Thinking of Changing Your Name?
Are you considering changing your name once you get married?
It’s a personal choice as to whether you want to – obviously you don’t have to, and you don’t not have to. Me, well when I got married the second time I kept my first husband’s last name (weird, huh, but it’s my kids last name, you see).
How To Change Your Name
So, getting back onto topic, if you do want to change your name, you will first need to get your standard marriage certificate from the Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) in the State where your marriage took place. In QLD, I always apply for this on behalf of the couples I work with after their wedding.
Your celebrant can give you guidance on whether they do this, but if they don’t, below is a list of where to apply for your marriage certificate via Births, Deaths and Marriages in Australia:
Once you’ve got your hands on your certificate, it’s time to start contacting people to let them know. It’s a laborious process, and there are undoubtedly some on the list below which are not relevant to you, and some not on the list which are. Below is a starter for ten, but if you’d like to provide me with any suggested inclusions, please feel free to email me at roxy@roxyrocks.com
What Can I Change My Name To?
Kim Smith married Robin Brown, and they would like to change their last name(s). They could change their name if it includes one or the other’s last name prior to marriage, using their Marriage Certificate as evidence that they have the legal right to change their name.
Let’s use an example here. These are some of the option they could change to, using their Marriage Certificate:
- Kim Brown and Robin Smith
- Kim Brown and Robin Brown
- Kim Smith and Robin Smith
- Kim Smith-Brown and Robin Smith-Brown
- Kim Brown-Smith and Robin Brown-Smith
- Kim Brown and Robin Brown-Smith (and any other variations of this)
However, if they decide to change their last name to something which isn’t from either of their surnames prior to marriage, eg: they would now like to be Kim Newname and Robin Newname, they would have to apply for a Change of Name certificate. This can be applied for via their Births, Deaths and Marriages listed above.
Name Change Check List
The super-handy name change check-list has proven to be a real help for those considering changing their name.
Hope this helps, and if you’d like a PDF version of this emailed to you, please don’t hesitate to contact me at roxy@roxyrocks.com or on 0478041227.
Happy name-changing!
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