Understanding When A Name Change May Not Be Considered Legal

If you have always liked the first name Ziggy or if you simply hate your old-fashioned name, then you do have the option of legally changing it. This is actually a common and simple practice that involves some paperwork and an acceptance by the court system. You will typically need to fill out a document called a Petition for Change of Name or a form with a similar name depending on the state you live in. While the process is usually quite simple, there are some circumstances where you will not be able to change your name legally. Keep reading to understand a few.

Name Changes To Escape Debt

If you want to change your name so you can hide your identity, then this is not legal. This is only legal in cases where the name change is desired due to safety reasons. For example, if you are the victim of domestic abuse, then a name change will often be granted on these grounds. You will need to state this reason in front of a judge during a court hearing. This may be extremely difficult, and legal council may be a good choice to help you through the process. A lawyer can also assist you in keeping the name change private. In many states, name changes must be legally published in the local paper. Also, court proceedings involving the change are part of the public record. These things are done to make sure that fraudulent situations are avoided, like a person trying to relieve themselves of debt. 

While certain laws do need to be followed, a judge can dismiss the need for the publication of the new name. Also, court records can be sealed to protect your identity. 

As previously mentioned, these things are only arranged in cases where safety is an issue. If you are trying to escape debt or hide your identity for other nefarious reasons, then a judge will dismiss your request for a sealed court hearing and a skipped publication of your name. In fact, the judge is likely not going to allow the name change at all. This is considered fraud and is very serious manner. 

If you do have debt problems or are going through bankruptcy and you just happen to want to change your name, then the judge can use their own discretion when deciding if a name change is legal or not. Keep in mind that you may need to wait until your financial troubles are resolved first. 

Confusing Name Changes

Name changes also may be rejected if they are confusing. A confusing name may be seen as fraudulent if a debtor or government agency may find it difficult to identify or locate you based on the name. This is one reason why punctuation, numbers, and other types of characters like #, @, and $ are not allowed when legally changing a name. In this regard, the name may be seen as fraudulent. 

While numbers are typically prohibited, your name may legally be changed to a number that is spelled out. For example, your name may be accepted if it is changed to "six", but "6" will not be acceptable.

Also, you cannot choose the name of a celebrity or another individual that may make it seem as though you are the other individual. The denials will often be completed on the basis that you are trying to mislead or confuse the general public. Improper names that contain swear words are denied as well. This is also true of any name that may infringe on another person's rights. For example, you cannot change your name to the same one as someone you know. This can negatively affect the other individual and interfere with their rights when it comes to such things as basic identity and reputation.