0

We want to change my child's first name. In records, his first name is ROHINI SHRIHAN, but we want to make it SHRIHAN as first name and ROHINI as middle name. Now he is 3 years old and in few days he is going to start his preschool. What is the procedure/process/ documents that required to change name in CA,USA. I'll be glad if anyone help me with this.

Deepika
  • 9
  • 1
  • I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because this is about the legal process of changing a name, not about parenting per se. – anongoodnurse Feb 24 '16 at 23:20
  • 1
    For one, you can just refer to him as Shrihan. People will call him whatever you tell them his name is. Then you can legally change his name as time permits and it's not likely anyone will notice. – Kai Qing Feb 24 '16 at 23:55
  • 2
    There are a number of children in the US who go by their middle name, e.g. "Sterling Andrew Smith III" is called Andrew (to distinguish from his dad who is also Sterling Andrew, but called Sterling). Legal change is definitely an option, but having him go by the middle name is also a possibility if you find the legal process too cumbersome or costly. – Acire Feb 25 '16 at 14:02
  • And to support Erica's comment, I am one of those who go by my middle name. It's pretty common – Kai Qing Feb 25 '16 at 20:42
  • My best friend goes by her middle name, and so did my son's father until he left home. My husband has a coworker who's mother gave all her sons (4 altogether) their father's name (Hector) as a first name and calls them each by their middle name (Danny, Carlos, etc). As some others have said, it's not an uncommon practice. Besides, most preschools will ask on the registration forms what the child prefers to be called. – Jax Feb 26 '16 at 03:21

1 Answers1

2

Generally speaking, parents can change the names of their children fairly easily, as long as both parents agree. Try starting here: http://www.courts.ca.gov/1052.htm

I don't know how it works in Claifornia specifically, but here's a brief overview anyway: You will probably have to file a bunch of forms and then get assigned a court date. At the court date, a judge will listen to why you want to change the name (easily explained in your case, by a confusion in school as to what your child should be called) and then after the hearing a new birth certificate will be processed. I would expect at LOT of red tape, some court fees, but no real difficulty.

naomisl
  • 664
  • 3
  • 8