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Question:

How do i change my name to my birth given name?


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Names can be changed in two ways:

1. Pick a new name and consistently use it. This is called "common usage."
2. Go through a more formal court process.

Both are equally legitimate. However, you can't just change your name to anything you want. Here are the main limiations:

1. You can not change your name if you have "fraudulent intent," meaning that you're trying to avoid bankruptcy by becoming someone else.

2. You can not change your name in the hope of messing with a trademarked name. For instance, you can't rename yourself Merrill Lynch and open a stock brokerage house. This also applies to giving yourself the name of a famous person. You can't legally change your name to Meryl Streep and then try to make money off of your new name.

3. You can not use numbers in your name, like 911, in order to intentionally confuse people. You also can not use symbols (ampersands, percent signs, whatever). However, you can add Roman numerals to the end of your name if you want a pretentious one like Winthrop Winterbottom IIIVVXXI. (It is unclear whether the artist formerly known as Prince is aware that his symbol is far from legitimate.)

4. Naughty or violent words are not allowed by the courts, nor is anything with a racial slur. Yes, there are porn stars who give themselves rather questionable names, but these are often stage names and are treated as nicknames.

5. If you're a minor, you need to have a court decision. This often occurs when parents get divorced and a child wants to join his/her mother in using her maiden name.

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