namesnotfanny (personally I think Sophie is lovely and not at all a push over sounding name, but I totally get where you're coming from), I'd go ahead and get it changed!

My colleague changed hers from
Margaret to Mags. As that was how she was always known.

Thanks @spi

Does anyone know an enrolled deed poll (looking on the govt website) and why people might go for this option?

I think I'm possibly going to do it. I'm at middle age now, so now or never really. It's not a great departure from my first name and some people already call me this as I use it online as part of a user name.

Basically just if you feel the urge to announce it in the London gazette. It's a bit dated and not needed for anything, you can change everything with a normal one

I hate mine always had my parent abused me and pronounced it differently think

Sarah but they always called me say rah
I hate it

everyone else calls me normally and I begged my parents to call me Sarah my father said I named you, I will
pronounce it how I want and for 45 years I’ve begged him until we went no contact

but I hate my name

hate it - it’s not me