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1. Who else do I need to inform if I change my name?

You should contact the Social Security Office for a new Social Security card, the Secretary of State - Drivers Services facility for a "Corrected License," your place of employment, credit card agencies, bank and financial Institutes you have accounts with, insurance companies you have accounts with, schools and other locations you have provided your proper name to, the post office, etc.

2. What state law governs Name Changes in Illinois?

The Illinois Compiled Statues Online 735 ILCS 5/21-101 governs name changes in the State of Illinois. For more information, view the 735 ILCS 5/21-101 page.

3. I just don't like my birth name and I want to change it. Can I choose any name I want?

There are some restrictions on what you may choose as your new name. Generally, the limits are as follows:
- You cannot choose a name with fraudulent intent -- meaning you intend to do something illegal. For example, you cannot legally change your name to avoid paying debts, keep from getting sued or get away with a crime.
- You cannot interfere with the rights of others, which generally means capitalizing on the name of a famous person.
- You cannot use a name that would be intentionally confusing. This might be a number or punctuation -- for example, "10," "III," or "?."
- You cannot choose a name that is a racial slur.
- You cannot choose a name that could be considered a "fighting word," which includes threatening or obscene words, or words likely to incite violence.

4. Do I have to file forms in court to change my birth name?

Maybe not. In all but a handful of states, you can legally change your name by usage only. A name change by usage is accomplished by simply using a new name in all aspects of your personal, social and business life. No court action is necessary, it costs nothing and is legally valid. (Minors and prison inmates are generally exceptions to this rule.)

Practically speaking, however, an official court document may make it much easier to get everyone to accept your new name. Because many people and agencies do not know that a usage name change is legal, they may want to see something in writing signed by a judge. Also, certain types of identification -- such as a new passport or a birth certificate attachment -- are not readily available if you change your name by the usage method.

If it's available in your state, you may want to try the usage method and see how it goes. If you run into too many problems, you can always file a court petition later.

You can find out whether your state requires a court order by contacting your local clerk of court. Or, if the court clerk doesn't give you enough information, you can look at your state's statutes in a local law library -- start in the index under "Name" or "Change of Name" or ask the reference librarian for help.

5. How do I implement my name change?

Whether you have changed your name by usage or by court order, the most important part of accomplishing your name change is to let others know you've taken a new name. Although it may take a little time to contact government agencies and businesses, don't be intimidated by the task as it's a common procedure. The practical steps of implementing a name change are:
- Advise officials and businesses. Contact the various government and business agencies with which you deal and have your name changed on their records.
- Enlist help of family and friends. Tell your friends and family that you've changed your name and you now want them to use only your new one. It may take those close to you a while to get used to associating you with a new sound. Some of them might even object to using the new name, perhaps fearing the person they know so well is becoming someone else. Be patient and persistent.
- Use only your new name. If you are employed or in school, go by your new name there. Introduce yourself to new acquaintances and business contacts with your new name.

6. I'm a woman who is planning to be married soon. Do I have to take my husband's name?

No, when you marry, you are free to keep your own name, take your husband's name, or adopt a completely different name. Your husband can even adopt your name, if that's what you both prefer. Give some careful thought to what name feels best for you. You can save yourself considerable time and trouble by making sure you are happy with your choice of name before you change any records.

7. Can my husband and I both change our names to a hyphenated version of our two names or to a brand new name?

Yes, some couples want to be known by a hyphenated combination of their last names, and some make up new names that combine elements of each. For example, Ellen Berman and Jack Gendler might become Ellen and Jack Berman-Gendler or, perhaps, Ellen and Jack Bergen. You can also pick a name that's entirely different from the names you have now, just because you like it better.

8. What if I do want to take my husband's name? How do I make the change?

If you want to take your husband's name, simply start using the name as soon as you are married. Use your new name consistently, and be sure to change your name on all of your identification, accounts and important documents. To change some of your identification papers -- your Social Security card, for example -- you'll need a certified copy of your marriage certificate, which you should receive within a few weeks after the marriage ceremony.

9. I took my husband's name when I married, but now we're getting divorced and I'd like to return to my former name. How do I do that?

In Illinois, you can request that the judge handling your divorce make a formal order restoring your former or birth name. If your divorce decree contains such an order, that's all the paperwork you'll need. You'll probably want to get certified copies of the order as proof of the name change -- check with the court clerk for details. Once you have the necessary documentation, you can use it to have your name changed on your identification and personal records.

If your divorce papers don't show your name change, you can still resume your former name without much fuss. In most states, you can simply begin using your former name consistently, and have it changed on all your personal records. If you're returning to a name you had before marriage, you're not likely to be hassled about the change.

10. After my husband and I are divorced and I return to my former name, can I change the last name of my children as well?

Traditionally, courts ruled that a father had an automatic right to have his child keep his last name if he continued to actively perform his parental role. But this is no longer true. Now a child's name may be changed by court petition when it is in "the best interest of the child" to do so. When deciding to grant a name change, courts consider many factors:
- The length of time the current name has been used
- The need of the child to identify with a new family unit (if the change involves remarriage)
- The wishes of the child's parents and any person acting as a parent who has physical custody of the child
- The wishes of the child and the reason for those wishes (assuming a judge concludes the child is of sufficient age and maturity to express them)
- The interaction and interrelationship of the child with his or her parents or persons acting as parents who have physical custody of the child, stepparents, siblings, step siblings or any other person who may affect the child's best interests
- The child's adjustment to his or her home, school, and community