Name changes

Changing your name

In the UK anyone can change their name if they want to. If you want the new name to be officially recognised, you must register the change.

There are some restrictions about what you can change your name to and why.

You may not change your name:

  • in order to commit an illegal act like fraud
  • to something that is rude or offensive
  • to imply or include a title such as Lord, Lady, Duke or Duchess
  • to something that includes symbols or numbers.

Before you change your name you should check that your name change will be accepted by the following people:

  • your employer
  • any institute or professional body that you are a member of
  • your country of origin, if you are a foreign national living in the UK
  • the relevant authorities of the country you are living in, if you are a UK national living overseas.

If you change your name, many official bodies (like banks and building societies) will require an official ‘Change of Name Deed' to accept it. This document will be given to you if you change your name at a registration office in East Sussex.

Changing your name after a marriage or civil partnership

If you have got married or formed a civil partnership and are taking your partners' surname, you do not have to complete an official change of name deed. However, you should contact the passport office, and all other institutions such as bank, building society, DVLA to let them know you have changed your name.

If you have got divorced, been widowed, or had your civil partnership disolved or annulled and you no longer want to be known by your partners' surname you have the option to revert to your previous name. However, if you chose to change to another name, or an organisation requests it, you must complete the official change of name deed as outlined below.

Changing your child's name

Changing your child's forename before their first birthday

Before a child's first birthday, parents can change their child's forename (first name) free of charge. A fee of £7 or £9 is payable for a new birth certificate, if required.

The form you need to complete to change their first name will depend on whether your child has been baptised or not. Full details, including the relevant forms, are available from your local registration office or the Directgov website.

Changing a child's surname or changing a child's first name after their first birthday

The following restrictions apply if you want to:

  • change your child's surname if they are under 18
  • change your child's first name if they are aged one or over.

The following conditions apply:

  • if both parents are married to each other you may change the surname of your child if you both agree to the name change
  • if the parents are divorced, both parents must give their consent to the change
  • if the child's birth was registered after 1 December 2003 and the parents have never been married both parents must give their consent to the change
  • if the child's birth was registered before 1 December 2003 and the parents have never been married, and if there is no Parental Responsibility order or agreement in place, the mother may change the child's name
  • children aged 16 or 17 must sign a consent form.

If there has been a court injunction involving a child's name change then you should ask the solicitors involved in the injunction to change the child's name.

Adoption

If you adopt a child, the name change will be organised by the Children's Services department that has organised the adoption. Find out more about adoption in East Sussex.

Apply to change a name

To change your name, or the name of your child, at an East Sussex registration office you will have to make an appointment. For full contact details, see our page registration offices.

You will need to bring various original documents, which may include your:

  • birth certificate
  • passport
  • marriage certificate
  • decree absolute
  • late spouse's death certificate.

We will advise which documentation we need to see when you book your appointment.

You will need to complete an application form and bring it to your appointment.

Fees for name changes

Fees, including a completed 'Change of Name Deed':

  • Adult – £42
  • Child (under 18) - £47

Extra copies of the deeds:

  • at the time of issue - £6.50
  • at a later date - £13

Informing people about your name change

After you've changed your name, or the name of your child, there are a number of people that you should tell about the change. Details are available in our list of people to be notified of your change of name.