Changing baby first name- deed poll vs registrar

[WolfMother326]

Hello,
I live in England. We recently named our baby but would like to change the first name. We've been told that the original name will always appear on the birth certificate, with the new name in space 17. Is there a way to get this changed via deed poll instead so that we have a new birth certificate with the new name that doesn't show the old one?
Thanks for your help.

No one knows?

I don't think a deed poll issues a new BC. Except in transgender people, but that's a different process.

I don’t think changing by deed poll changes the birth certificate, that will always be logged as it was originally. I’m pretty sure you get a new document you can legally use but you can’t reissue a birth certificate in a new name.

I looked into it once because there’s an error on my birth certificate and the one issued differs from the one on file but in the end it wasn’t worth doing anything about.

Changing a name by deed poll won't change the birth certificate.

How old is the baby? Under 12 months is straightforward.
Do an advanced search.

Name Change - Before 12 Months Old | Mumsnet
Change your name by deed poll: Change a child’s name - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

If you go to the first of those two links and scroll down, there are links to similar threads.

The bc will always show the original name at the time of registering at the top. It is there for historical reference. However within the first year, you can change baby’s name without the need for a deed poll. Contact local registry office for forms. You can also do this via having baby christened as the new name and asking vicar to sign a form confirming the new name at baptism, which you then take back to registry office. The new name will then appear at the bottom of a new bc. No need for deed poll. This is only possible with first/middle names mind, not surnames.

Hi @WolfMother326 I have literally just done this last week but nothing to do with deed poll.

It is exactly 12 months on Saturday since I registered the birth. I left mine as I wanted to be 100% certain before making the official change on BC.
You get 12 months from date of registration to make the space 17 change. I went last week to my Registry Office and they were great.

I have now got a copy of the original BC, 1 full Birth Certificate that shows the Space 17 name change. 1 Birth certificate that doesn’t show the original birth name just the new name so doesn’t mention old name at all.

Mine I just wanted to swap the name back around. I swapped the middle name to the first name. First name to middle name.
Some people don’t bother and leave it and go by there middle name etc example Mary Louise goes by Louise but doesn’t bother changing on BC
but for me I just wanted to do it.

Very easy to do. There is a charge mine was £40 fee and then £12 for each copy of BC.

Thanks for this. Do you live in Scotland? I don't think you can get a new BC in England.

Changing baby’s name by deed poll doesn’t mean a new certificate in England. What happens is that every time you need to show birth certificate for ID purposes, you show the deed poll as well.

Registrar here.

Change of name deed will never change the BC.

Space 17 name change will show the name originally registered in space 2 and new name in space 17. The name in space 17 will supersede that in space 2 - so you can get passport etc in that new name.

Its worth knowing that if you have provision to re register the birth at any time in the future, (that would be EITHER if dad isn’t on the BC now but you add him on later, OR you were unmarried at the time of the birth but marry later), then at that point the name in space 17 moves up to space 2 on the new BC and there is no mention of the name originally registered.

@WolfMother326 Oxford I did this.
I have the original copies of the Birth Certificate from initial registration.
I have 2 copies of the updated version showing space 17 name change and another certificate that only shows the new name.
The short one is an additional certificate that you can buy but you can’t use this for things like applying for a passport you will need the full one with space 17 name change.

If you look at the post from @PuddledDuck shows ways around if you want the name removed completely. I can’t do this as I am married and father of child will stay on. Unless other ways around it.

It may depend where you are. I’m in Scotland. I’ve changed my name and changing the cert is not enough - I’ve needed deed polls for everything like passports etc. Apparently Scotland doesn’t do deed polls but the big bodies insist

my cert now states “previously known as” at the bottom

@WhiteCatsRock , you aren't a baby though.

Recording Changes of Forename(s) and Surname(s) in Scotland | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk)

If you change your name as an adult, you do it by deed poll or statutory declaration.