What are the implications for changing my DC’s name to her nickname? Will she have to check the “changed Name” box on forms later in life? Etc etc

[Movingmoving1]

Without totally outing myself, DC has a nickname for a popular name that - in another culture (my culture) is a name in itself. Don’t want to say what it is, but similar to Talia, being short for Natalie.

I gave DC the long name “Natalie” name to appease in-laws. Always regretted it as don’t like “Natalie”, it feels very much not my culture nor does it suit DC. And DC always goes by “Talia”. (The actual long name is MUCH more popular than “Natalie”, and the nickname is spelled differently in this country to mine. Can’t think of any other examples except the boy’s name Harry, spelled Harri in another country. But I guess it would be like spelling it “Talya” And not “Talia”.)

Really warming to DC having a name that is solidly part of half-DC’s and all my cultural heritage.

If I change it, and the spelling, what implications will that have for DC later in life? When it comes to passports etc?

dC is 3.

Also to add - DC is only at a private nursery and not school nursery yet. So not on any official school-type lists if that makes a difference! And is “Talia” everywhere at nursery, not “Natalie”.

I've no idea on the legal side. But once she's in school you fill in a form which has both her legal name and then a "known as" name. She will be called the "known as" name however any exam certificates will be in her legal name (if you didn't change it).

We have a lot of students who do this rather than a full on name change. They just have to remember for external exams to use their legal name.

I am known entirely by my nickname outside of work. My sil is known entirely by her nickname everywhere except official documents. My brother is known by his second name everywhere except official documents. It is no big deal to keep your official name and be known by another name.

Yes she would have to use the formerly known as sections. Why bother? It’s common for people to go by short versions of their names - I do myself.

Oh damn - her having to fill out the ‘formerly known as’ sections is what puts me off... damn being hormonal and easily persuadable when DC was newborn!

Did anyone do it? Or too much hassle?

I’ve messaged you

Dd has a long name, never used and has been known by her nickname her whole life, she is 14 now.

Her full name is on certificates and school applications etc. That’s the only time it is used.

It’s never been a problem and as a PP said, school asked for her preferred name for registers etc.

Funnily enough I have a DS with the exact example you mentioned; he’s known as Harri, even in school, but on Birth Certificate is Harrison. Not sure what he’s meant to put on things like exam entries. On his music exams etc so far he’s been Harrison, but school registers etc is Harri. Guess it’s not a major problem to have the ‘proper’ name on official document and be known as something a bit different.

Change the name formally now while she’s only 3.

I changed DDs name at 6 weeks. And then she changed her middle name at 11. It’s really not a problem to tick the box you’ve changed your name.

I think you should change it as it sounds like that's what you really want to do, and you'll regret it if you don't.
Another option could be to change her name to Natalia? To keep the in-laws sweet. Then she could have the nn Talia. But you need to do what's right for you.

Keep the full name for official documents and call her by her nickname. Loads of people do that, it is no biggie.

Honestly, just let it go. It's really not that big a deal and her 'real' name is the one that she's normally known as.

If you leave her name as Natalie, she will be Natalie on official documents, at the doctor's, dentist etc.
I would change it now before she starts school.
You need to get any official documents changed, BC, passport etc and then it will be done. As an adult, she will need to enter name at birth if different to current name on forms such as job application for Civil Service type jobs.

If you leave her name as Natalie, there will always be someone who will insists on calling her Natalie. Someone like a horrible schoolteacher.

My advice, as someone whose name was changed as a child, is don't do it. I have to provide my deeds (legal proof of name change) every time I have to provide my birth certificate, which is both a faff and an expense. Whenever a form asks for previous known names I have to enter it then too. When I have to get security checks or clearance, I have to make sure I get everything exactly right or face legal consequences. It was purely the vanity of my parents that caused the name change, and I'm stuck with the consequences of that decision forever. The old name hasn't left me, it haunts my legal status.

I love how the name is so secret and unique that you can’t say what it is in case it identifies you. People can’t really comment if nobody knows what you’re talking about. Personally I’d just save the hassle and leave her name as it is.

I would not change it officially. A LOT of people go by middle names, nicknames and short versions of their name day to day and only use their full name on official documents.

I use a nickname, like Eliza for Elizabeth. I forget which I've put down sometimes which can be a pain. But I know it's me when the GP calls out "Elizabeth Spouse".

My DD always goes by nickname - say Katie instead of Katherine. We gave her a long name so she had a choice when she was older, and grew up to be a top judge or whatever! Although i sort of wish she'd just had the nickname from the start. Everyone calls her it, she prefers it. Some school stuff is in her full name as that is how it appears on the system, and her exams will be in her full name. It'll be her choice when she's older. I wouldn't change it officially now.

I changed mine formally, Better to do it now than later when there’s more documents to change

I'm changing my son's name. He is 6 and from birth has gone by a name completely unrelated to his actual name. He is already known by that name in school and at the gp etc.

I have similar, my official name is the long version but I am known by the nick name and always have. My email address at work is the nickname, my details on the internal directory are the nickname, everyone calls me the nickname. The only time is use my Sunday name is on forms.

It really isn’t an issue at all. It also gives me the flexibility of using a very normal name that everyone can spell when being official but having an individual quirky name for every day..

TBH, I'd just leave it. It's no real hassle to be known by a short version of a longer name. She might like the longer name when she is older.

I'd leave it. Thousands of people are known by a shorten version of their name but still good to have the longer version to give choice when they are older.

Day to day she'll be known by the short version, exams she's needs to put the long version down.

I'd leave it. Thousands of people are known by a shorten version of their name but still good to have the longer version to give choice when they are older.

I'd leave it for this reason. For years I went with the shortened version of my name but now I've grown to love and prefer the original version.