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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Name on GCSE Certificate matching Birth Certificate

27 replies

Flump9 · 04/02/2019 01:05

Does it have to match? My DD has always been known by the diminutive of a name but it has the other name on the Birth Certificate, I was talked into it as maybe she will want to use the full name when she's older (but I'm really not that keen on it and i'm the one that has to use it at the doctors etc!) It's one of those names that not everyone will know is a short version - think of Margaret but always known as Peggy, it has a different initial letter. That's not the real name. She is known as the diminutive name at school and really we would like her GCSE certificates to have this name on but I think they have to match the Birth Certificate? But then in the future that means that applying for jobs she will have to use the full name so that her qualifications match which will cause confusion. I wish I had just used the short name on the birth certificate! Anyone had this?

OP posts:

moredoll · 04/02/2019 01:08

Probably easier to change her name officially by deed poll, if that what she wants. Otherwise best to check with the school.

eatingtomuch · 04/02/2019 01:12

She will need to use the name on her birth certificate.

The reason being if the names don't match anything that is a legal way of identifying who she is, how will a employer know they are her certificates?

I'm guessing the name in birth certificate is on passport?

Soursprout · 04/02/2019 07:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

borntobequiet · 04/02/2019 07:17

Use the full name as on the BC for legal reasons already given. Disputed names on exam certs are a pita.

MeetOnTheledge · 04/02/2019 07:25

I don't think it would be a problem for future employers, lots of people use a different firstname day to day from that on their psssport/certificates. Even if you apply using short-name, so long as you have a passport, which is photo-id, and certificates to match it would be fine.

MacarenaFerreiro · 04/02/2019 07:29

Of course it makes sense to have her official name on her official certificates.

SavoyCabbage · 04/02/2019 07:34

I think you are going to over complicate things in the future by having different names, although ninagree GCSE certificates are rarely used.

I lived and worked abroad and it took me eighteen months to get all my paperwork approved to teach. It was a total pain and every stage was complicated. This would have just been another hurdle and another delay.

CatkinToadflax · 04/02/2019 08:00

I have always used a different name to the one on my BC and passport (though it is a known diminutive). When applying for jobs I put my full name on my application form/CV and add my used name in brackets. It’s never been an issue. I do think though that having exam certificates in a different name to the full name on your DD’s BC/passport could be a real issue for her.

00100001 · 04/02/2019 08:11

Why is it so important her nickname appears on her GCSE certificate?

No-one looks at them beyond first getting them really, except for applying to college/uni and maaaaaaaaaybe for job applications (I've never had to produce my certificate for jobs)
It will Just be a PITA for your dd in future.

00100001 · 04/02/2019 08:11

Plus she may well need to provide ID when sitting exams in higher/further education. So her candidate name should match her official name

greenelephantscarf · 04/02/2019 08:26

agree with everyone else.
certificates have to match the name on passport/birth certificate.
if they don't it could be a pita.
and yes, some employers request gcse certificates. but more so colleges/universities.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 04/02/2019 08:30

She's still only a teenager so she may well revert to her full name in later life she has decades to decide if she wants to use it. I honestly wouldn't regret using the formal name.

As for the exam certificates they should be in her full name. No one will care they say her full name and not the diminutive she uses day to day. It would make her life that much more difficult to have them in a completely different name.

As for apply for jobs she would simply write Margaret (Peggy) Smith on her CV or application form. Either that or when she went for a job interview she could say just call me Peggy. That's got to be a heck of a lot easier than explaining why her official exam documents don't actually have her name on them.

PostNotInHaste · 04/02/2019 08:32

I think DD has her BC name on GCSE and on BTEC name she is known as. She has subsequently changed name by deed poll and passport etc in that name.

Original poster

Flump9 · 04/02/2019 09:29

It's important because it's not her nickname, it's the name I chose for her before birth and the name she has always been known as. The other name is not her name and I wish I'd never put it on her birth certificate. I had her quite prem and was obviously not thinking through the implications. For ID purposes and everything needing to match she's going to end up having to put the other "wrong" name on everything like her driving licence and bank accounts. I think I'm going to have to chat with her about changing it by deed poll.

OP posts:

greenelephantscarf · 04/02/2019 09:56

the other name is her name because it's in the official record of her existence, the birth certificate.

MeetOnTheledge · 04/02/2019 10:01

What does she think? I mean yes, you could change it by deed poll, and now would be a good time before she starts acquiring qualifications, credit cards etc, but if she doesn't mind having it as her official name even though she never uses it then its not a real problem.

HappyMama01 · 04/02/2019 10:04

All my GCSE certificates don't have the same name on and they aren't my birth certificate name. No one has ever looked at them!

(I went by three different surnames over the years I did GCSE's)

scentedmountain · 04/02/2019 10:06

you will cause her no end of trouble in the future if you don't put her real name (from birth certificate) on the certificates. Therefore there are only 2 options
1.Change her name officially by deed poll
2.Live with the difference
My daughter is known by the pet form too but all her official documents follow her birth certificate. She's living with it!

RaffertyFair · 04/02/2019 10:08

Deed poll is the only way but seems unnecessary.
Does your dd have a passport? Presumably that carries her official name?
I personally don't see the problem with having a "known by" name.

Your reaction is quite emotional so
it appears to have tapped into feelings around your dd's birth rather than the actual issue.

Is your dd bothered?

greenelephantscarf · 04/02/2019 10:08

happy it would be very different for a public service role. or for certain professions (legal, accauntancy)

legal names matter

ArnoldBee · 04/02/2019 10:10

I use a shortened version of my name and always have done. My exam certs have the name on my birth certificate. Your daughter for ID purposes needs to be consistent otherwise this will cause issues for her. All my other school certs have my shortened name on them.

kindlyplay · 04/02/2019 10:23

The other name is not her name and I wish I'd never put it on her birth certificate

Change it then. Don't add more things with the name, change the name officially and get passport/provisional sent off for ASAP.

Pythonesque · 04/02/2019 10:52

Make sure it is her decision not just yours, though. But yes, if she is going to want to stick with the name you've always used now would be a good point to start changing it to her official name, before more " official stuff" gets accumulated with adulthood.

tammytoby · 04/02/2019 13:37

Her official name is of course the one you gave her at birth that's on her birth certificate!

We all have nicknames, but we still use our proper name for official purposes. I would certainly expect my kids to have their full proper names on their GCSE results!

Somethingsmellsnice · 04/02/2019 14:09

Most forms now for job applications etc (and even work placements my son has done recently ) state First Name: Other Name: and then a separate entry Name you want to be known by: .......

I think she should have her full name eg. Elizabeth X and she will be able to fill in Betsy as her name you want to be know by on applications.

Or as someone said if she wants to change her name by Deed Poll maybe go about it now and get passports, driving licences in that name too.

The reality is people change names for all sorts of reasons. My o level certificates are in my maiden name, my professional qualifications in my previous married name and I now go by my 2nd husband's surname.

A diminutive of a first name is usually recognisable.

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