changing a name by deed poll

[DaisyBD]

This isn't strictly a baby name thread... My 16yo DS2 is known by his middle name, and he really hates his first name, which is his paternal great grandfather's name. Or rather, he hates it because it doesn't feel like his name, there's nothing wrong with it as a name, and it's perfectly inoffensive. But he hates being called by it at doctor's appts and so on, and now he's just started college and the name on his student card isn't his name, he feels. He says it's weird to have a name that isn't his, he wants his real name, which is actually his second middle name, to be his actual first name.

(I was hormonal and not thinking straight when we registered him, I was unduly influenced by my father who said that he couldn't have a diminutive as a first name as - don't laugh - what if one day he's knighted? you can't have a Sir . So we had two grownup names and a diminutive as a third name, which he has always been called by.)

How easy is it to change a name by deed poll? Is he a minor as he's under 18, or are you only a minor until you're 16? Should we wait til he's 18? Do we need a solicitor or can we do it all ourselves?

Also his first and second names are family names on his (somewhat estranged) dad's side. Should I encourage DS2 to consider his dad's and grandmother's feelings about this, given that they may never find out anyway? We could always keep the two family names as middle names.

You shouldn't need a solicitor but from what I understand from a friend's situation is that under 18 they will need signatures from both parents as are still considered a minor - so his dad will have to agree.

I hated my name as a child and changed it completely when I was 17 years of age. However, I'm older so that was some time ago. When I did it, Deed Poll was for those aged 18 and over and for a surname change, whereas I wanted to change my first names (both of them) so I needed a "Statutary Declaration of Change of Name".

I wasn't using my middle name or anything, just two completely different names I'd chosen myself. I needed a solicitor, and you need to pay - your son could check out how much and choose a solicitor who'd do this via Citizens Advice who'd give free advice.

Depends on how far you want to take this. I had a legally binding document which I carried everywhere with me. Because it was a legal document, it meant they had to change the registers at school, and my A level certificates were in my new names. I also need to produce the document every time I need to show my birth certificate, so I've used it for bank accounts, insurance, marriage certificate, pension documents, job applications, passport, driving licence...
Everything is in my new name but it can cause problems if you don't have documentation to prove you made the change, so get it done by a solicitor...

Oh and at 17 I didn't need any parental consent at all...in fact my parents were pretty stunned I'd change the name they gave me, but I was determined and they had no choice....!

Thanks for your replies. I'm not sure what the best route to take is, perhaps we need to talk to CAB.

Ah yes my experience was with surname so could well still be that way for first names

Your DS is legally a minor, because he's under 18. But there's certain things you can do once you're 16 and changing name is one of them. He would also have to apply for an adult passport for example.

So your DS doesn't need his Dad's consent (or yours for that matter), it's his own decision.

You need to get a deed poll though as proof of the change of name. You can get one from your solicitor (or there's lots of companies online). It's a kind of legal document, your DS has got to sign it.

I think it's a good idea to keep the names as middle names though, you practically never use them anyway, and it keeps anyone from getting offended.

I wonder if it's not just simpler to have the middle name used on official documents. Unis etc should be happy to comply. I spell my name differently to how it is spelled on my birth certificate (my mum started spelling it differently to avoid pronunciation problems when I was a few months old) and even when I got a passport and driving license the authorities simply called me to check that that was how I wanted it spelled. I'm 31, so this was 13-15 years ago, but I can't imagine it has changed that much. As it's one of his official names, surely he's entitled to use whichever one he wants?

www.ukdps.co.uk/

My surname was changed as a child from my real dad's name to my step dad's (and I resent my mum doing that ever since). I have legal documents that were signed by a solicitor. He'll always have to declare his change of name on lots of different types of documents, so he won't fully escape the name, but it's not that bad.

I've told my OH that if he doesn't marry me within the next few years then I'll just legally change my name haha!