Dear LPG,

I recently read an LPG post on the subject of learning to live with your name (►►►) and it reminded me that I have always felt that I have spent a lot of my life wishing that, when my name is used, I could answer to something different.  Like CJ who wrote that message, I am not going to let anyone know what my name is either, but I have always wished that it reflected me as someone more upbeat, with it and less geeky. 

The very last sentence of CJ’s writing inspired me though and got me taking a look at the internet.  She mentioned the prospect of changing your name and it occurred to me that I have never looked into that possibility.

While younger people just talk about it, having spent a considerable number of decades on this earth, I can think of more than a couple of people that I know who are known by one name only to discover that the name that I know to be theirs is not what they are called officially.    It is the day that you visit and as you step over the front door mat you decide to be helpful and pick up the mail which you notice is addressed to someone that you have never heard of.

That observation, together with the implications of CJ’s comment, got me thinking and doing a bit of research and, from what the internet tells, there is nothing to stop you being called whatever you choose to be called as long as, when it comes to officialdom you use your official name.  So having a bank account, drivers licence, mortgage or passport with the preferred version of your name is illegal unless you officially change it.  It is also interesting that you can change your surname too if you want to.

The deed poll thing is about the version of your name that you use officially and, for as little as £42.44, you can change it to nearly any name you want although there are a few restrictions.   You can’t choose a name with numbers or symbols included, you can’t choose anything offensive and, if your choice or reasons for the change have anything to do with fraudulent or criminal activities, you won’t get away with it either.  

I have always thought that your name, can be part of the first impression someone gets of you and a really odd one can colour the sort of you that you want to portray.  So, for less than £50.00, going the whole hog and making it official might not be a bad thing to do but, once done just think of all the other things you would have to do.  I don’t think that I am ready for notifying agencies such as the Passport Office, Land Registry, the DVLA, the council tax office, the DWP, my bank, the insurance companies I use and the many other official agencies I have dealings with of my new official name.   And do you remember how long it took you to perfect your official signature the first time? 

I have decided that officially changing my name might not cost a lot of money, but all the extra work involved has definitely put me off… 

TM, Crofton Park

TM shares the websites he used to find the information offered in his message, but LPG advises readers who would like to find out a little more about this subject to appreciate the facts without getting drawn into any of the independent agencies offering it…

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