How to Change Your Name

People change their names for many reasons. Most often, people change their name after marriage or divorce. Other people might want a name that is easier to pronounce or spell, or a name that just feels like a better fit for them.

Each state (and sometimes each county) has its own rules for requesting a name change. Here's an overview of how the process typically works, including how to file a name change petition at your local court and what identity documents and records you'll need to update after the court approves the change.

Why Do People Change Their Names?

As noted, people change their names for many different reasons. Here are a few of the most common.

Name Changes After Marriage or Divorce

According to a Pew Research survey conducted in 2023, around 79% of women in opposite-sex marriages take their husband's last name. It's also quite common for people to reclaim their birth name after divorce. It's easier to change your name after marriage or divorce because you can typically use your marriage certificate or divorce certificate as proof of the change instead of having to get a court order.

Name Changes After Adoption

When a child or adult is adopted, the adoption process typically includes the option to change the adoptee's name. Like marriage or divorce-related name changes, the process usually doesn't require a separate name change petition. Instead, a judge approves the name change during the adoption finalization hearing.

Name Changes for Transgender People

Some transgender people choose to legally change their name to something that better matches their gender identity. For example, Charlotte might become Charlie, Kit, or Alex.

Name Changes for Religious or Cultural Reasons

Names can be vivid expressions of religious, cultural, and ethnic heritage. The boxer Muhammad Ali, for example, was born Cassius Clay, but changed his name after converting to Islam in 1964. Or the artist born Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderon used the name Frida Kahlo to emphasize her German-Mexican heritage.

Name Changes for Professional Purposes

Authors, actors, and other professionals sometimes choose names that are easier to remember or pronounce. The actress born Caryn Elaine Johnson changed her name to Whoopi Goldberg, inspired by the whoopee cushion. The pop star Miley Cyrus legally changed her name from Destiny Hope Cyrus because her childhood nickname was Smiley.

Name Changes for Safety Reasons

Victims of crimes like domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault sometimes change their names to prevent their abusers from finding them. Many states have a process for keeping name changes for safety reasons confidential.

Name Change for Personal Preference

Many people simply don't like the name they were given at birth or have negative associations with it based on past experiences or relationships. A legal name change can feel like a fresh start and an alignment of your internal feelings and external identity.

No matter your reason, you must file a petition with your local court to change your legal name.

The Name Change Process

If you're not changing your name due to marriage, divorce, or adoption, you'll need court approval. Here's how to get it.

Step One: File a Name Change Petition

File a name change petition with the court in your county of residence. You'll likely be able to find the necessary forms and instructions on your county or state court's website. (Here's a Sample Petition to Change Name of Adult from Massachusetts.)

Name change petitions ask for the same basic information, including your:

• current legal name and contact information
• chosen name
• date of birth, and
• the reason for your name change.

You'll probably need to file a certified copy of your birth certificate with your petition, and you'll have to pay a court filing fee. Fees vary from state to state, usually ranging from $100 to $450. If you can't afford the fee, you can apply for a fee waiver. If approved, you might not have to pay anything.

Step Two: Publish a Notice in a Newspaper

Many states require you to publish a notice of your name change in a local newspaper. The court clerk might have a list of newspapers that publish legal notices where you live. Publication gives people a chance to object if they think you're changing your name to avoid debts or for other illegitimate reasons (more on that below).

The notice usually needs to appear for several weeks in a row. You'll have to pay the newspapers for the publication and get proof that the notice was published to show the court.

Shiloh Jolie, born Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, famously published her name change notice in the Los Angeles Times when dropping her famous father's last name as soon as she turned 18 in 2024.

Even states that require publication allow for some exceptions, such as situations involving domestic violence survivors or gender transitions.

A handful of states, including Florida and Texas, require fingerprinting as part of the legal name change process.

Step Three: Attend a Court Hearing

You'll likely, but not always, have to go to court after filing a name change petition. The hearing itself will probably be short, but you might have to wait a while for your case to be called. The judge will call your name and listen to anyone who objects to your request. You might have to explain why you want to change your name.

