Name Change

Whether you dislike your name, you want to follow your spouse’s name, you want to get rid of your ex’s last name, etc., you can change your name to any name you want as long as it is for a legal purpose and not for illegal or fraud reasons. 

 

 

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Most of the time, one must petition the court to change his or her name/last name.  Sometimes, however, name change can occur without petitioning the court. For example, those who are about to submit their application for naturalization can request their name change on that specific application. And the court will not be involved. 

 

Additionally, during dissolution, the spouse requesting name change could ask the court to restore their maiden name as a part of the divorce case and won’t have to petition the court separately.  

 

Adoption is yet another way to change name without separately filing a petition for name change. 

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And if non of that applies to you, you can file a name change petition with the court and pick the name you want.