“What’s in a name?” The answer is: a lot! Our names are a major part of our identities and follow us wherever we go.
The reality is, that you may want to change your given name for a variety of non-marriage-related reasons including, for example, the following 3 reasons:
If you’re divorcing someone and wish to change your name, the simplest way to go about changing your name is by restoring your former name during the divorce action by asking the judge to issue an order.
When someone is transgender, they likely no longer feel as connected to their birth name. For this reason, many transgender people want to legally change their name to something more masculine or feminine. If so, they need to petition the court.
Similar to changing your name after a gender change, you may not feel as connected to your birth name for reasons that have nothing to do with gender identity. If so, you can simply petition the court, then update all of your relevant paperwork and IDs.
Usually, you’re required to pay filing and court fees and whatever it costs to get new identification, like an updated driver’s license or health care card. Note that it doesn’t cost anything to update your Social Security card. Your revised IDs allow you to revise your voter registration, bank accounts, medical records and anything else that requires your legal name.
Can you change your last name without getting married? As outlined above, definitely yes! The most common reason you’re not legally allowed to change your name is if it’s to defraud someone.It’s important that you consult with a lawyer before starting the name change process. The easiest, most cost-effective way to do so is with LegalShield, which offers expert lawyers in your area starting at $1 a day for a membership.
By purchasing a LegalShield legal plan, a LegalShield provider lawyer can help you with an uncontested name change. Once you’ve signed up and made a request for a consultation, a provider lawyer will contact you within a few hours. After a discussion about your needs, your provider lawyer will talk to you about the process according to the laws in your state. They’ll draw up the paperwork and ensure that it gets filed properly. LegalShield is here to give you the legal help that you need, so reach out today. We’d love to hear from you.
For additional information on legally changing your name, see:
Written and maintained by the LegalShield content team, covering legal and identity protection topics for individuals, families, and small businesses.
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Let's walk through how much it costs to change your name by situation, what you'll pay to update your documents, and how to keep your total expenses as low as possible.
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