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  6.  » Name Changes: Your Parents Name You “North West”…so now what?

Name Changes: Your Parents Name You “North West”…so now what?

On Behalf of | Jul 31, 2013 | Name Changes

Name Changes: Your Parents Name You “North West” …so now what?

North West. Apple. Blue Ivy. Bear Blu. It seems as if celebrities today are determined to come up with wild, shocking, and never heard before names for their offspring, possibly in a bid to help their children “stand out.” Maybe these children will grow up and love their names. Or maybe they will hate them. Luckily if their feelings lean towards the latter, they can seek to have their names legally changed to something more common or tolerable.

In Pennsylvania, the complexity and process of legal name changes varies depending on the circumstance and reasoning for seeking the name change. If one is seeking to change her name pursuant to a divorce, the process can be fairly simple. An attorney can draft a Notice of Intent to Resume Prior Surname to file with the courts. This is the only step that needs to be taken before a married name can be changed back to a maiden name on a birth certificate, driver’s license, and social security card. The filed Notice of Intent will have to be presented to all respective agencies before the name change process can be completed.

So Your Parents Name You “North West” …so now what?

The process is more complicated if one is seeking to have his name changed for a reason other than a divorce, such as if he merely does not like his given name. He would have to file with the courts a petition for change of name in the appropriate county. The petitioner, the individual seeking to change his name, would have to undergo background checks and fingerprinting. He would also have to certify that he is not seeking to change his name to defraud his creditors. The petitioner must give notice of the name change by publishing a notice in two newspapers of general circulation, giving anyone who would have a lawful objection to the changing of your name notice. Additionally, the name change process can involve two and possibly more court appearances before a judge. At the end of the process, because changing one’s name is not a right, the judge decides whether or not to grant the name change petition. The judge may make any decision that he or she deems necessary under the circumstances of each individual case.

The name change process can be a fairly complicated one that is most easily navigated by an experienced attorney. The attorneys at McMorrow Law LLC are experienced in helping many individuals change their names. Contact McMorrow Law, LLC today to guide you through the name change process at 724-940-0100.

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