How do I change my child's name?

[cece]

DD, who is 17 years old, wants to change her name by adding an extra middle name. I have found the gov website and the forms to change her name by deed poll.
Has anyone done this? Do i really just fill out the forms and send them off the address on the website?
Thanks

Does her other parent agree?

You don't need a deedpoll

Do a change of name deed, its free. You will need to sign it together with other parent.

Is that enough to change all her documents such a passport, birth certificate, driving license etc?

Yes once you have legal proof of your new name you can use it to change all the others.

Other documents, I mean.

But I don’t think you can change your birth certificate. That shows your name at birth.

The gov.uk website says that if she’s over
16, she can do it herself. So you don’t need to be involved.

Ok. Thank you. She's 17 and wants to add another middle name.

She doesn't need to do anything, she can just start using the new name. If she wants to change legal documents like passport, driving licence etc she might need a deed poll:

www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll

Thank you

You don't need a deed poll!!
Do a change of name deed. Passport office can confirm with a change of name deed and proof off both parents if needed, you can use that instead of a deed poll.

You don't have to put it in the gazette for £30 or log it with the courts.

A change of name deed and deed poll are the same thing

Technically yes.

However deed poll involves a cost or at least most people believe they do - online companies profiting from it, London Gazette documenting it and logging it with the court which is all unnecessary.

You don't need anything but a person over the age of 18 unrelated to you to witness and sign it.

Deedpoll is a con, and how the gov.UK site tells you to do it is just another way of getting money out of people.

@Orandobpund Thank you for getting in there before me. I've lost count of the number of times I have had to post similar responses on here.

The gov.uk site says exactly that, Orlando - that you don't need to register your name change unless you want to.

I really think you’re a bit confused.

I agree 100% that there are groups/individuals who deliberately try to confuse people into thinking that they need to pay money to change their names. But the ‘deed poll’ vs ‘change of name deed’ argument doesn’t make sense. A change of name deed is simply a type of deed poll. So to say you don’t need a deed poll just a change of name deed makes no sense. A deed poll to change your name IS a change of name deed.

The government site explains it all very clearly.

Collaborate is a legal professional and agrees.

The difference is the majority of the public believe deed poll costs that is why I was trying to separate the two.

The Gov.uk site may well be clear for adults, but it is misleading for children I know this as I nearly used it and paid for unnecessary fees.

I think the problem here lies in the The Enrolment of Deeds (Change of Name) Regulations 1994 www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1994/604/made. It describes a process that is expensive and wholly unnecessary. A plethora of companies with website names that suggest they are official. The Guardian did a piece on them a few years ago www.theguardian.com/money/2013/jun/29/deed-poll-websites-avoid.

The reference to a change of name deed being a deed poll, whilst technically correct, encourages people to take the expensive enrolled route. Referring to it simply as a change of name is, in my view, clearer.

^ snap!