Things You Didn’t Know About Name Changing Process
In the past couple of years, there has been a massive number of people who want to change their names. The reasons are plenty, from people who have a better name for themselves in mind, to other situations where a divorce may have occurred, and you’re looking to change the last name of your daughter or son.
When I remarried, the whole family began the name changing process as we decided to all have the same surname. This would help to avoid confusion. It’s particularly bad when your going through customs and each family member has a different surname. We’ve been there and you get lots of questions!
Whatever the reason for changing your name, along with the process itself, there are a few things that you should consider that nobody will tell you.
Some are simpler to deal with, while others will require a bit of thought. From personal decisions to governmental restrictions, you can be faced with some challenges. Whether you want to do a Scotland name change or do it elsewhere like the UK, there are some things to keep in mind before you do so. Let me share with you a few things that you may not know about the name changing process!
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Choosing a New Name Can Be More Difficult Than You Might Think
Unless you already have something in mind, it can be tricky to choose a new name. It’s not one of those things that just come up in your thoughts out of nowhere, and you’ll need to justify the name. Not to anyone else, but to yourself, and you’ll need a good explanation as to why the name you’ve chosen is better than the name you already have.
The Name Changing Process is Actually Pretty Cheap
At the mention of a “process”, and the fact that you sometimes need to go through agencies and fill up paperwork, many people shrug and think that they’ll need to spend hundreds of pounds on everything that the process entails.
And while it is not free – there are some things that you’ll need to pay for, it’s usually less than 100 pounds, which is not a lot. It might take a couple of days to go through with everything, though, but that’s about it when it comes to prices.
There Are Certain Restrictions in Place When Changing Your Name
Yes, there are some places that let you change your name to literally anything you want. However, that’s not the case in most countries around the world. You will need to be reasonable, and chances are you can forget about things such as numbers or other symbols. It must be pronounceable, and there might be a character limit in place.
To add to that, there are a couple of religious and legal reasons that usually apply. For example, you can’t change your name into “Saint”, “Jesus” or “Lucifer”, since they’re all considered blasphemous. You also can’t change it to a company or organization name, and you can’t promote any racial hatred or political opinions. Oh, and another thing, you can’t have your first name give out the impression that you’ve got a title, rank, or a certain level of education, such as “Sir” or “Doctor”.
Your Friends May Not Believe You Have Changed Your Name
Sure, you might’ve been talking to them for a while before you commit to it. You might’ve even asked some of them for a suggestion or their opinion on the matter. However, once you actually go through with your name change, you’ll find that a lot of your friends don’t trust you. Well, at least not until you show them your new driving license.
You’ll Need to Explain It to a Lot of People
When you change your name, aside from those that won’t believe you, you’ll also have a group of people who are just confused. They may not understand why you decided to change your name, or why it is the one you chose, and you might just get into trouble with law enforcement. Their system isn’t as updated as you might think, so you might want to carry around your deed poll for a while.
People Will Accept It When Things Matter
Sure, there’ll be some raised eyebrows here and there. However, when it comes to getting a new job or getting a new partner, you will find that people are actually surprisingly accepting of your new name.
If you still want to change your name, the things above are some thoughts to keep in mind before you do so. Taking them into consideration while going through the name changing process, it’s bound to go much more smoothly for you!
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