Changing Your Last Name Legally

It was John's first day at his new job. He was busy working, when his boss came by and noticed him. Seeing he was a new employee, he asked John to meet him inside his cabin. "What is your name?" was the first question the boss asked him. "It's John, Sir", was John's reply. The boss angrily replied, "Listen John, I don't know what sort of shoddy place you've worked at before, but I DO NOT address any of my employees by their first names. It breeds familiarity and gives out wrong signals. So hereafter, when I say 'name', it means your last name. Is that understood?". John nodded reluctantly. "So once again, what is your name?", the boss thundered. John rolled his eyes and sighed, "Darling...It's John Darling, Sir". Without batting an eyelid, the boss replied, "Okay John, the next thing I want to tell you is..."

I bet you've heard this joke before. And for those of you who have just been introduced to it, I'm sure by now you've realized the kind of embarrassment that an embarrassing last name can bring. There are many situations (in addition to the above) where changing your last name legally does become necessary, and at times, inevitable. So how do you legally change your last name? What is the procedure that you should follow? Do you need any legal advice? Let us have a look at the answers to these questions.

How to Change Your Last Name Legally
So if you are someone who wishes to change his last name legally on account of marriage, divorce, or if you're simply too embarrassed to remain a 'Dickensheets', a 'Winterbottom', a 'Broomhead' or a 'Focker', here is how you should go about it.

Procedure

1. The name change procedure often varies depending on where you reside. Most of the basic steps are generally the same, however, there are certain requirements and regulations that are laid down by individual states or district civic authorities, which are specifically applicable to residents of those states or districts.
2. The first thing you should do is get hold of a name change form. You can obtain this through a recognized website specializing in legal documents or else you can get it from your local courthouse.
3. Enter all the relevant details in the form along with the new last name that you have chosen. Make sure you spell it correctly!
4. There are certain do's and don'ts when it comes to selecting a new name. It is unethical and sometimes illegal to pick a celebrity's name, a controversial name, or a name that could portray either race or religion in a wrongful manner. Such names are often disallowed, so you should keep this in mind while selecting a last name.
5. Once you have filled up the name change form, you must submit that at the courthouse after which you will receive a receipt for your name change application. Your change of name becomes valid only after your application is reviewed and is approved through a court order.
6. Once that happens, you are ideally expected to formally announce your change of name through a public medium such as a newspaper or a local community newsletter. In case there are copyright issues or any other issues involved regarding your new name, they need to be settled by the concerned parties within the court or through an out-of-court settlement. Only after that are you granted final approval for your new name.
7. The next thing you should do is make a list of all the documents which you need to update with your new name. Typically, they will include your driving license, social security card, passport, marriage certificate, credit cards, bank documents, workplace identity cards, etc. You should acquire separate name change forms for each of these documents. Enter all the relevant details and submit them to the concerned departments.
8. Last but not the least, inform all your friends, relatives, acquaintances, colleagues and everyone else in your contact list about your change of name.

Changing your last name legally is usually not a very complicated procedure. It is generally hassle-free (as long as you do it for the right reasons). However, if you find it too much to handle, you can always take the help of an attorney who can guide you through the entire procedure.