Changing your name

[18yearstooold]

Dd (13 years old) has her dad's surname

She's been no contact with him for 2 years and wants to change her surname to mine

He has no PR because he couldn't be bothered applying for it but he has for dd2 who also has his surname

I'd prefer her to wait until she's older but she doesn't want her current name on her GCSE certificates etc

If I tell school that she wants to be known as my name will they do that or do they have to use her legal name?

If he has no pr you can change her legal name by deed poll. This doesn't actually cost any money. Don't be fooled by the online companies who look official and try to charge you for it.

I'm a bit nervous about doing it formally

She may change her mind
Impact on her sibling
I don't really like my last name, that's why she hasn't got it already

And just a feeling I have

It feels strange

Please don't think you need an expensive and cumbersome deed poll. You need a simple change of name deed. Google it and you'll find some examples, although the government and even the CAB still refer to them as deed polls. Aaaaargh!!!

If he's on the birth certificate he'll have PR, so I presume he's not on it.

He is on it but PR was not automatic until 2003

Tbh I would make sure her legal name is the on the gcse certificates or she will have to explain It all the time. I was legally my dad's name but didn't use it from year 3 till yr 10 but then swapped back for gcse's

You're quite correct. Got my maths wrong. Sorry. Was 1.12.03.