The law allows for a change to a child's forenames to be added to the birth register, provided the new forenames were given either in baptism or by regular use within 12 months of the birth being registered.
The new forenames may be added to the birth record after 12 months, but you will need to provide documentary evidence that the new forenames were in use within 12 months of registration.
Forename changes may only be made once in the birth register ? any later forename changes cannot be recorded.
The new forenames are written in the space at the end of the birth record.
If your child was baptised in a Christian church, form 13 (Certificate of name Given In Baptism) ? or form 13W for births which took place in Wales ? will need to be completed by the vicar or minister of the church where the baptism took place, who will make a small charge.
If your child has not been baptised, you will need to complete a form 14 (Certificate of name given not in baptism, sometimes known as a Certificate of naming) ? or form 14W for births which took place in Wales.
The completed form should be returned to the register office where the child?s birth was registered. There is no charge for adding the new names to the birth register, but you will need to buy certificates showing the new forenames. Short versions show just the new name with the date and place of birth but full certificates will also show details of the previous name shown at the top of the record, with the new name appearing in full in the space at the end of the record.