Full question:
My husband was born ----------. In 1980 he legally changed his name to -------- (took his stepfather's name). He would now like to add his birth name back by making his name hyphenated (e.g., ----------). What would be necessary for him to do that and for the rest of our family to have that option legally, as well?
- Category: Name Change
- Date:
- State: Maryland
Answer:
A legal name change can occur for various reasons, including marriage, divorce, or personal preference. Generally, a name change cannot be done for fraudulent purposes, such as evading debts.
To change his name, your husband can follow these steps:
- File a petition for name change in the civil court of his county.
- Attach a copy of his birth certificate to the petition.
- Publish a notice in a local newspaper at least fifteen days before the hearing date, unless the court orders otherwise.
- File a certificate of publication with the court.
- Attend a hearing where the court will review any objections.
If there are no objections, the court may grant the name change. A name change upon marriage, divorce, or dissolution typically meets the public interest requirement.
For the rest of your family to have the option to hyphenate their names, they would need to follow a similar legal process for each individual name change.
Most entities will accept a legal name change order as proof to update records.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.