What is a Deed Poll? A Deed Poll is the widely recognised name for the legal document that enables you to officially change your name. It is more formally known as a Deed of Change of Name, but the term Deed Poll is more commonly used throughout the UK. The term ‘Deed’ is common to signed, written agreements that have been shown to all concerned parties. Strictly speaking, it is not a contract because it binds only one party and expresses an intention instead of a promise. ‘Poll’ is an old legal term referring to official documents that had cut edges (were polled) so that they were straight. By doing this it was easy to distinguish which documents had been signed by only one person and which were signed by more than one. At the time, such agreements would be given an indenture, so that each party had a document with corresponding tears. This helped discourage forgery. By Deed Poll, you can choose to change forenames, surnames, and middle names as well as being able to add and remove names. You can also rearrange current forenames or alter spellings. The Deed Poll enables a citizen to formally change their name on official records such as their passport, driving licence, tax and National Insurance records, bank and credit cards, etc. Your birth certificate, marriage certificate and educational certificates cannot be changed because these documents are “matter of fact”. This means that they were correct at the time they were issued. A Deed Poll is a legal document and the person who signs it, dates it, and has it witnessed, is committing themselves to the following actions: • To renounce and abandon the use of a former name • To use their new name/s at all times • To require everybody to address them only by their new name Please note, dealing with us directly means that you do not need to visit a solicitor. Why do people change their name by Deed Poll? Here are just a few of the reasons why people change their name by Deed Poll: * Some people do not like the name they were given as a child. * After a divorce a woman may want to change to a name other than the one shown on her decree absolute. * Some like their names but want to arrange them in a different order. * A man may choose to take the surname of his wife on marriage. * A different spelling of the name is required. * A couple may decide to have a double-barrelled surname when they marry. * On marriage a couple may choose to create a different surname for themselves by meshing their surnames together. * Same sex partners may want to share the same surname. * A woman may decide to keep her maiden name as a middle name after marriage. * Transsexuals may choose a name to reflect their new gender. * A woman may wish to revert to her maiden name prior to her divorce being finalised and before receiving her decree absolute. * When people convert to a different religion they may wish to choose a more religious name. See the page Religious Conversion. * People of foreign extraction living in the UK may wish to anglicise their name to make it easier for others to pronounce. * When people marry or re-marry, they may want to formally change a child’s name to identify the group as a family unit. * Some people choose to change their name to a 'fun name' such as James Bond. * A mother may wish to change her child's surname to her own if the father is absent. See the last section on the Parental Responsibility page. * Some people change their name to because they wish to a fresh start. * A few people have even changed their name by Deed Poll for charity. There are countless other reasons why one may choose to change their name. Whatever your reason we endeavour to make the process as simple as possible for you. The change of name you choose must not be for fraudulent or deceptive purposes, or result in the financial loss of a third party or an illegal act being committed. Am I eligible to change my name? Your age and nationality will determine whether or not you can apply for a change of name by Deed Poll. Age Any person aged 16 or over can change their name by deed poll with no parental consent required. However, for those under 16 years old someone with parental responsibility must apply. The regulations in this situation differ depending on whether a parent is changing a child’s name during the first year of the child's registration or after the first year of the child’s registration. In both cases only somebody who has parental responsibility for a child can change their name by deed poll. In order to do so permission from all parental guardians is required. For more information on this read our page on Changing the name of child.