Dropping 1st name..... legalities

lincroft1710

NBLondon said:

RAS said:

Nothing to say this lad cannot informally change his name now, but if his educational certificates are in his current name and his ID is different, he needs an explanation, so it's better to do an enrolled deed-poll even if it costs £45.

That's a key point - names on qualifications.  When I worked in apprenticeships, we had a young lad who changed both given name and family name at 18 so his GCSE certs didn't match his current name at all.  He ended up retaking Maths and English exams to meet the requirements.

lincroft1710 said:

I have known so many people who prefer to use their second (or even third!) name rather than their first including a relative and there have been at least 3 Prime Ministers. No one bothered legal changing.

For those who are puzzled - the other two are Leonard James Callaghan and James Gordon Brown. 

I had forgotten Gordon Brown, I was thinking of James Harold Wilson

Archergirl

I have a friend who's name is A Smith but we all know her as Jill, none one has any idea what the A stands for and she won't tell anyone.....

lincroft1710

lincroft1710 said:

NBLondon said:

RAS said:

Nothing to say this lad cannot informally change his name now, but if his educational certificates are in his current name and his ID is different, he needs an explanation, so it's better to do an enrolled deed-poll even if it costs £45.

That's a key point - names on qualifications.  When I worked in apprenticeships, we had a young lad who changed both given name and family name at 18 so his GCSE certs didn't match his current name at all.  He ended up retaking Maths and English exams to meet the requirements.

lincroft1710 said:

I have known so many people who prefer to use their second (or even third!) name rather than their first including a relative and there have been at least 3 Prime Ministers. No one bothered legal changing.

For those who are puzzled - the other two are Leonard James Callaghan and James Gordon Brown. 

I had forgotten Gordon Brown, I was thinking of James Harold Wilson

Further PMs - Maurice Harold MacMillan, Robert Anthony Eden, Arthur Neville Chamberlain, 

smudge56

He can officially change his name by changed of name deed - https://www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll - shows you how.  Send this with evidence that he uses his new name for all purposes (bank statement, driving licence etc) to change the name on his passport.  He doesn't have to be 18 to do this.  If he has a foreign passport - this must be changed to match the British  passport before the British passport will be issued.