If the judge approves your request, you will receive a court order granting your new legal name. If the judge denies your request, find out why and ask for more time if you're missing information, like proof of publication.

Step Four: Get Certified Copies of the Court Order

You'll need several certified copies of the court order to update your name with various government agencies, banks, and other institutions. You'll have to pay for each copy, usually around $15-$40.

What Records Do I Need to Update After a Name Change?

A court order doesn't automatically change your name on important identity documents and other records. Instead, you have to individually update each agency, account, institution, and record. The work is tedious and can feel overwhelming at times.

Here's a checklist of the most important records to update:

• Social Security card
• driver's license or state ID
• passport
• bank accounts
• credit cards
• vehicle title and registration
• employment records
• school records
• professional licences and associations
• medical records
• insurance policies
• voter registration
• home mortgage or lease
• utilities and bills
• naturalization or citizenship certificate, and
• personal accounts (such as subscriptions, social media, email, and so on).

You'll also need to start using your name socially. Some people make a big announcement on social media, or you might prefer to share the news individually with family, friends, coworkers, and acquaintances.

How Much Does It Cost to Request a Name Change and How Long Does It Take?

The total cost to change your name depends on where you live. Budget for the following fees:

• filing fees ($50-$500)
• name change notice publication ($50-$500)
• certified copies ($15-$40 per copy)
• background check in some states ($28-$115), and
• fees for a new passport and state ID ($30-160).

It usually takes one to six months from the date you first file your name change petition and your court hearing, depending on the court's schedule and your state's publication requirements. From there, you can usually get your new Social Security card within a few weeks. Updating your state identification and other records can then take weeks or months, depending on your schedule and whether you encounter any backlogs. Having multiple certified copies of the name change court order can help speed up the process.

Restrictions on Name Changes

You can change your name to almost anything you want. Remember when Ron Artest changed his name to Metta World Peace in 2011? But there are some restrictions, mainly for public policy reasons. Each state has its own limitations.

Generally, a judge will deny your name change request if:

• you're changing your name to commit fraud, avoid creditors, or hide from law enforcement
• your chosen name contains obscenities, racial slurs, or other "fighting words"
• your chosen name is overly long or contains numbers or symbols that hinder government record-keeping (for example, Elon Musk had to change his son's name from X Æ A-12 to X Æ A-Xii to align with California laws regarding birth certificates)
• your chosen name is so similar to a public figure's that it would cause confusion (though changing your name to Santa Claus is okay, at least in Utah), or
• your chosen name infringes on someone else's trademark.

Can People Find My Former Name After a Legal Name Change?

Most name change orders are public records, which means anyone can access the information through the court system and link your new name with your former name. If you want your name change to be confidential, you have to ask the court to seal the court record for a good reason. Judges seal the name changes of domestic violence victims, for example, to protect them from their abusers.

People will also likely be able to find your former name on the internet for quite some time. Google's search index can take weeks or months to update. Many online people finder sites scrape public records and list both your old and new names as "AKAs" (also known as), making it possible for someone to search for your new name and find your old one.

If you're trying to make it easier for people to find you, send a text or email to all of your personal and professional contacts, and be sure to update all of your social media accounts. If you're concerned about privacy, unless your name change record is sealed and confidential, your old name can probably be found by anyone willing to search public records, newspaper archives, and online databases.

Do I Need a Lawyer to Change My Name?

The name change process, like any legal process, can be intimidating at first glance. Most people try to avoid having to file legal paperwork and appear in court if at all possible. So, hiring a lawyer to do it all for you makes sense if you can afford it. But the name change process is really more of an administrative hassle than a problem that requires legal knowledge. Most courts publish the necessary forms and step-by-step instructions for you to do it all yourself.

If you'd like to simplify the process without hiring a lawyer, you can purchase a name change kit from companies like NewlyNamed and UpdateMyName.com. These kits include auto-filled forms, instructions, and checklists for switching your name with agencies like the Social Security Administration and, Department of Motor Vehicles.

If you have questions, visit the self-help center or talk to the county clerk in your local court, or a family law attorney.