# Holy Crud, it's expensive to change your name **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 10, 2010, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-crud-its-expensive-to-change-your-name/560243 "2010-11-10T23:16:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-crud-its-expensive-to-change-your-name/560243/21 "2010-11-12T00:41:44Z")
What’s probably sad, is I kept my current last name, which I hate (it’s the end of the alphabet and it rhymes with ‘rooster’) as a middle name to appease my parents. Which isn’t really working, but… My full name is going from three names with 17 letters total to four names with 30 letters total. But then, I’m not planning on regularly using my middle names. (My current middle name is ‘Marie’ which is about as generic as you can get - no I’m not latino either. My new middle name will be Katherine, which is beautiful and has lots of possible nicknames. Which I realize isn’t really an issue at this point in life, but still.) (Love you guys, but I’m not posting my first and last name on a random forum.) ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-crud-its-expensive-to-change-your-name/560243/22 "2010-11-12T02:25:12Z")
> [@Silver Tyger Girl](#): > > (Love you guys, but I’m not posting my first and last name on a random forum.) _ **Random??** _ We’re family! ☹ 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-crud-its-expensive-to-change-your-name/560243/23 "2010-11-12T03:01:54Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Changing your name is FREE. > > Legally your name is whatever you choose to use as your name. No legal process need be involved. Pragmatically, you change a few things first, get some bills in your new name, etc, then take on drivers’ license / social security / passport among the last thing when you’ve got a mass of easier stuff in your new name. > > EDIT: what **Stoid** just said. SSA wants a legal change of name form. So does the State Department to change a name of a passport. ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-crud-its-expensive-to-change-your-name/560243/24 "2010-11-12T04:35:17Z")
> [@Silver Tyger Girl](#): > > \(Love you guys, but I’m not posting my first and last name on a random forum.) Hey! You apologize NOW! And most of my name is already here, so I guess I’m not giving much away by tell you that I was given \*\*Kathleen Marie \*\*at birth. So there. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-crud-its-expensive-to-change-your-name/560243/25 "2010-11-12T05:04:17Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Changing your name is FREE. > > Legally your name is whatever you choose to use as your name. No legal process need be involved. Pragmatically, you change a few things first, get some bills in your new name, etc, then take on drivers’ license / social security / passport among the last thing when you’ve got a mass of easier stuff in your new name. > > EDIT: what **Stoid** just said. For those making a similar statement, I did just that. 20 years ago, in California. Easy as cake. Now come to renew my driver’s license in another state, and the SSN data doesn’t exactly match the DL name (close, but no cigar). So now I can’t renew my DL unless I produce documents showing that: 1. My name on the fed tax forms exactly matches 2. My name on the Driver’s License and 3. Exactly matches my birth certificate or court-ordered name change. No exceptions, no allowances, no nothing. It’s all to prevent terrorism, of course :rolleyes: , but meanwhile, I can’t do shit unless I want to legally change my name _again._ So be warned. It may be easy now, but 20 years later, watch out. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-crud-its-expensive-to-change-your-name/560243/26 "2010-11-12T11:31:35Z")
> [@Silver Tyger Girl](#): > > …(Love you guys, but I’m not posting my first and last name on a random forum.) Ha! My user name is my first initial of my first name, Brian, and my last name, Malion. In your face! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2010, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-crud-its-expensive-to-change-your-name/560243/27 "2010-11-13T06:58:10Z")
I’ve been considering doing this for a few years now and haven’t yet because it seems too daunting. Maryland is a usage state, but it seems like not having an official piece of paper might be inviting trouble. The actual court procedure involves a $105 fee, filing some forms with the county, and then publishing a notice. That’s not so bad, but anything involving the phrase “at the Department of Motor Vehicles” gives me the willies. Around here, that means bringing at least a 250-page novel. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-crud-its-expensive-to-change-your-name/560243/28 "2010-11-13T19:54:58Z")
> [@chizzuk](#): > > I’ve been considering doing this for a few years now and haven’t yet because it seems too daunting. Maryland is a usage state, but it seems like not having an official piece of paper might be inviting trouble. The actual court procedure involves a $105 fee, filing some forms with the county, and then publishing a notice. That’s not so bad, but anything involving the phrase “at the Department of Motor Vehicles” gives me the willies. Around here, that means bringing at least a 250-page novel. Well, at least the court fee is something reasonable. If it’s any help, I found this website useful: [http://newlastname.org/](http://newlastname.org/) ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2010, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-crud-its-expensive-to-change-your-name/560243/29 "2010-11-13T21:09:07Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > I believe California recognizes a “common law” name change. This allows a name change simply by your using a new name. The problem, I suppose, is getting businesses and agencies to recognize the new name. > > ETA: [http://www.scribd.com/doc/26429971/Common-Law-Name-Change-Ruling-California](http://www.scribd.com/doc/26429971/Common-Law-Name-Change-Ruling-California) A lot of states recognize a common-law change; the problem is, the US Passport Agency doesn’t. If you ever want to leave the country, you’ll have to fork over the money. The only way to change your passport is to provide a court document. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2010, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-crud-its-expensive-to-change-your-name/560243/30 "2010-11-14T00:45:25Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > A lot of states recognize a common-law change; the problem is, the US Passport Agency doesn’t. > > If you ever want to leave the country, you’ll have to fork over the money. The only way to change your passport is to provide a court document. I feel better. The reason I finally got off my ass about changing my name is that hopefully I’ll need a passport soon. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-crud-its-expensive-to-change-your-name/560243/31 "2010-11-14T01:42:47Z")
> [@Silver Tyger Girl](#): > > Too mild for the pit and all that. > > I’ve always heard that legally changing your name is like 75 bucks. Not in California, it ain’t. > > Court fee: 399 > Fee to publish the legal notice: 230. > > Is it worth it? I’m not sure yet. Ask me next year. O.o If I ever eventually get married, I now have an awesome reason to keep my last name. Holy crap! sssh…don’t tell him about the common law thing… ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-crud-its-expensive-to-change-your-name/560243/32 "2010-11-15T03:36:18Z")
> [@Taomist](#): > > O.o > > If I ever eventually get married, I now have an awesome reason to keep my last name. Holy crap! > > sssh…don’t tell him about the common law thing… I think it’s different if you’re getting married. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-crud-its-expensive-to-change-your-name/560243/34 "2012-03-25T18:20:16Z")
Can zombies change their name, too? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-crud-its-expensive-to-change-your-name/560243/35 "2012-03-25T18:29:19Z")
> [@maria123](#): > > If you are looking for marriage name change online forms, I found this useful site: _spam link removed_ Reported. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-crud-its-expensive-to-change-your-name/560243.md?page=1)