Has anyone changed back to their maiden name whilst still married?

[lostpurplehoodie]

I am feeling pretty despondent about having given up my name on marriage and want to change it back. All the advice I see online is for how to do it post divorce, and we're very much still married.

Has anyone done it? Did it need a deed poll or did you just use your marriage certificate as proof of both names?

I changed my name by deed poll to my new partner's name whilst married (we were separated). It cost about £50 online.

You can complete a Statutory Declaration of Change of Name and get it signed by a solicitor. Then change your name at the bank, then your driving licence, then your passport.

It may feel a little circular as the bank first asked to see a passport in my new name and the passport office want a bank statement ...........

Yes I know I can do these things, but I was wondering if it was necessary. A marriage certificate can be used if you're divorced but what if you're not? My maiden name is (I think) still my name so I wouldn't have to use a deed poll to change it? Super confused.

I was always told you don't legally have change your name when you get married, so I would imagine you could use your maiden name still once married. I know a lot of people who I work with continue to use their maiden names for work and married name for everything else.

Every company you deal with probably has different criteria for what they need to change your name. I guess the main issue is with official documentation like passport and driver's license. Perhaps give them a ring and see what they need to change it.

Surely you just need to change your official docs back if you had changed them post marriage. They’d need tootle birth very to make your new one in your old name. It’s still your name!

I am still technically married, having separated from my husband. My bank would not accept anything other than a passport in a new name, or a Deed Poll/Statutory Declaration. They know my maiden name as I have had the account in that name. They would only accept a marriage certificate to change to my married name, not from my married name. This may be because I had a jobsworth on a Friday afternoon 5 minutes before they closed or it may be company policy.

I've been separated 5 years and one of the first things I did after he left was to change my name back. Felt fantastic.
I did it through a solicitor, cost me £50. Now everything that should be is in my name. It's lovely.
And I'm not divorced!

I think you need a deed poll because the home office etc will only change it with a piece of paper. It is different from someone who has never changed their name.

However going forward, you won’t need to keep your deed poll once it’s all back to your birth name. There are a million official forms that asks if you have ever been known with a different name. And you need to proof each name change. But if your current name is your birth name, i would assume they will never know you have changed back to it.

I did this (no divorce just wanted to be who I had always been) Solicitor advised no need for deed poll. She drew up a declaration i wanted to be known by my birth name. I then had to swear an affidavit with an independent solicitor. It was cheaper than deed poll but was about 20 years ago.

I didn’t do any of that. I was in the process of divorce (therefore marriage cert was at the solicitor’s) and just changed my name back on my passport. Passport office asked me to sign a letter of declaration that I was using the name for all purposes. Cost £0 extra. Once passport done, everything else followed.

The law states you can use any name that is listed on your marriage certificate

You don't need to pay for it. I kept my maiden name, ex husband changed his to mine, once divorced went back to his maiden name.

didn't pay a single penny