Links to site contents...
About
Deed Polls
What is a Deed
Poll?
Why
is it called a Deed Poll?
What
is the purpose of a Deed Poll?
Who can apply?
Can
I change my children's names?
Are there any restrictions
on names?
Is
a Deed Poll registered anywhere?
Can
a birth certificate be changed?
Why
do people change their name?
Answers to other
FAQs
Applying
for a Deed Poll
Change
your name online now
Example
letters of consent
General
name change information
Introduction
A
woman's rights upon marriage
A
man's rights upon marriage
A
woman's rights upon divorce
A
woman's rights upon being widowed
Your
rights upon adoption
Who to advise
after changing your name
UK
Deed Poll Service
Contact us
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions
and your rights
About
Deed Polls
Are
there any restrictions on names?
Although there are no laws in the United Kingdom relating to unsuitable names, there are restrictions we impose on what you can change your name to.
We will not accept an order for a Deed Poll for a name that:
- is impossible to pronounce,
- includes numbers or symbols,
- includes punctuation marks - although you can have a hyphen to link forenames or surnames (for example, if you want a double barrelled surname) and an apostrophe in the case of surnames like O'Brien.
- we consider vulgar, offensive or unsuitable,
- may result in others believing you have a conferred or inherited honour, title or rank, for example, a change of first name to Sir, Lord, Lady, Prince, Princess, Baron, Baroness, Count, Countess, General, Colonel etc.,
- does not include at least one forename and one surname.
Other than the above restrictions, you can change your forenames, surname (or both), add names, remove names or rearrange your existing names. You can change your name at any time and for any reason provided it is not for deceptive or fraudulent purposes or for the avoidance of an obligation.
Copyright
and trade marks protection of names
There
is no copyright or trade mark protection for people's names.
Therefore, if you want to call yourself Elton John for everyday
use, you can. However, you cannot use your new name if it results
in passing-off of deception. For example, if you changed your
name to Elton John and you published music and/or lyrics in that
name, you will probably find yourself subject to trade mark infringement
legal action by the artist Elton John on the grounds that you
are passing yourself off as him.
Fun
names
Some people like the idea of having what we call a fun name.
We have issued Deed Polls for fun names such as Hong Kong Phooey,
Father Christmas, Ed Kase, Ting A Ling, Save Barnsley FC and
James Bond. The most popular name changes of this type are where
football team names or player names are included as middle names.
Last
updated: 6th December 2002
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