Changing your surname, a simple formality?

You might consider changing your surname for various reasons: marriage, personal preference or shortening the length for easier pronunciation. Privately, a person can call themselves whatever they want. However, a lot of public information is tied to an official name change, so one must follow the naming laws in their country.

Changing Your Surname: Formality or Legality?

“What’s in a name?” So crooned Shakespeare, many a moon ago. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, and as a private citizen, one’s identity is not necessarily tied to what people call them. However, as a public citizen who is operating in a society, changing your surname has a big impact on government and commercial records. For example, if someone changes their surname because of marriage, their application for a credit card would be different, as it would then take into account the income of all those who live in the same household with that same last name. Some governments strictly regulate not only the process of applying for a name change, but also the kinds of names that are allowed to be taken on. Naming law convention varies in each country and, interestingly, is tied not only to the cultural history of the country but to international laws as well. For example, parents may not give children the names shared with questionable historical figures (those involved in war crimes or racial/ethnic hate propaganda). They may also not change their child’s surname to binary code or computer language.

The Process of Applying for a Name Change

Depending on the country of origin, there will be a different process for changing your surname. Some name changes must be applied for and registered, while others can simply be “updated” (as in the case of marriage or common law union in North American countries). The specifics depend on your country of residence. Of course, most countries that allow a name change will start with the requirement of filling out a name change form that must include current photo IDs and personal information. Name changes may also require a lawyer or an official notary to sign the forms before sending them in to the government. A large number of countries, such as Brazil, consider the given name of a person fixed and name changes can only go through under exceptional circumstances; changing your surname under European naming law, for example, might possibly be allowed if the person applying is a non-European who is trying to do so in order to integrate better in their new society. Alternatively, some countries, like Canada (with exception of the province of Quebec) will allow surname changes without a form, accepting a marriage certificate as proof.