How To Legally Change Your Name (2024 Guide)

Julia DiPrete is a freelance writer, former BigLaw attorney, unapologetic night owl, and Xennial. She has worked in law school career services and legal recruiting and has blogged extensively both in and outside the legal industry. When she's not wri.

Julia DiPrete, J.D. Contributor

Julia DiPrete is a freelance writer, former BigLaw attorney, unapologetic night owl, and Xennial. She has worked in law school career services and legal recruiting and has blogged extensively both in and outside the legal industry. When she's not wri.

Written By Julia DiPrete, J.D. Contributor

Julia DiPrete is a freelance writer, former BigLaw attorney, unapologetic night owl, and Xennial. She has worked in law school career services and legal recruiting and has blogged extensively both in and outside the legal industry. When she's not wri.

Julia DiPrete, J.D. Contributor

Julia DiPrete is a freelance writer, former BigLaw attorney, unapologetic night owl, and Xennial. She has worked in law school career services and legal recruiting and has blogged extensively both in and outside the legal industry. When she's not wri.

Contributor

Adam has resided at the intersection of legal and journalism for two decades. An award-winning journalist and legal strategist, he’s covered high-profile trials in Florida. After law school, Adam and spent two years clerking for a U.S. District Co.

Adam has resided at the intersection of legal and journalism for two decades. An award-winning journalist and legal strategist, he’s covered high-profile trials in Florida. After law school, Adam and spent two years clerking for a U.S. District Co.

Adam has resided at the intersection of legal and journalism for two decades. An award-winning journalist and legal strategist, he’s covered high-profile trials in Florida. After law school, Adam and spent two years clerking for a U.S. District Co.

Adam has resided at the intersection of legal and journalism for two decades. An award-winning journalist and legal strategist, he’s covered high-profile trials in Florida. After law school, Adam and spent two years clerking for a U.S. District Co.

Updated: Jul 12, 2023, 11:58am

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How To Legally Change Your Name (2024 Guide)

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Table of Contents

As the great William Shakespeare once penned, “What’s in a name?” As it turns out, a lot. Especially if you want to change it.

There are lots of reasons you might want to know how to change your name. Common reasons for name changes include marriage, divorce and other significant life shifts. No matter your reason for making a change, this guide will walk you through how to legally change your name.

We’ll help you navigate this sometimes complex process. Just keep in mind that there are differences between state processes for how to legally change your name, and you should consider speaking with an attorney for legal assistance.

How Difficult Is It to Change Your Name?

Since the United States is a federalist republic, we have two layers of government: federal and state. For most normal life stuff, the states are the ones making the rules–which means that answers to questions like “How can I legally change my name?” depend on the state in which you live. Every state has its own laws and processes for carrying out those laws.

Don’t worry, this shouldn’t add a major level of complexity to changing your name. In reality, the process is very similar in most states. Still, you need to know your state’s rules so you can follow them to the letter.

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Contributor

Julia DiPrete is a freelance writer, former BigLaw attorney, unapologetic night owl, and Xennial. She has worked in law school career services and legal recruiting and has blogged extensively both in and outside the legal industry. When she's not writing, she’s probably either doing mom stuff, wrangling her three dogs, lifting weights, or finding excuses not to clean her house.

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