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Jake Warner

Since 1971, Nolo's goal has been to make our legal system accessible to everyone. As we approach our 40th anniversary, we're proud that our books, software, and online legal forms help millions of Americans get the quality legal information they need.

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Name Change FAQ

How to legally change your name.

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Questions

Answer

I just don't like my birth name and I want to change it. Can I choose any name I want?

There are some restrictions on what you may choose as your new name. Generally, the limits are as follows:

  • You cannot choose a name with fraudulent intent -- meaning you intend to do something illegal. For example, you cannot legally change your name to avoid paying debts, keep from getting sued or get away with a crime.
  • Your new name cannot interfere with the rights of others, which generally is defined as choosing the name of a famous person with the intent to mislead. For example, most judges will not approve your renaming yourself George Bush or William (Bill) Clinton unless you have a convincing reason not related to the famous politicians.
  • You cannot use a name that would be intentionally confusing. This might be a number or punctuation -- for example, "10," "III," or "?."
  • You cannot choose a name that is a racial slur.
  • You cannot choose a name that could be considered a "fighting word," which includes threatening or obscene words, or words likely to incite violence.

Minnesota's Supreme Court once ruled that a man who wanted to change his name to the number "1069" could not legally do so, but suggested that "Ten Sixty-Nine" might be acceptable (Application of Dengler, 287 NW2d 637 (1979)).

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