Ten Tips on Changing Your Name

Changing your name isn’t as difficult as it sounds, and believe me, it happens every day. People change their names for all sorts of reasons, and the process is quite simple. So just like Phoebe changed her name to Princess Consuela Bananahammock on Friends, you can change your own moniker to something equally appalling.

Changing Your Name: As long as it’s legal, it works.

If you’re changing your name to beat a murder rap, then you’re probably a lost cause, but if you have a legally sound reason for changing your name, the court will honor your request.

Changing Your Name: Till death do you part�

In the case of a marriage, you don’t need a court order to change your surname; your marriage license will do. The same is true for divorce proceedings; at your request, the judge can include the reversion to your maiden name in the divorce decree.

Changing Your Name: Filing is easy.

If you’ve just decided that you’re tired with the name your parents so thoughtlessly stuck you with, all you have to do is go to your local courthouse and fill out the forms. Name changes are rarely contested, unless you’ve been convicted of a felony.

Changing Your Name: Restrictions

There are actually very few restrictions when it comes to changing your name. First, of course, you can’t have a fraudulent purpose for the name change. Second, you can’t assume a famous person’s name. Third, your application probably won’t be approved if the name you’ve chosen is a curse word, an offensive word or a racial slur. You also can’t use copyrighted or trademarked names (Harry Potter is probably off limits), and you can’t use numerals or symbols as your name (sorry, “1” or “!” probably won’t work).

Changing Your Name: Single words are fine.

If you’ve decided to forgo the use of a last name (just more to write on credit card applications, right?), you can change your name to a single word. Just don’t use a famous person’s name, like “Madonna” or “Cher”.

Changing Your Name: Name changes can be costly.

Unless you have a valid legal reason for changing your name, such as a marriage or divorce, it usually costs quite a bit to have it done. In most states, name changes simply for the sake of the change cost around 500 smackers.

Changing Your Name: Gender Changes

If you’ve decided that you’d rather be Alexandra instead of Alexander, with all surgeries that the change implies, some states will allow you to change the sex on your birth certificate along with your name change.