Changing Baby Name within 12 months

[Ahmawa]

As parents we have been debating this for a while. We have two sons one is called Adam and the other Aram now my wife and some of our friends get confused as we end up calling them by their wrong names.

Originally we thought it would be nice to have two similar sounding names but now we are not so sure.

Aram is 10 months old - but if we changed the name we would want the birth certificate to reflect that.

We do not want to change the surname. We might do the following

1. change firstname from Adam
2. Change his middlename and then keep his first name Adam but call him by his new middlename

Has anyone changed their childs name within 12 months?

Which one are you planning on changing? Adam or aram? You say aram is 10 months old so I presume Adam is older.

I think people have done it but it must be confusing. I have two girls with completely different names and I still manage to swap their names.

I think using the middle name might be an option

Sorry to clarify - to change Aram name - he is the younger.

Meant to type Aram not Adam.

Does he have a middle name that you can call him by rather the go through all the fuss of a legal change?

It should be very straightforward to change the names but I can't remember the legal bits.
If DS1 is Adam Victor Surname and DS2 is Aram Charlie Surname, I'd probably leave it, and start calling DS2 Charlie.
Adam Victor and Aram Vincent, then I'd probably change, because of them having the same initials.

A legal name change could cause him problems in later life - when the name on his birth certificate doesn't match his GCSE certificates/marriage certificates/degree certificate whatever.

I would avoid imposing that on a child without their consent - can you use a middle name instead? Or just call him something else and he can decide to change it legally if he wants when he's older.

Just saying this because I know of a woman whose surname was changed at the age of 5 after her parents got divorced. She's recently been trying to apply for an Irish passport, but it's been a nightmare for her to not only prove that she is entitled to one, but simply to prove her identity.

I changed DD's surname within a year. It had to be done by deed poll. Hasn't caused any issues whatsoever so far. The deed poll is just kept with her birth certificate.

My own name was changed as a child (again, surname). My GCSE certificates not matching my birth certificate hasn't been an issue at all as I have proof of the change. My degree won't match either name, but I also have proof of the subsequent name change.

my parents changed my name after they had registered me. There is a column at the right hand side of my birth certificate with says

"name if changed within 12 months of birth"

so the certificate has firstname in the name column and newname in that far right column. (this is my first name, not my surname)

The only time it was of any significance was when I went to uni. The uni sent me a letter asking me to confirm that I was known as newname as my birth certificate said firstname.

I wrote back and said, no, it doesn't , read that last column, legally my name is newname NOT firstname.

That was the last I heard about it.

I think Aram and Adam are very similar, too similar really, I would change it.

I would change it. Even you typed the wrong name in your OP, so other people will continually mix them up. My surname was changed by deed poll and it causes me no issues.

Adam and Aram - absolutely change Aram

My friend regretted her ds's name, Moses, so just started using his mn and stuck to that.
Josh..
But changing bc before 12 months is simple. .
Choose name, fill in new bc with registrar. Old bc never existed.

This:
But changing bc before 12 months is simple. .
Choose name, fill in new bc with registrar. Old bc never existed.

The birth entry in the register will stay the same apart from the new name will be written in Space 17. If anyone applies for a copy of the birth certificate the old name will still be on it at the top with the new name at the bottom, and as long as this gets pointed out to whoever sees it - employers, passport office etc in case they miss it- it won't be a problem.

I remember being that kid when we signed our sons birth certificate that you can change the name within 12 months but the original name will be shown as the original name on the new birth certificate, alongside the new name. It will not be a whole new certificate with no mention of "Aram".

Autotype^
That was supposed to say I remember being told!

has anyone got an example BC that has been changed within 12 months?

It will be
New firstname / existing middle name / existing surname
so will have 3 names.

or
New firstname / existing firstname / existing middle name / existing surname

so will have 4 names.

DS has a UK passport and will also need that changing, but what concerns me is that we will also be applying for his US passport and US Birth certifcate so has anyone had their kids name changed and applied for a US passport from the consul in London?