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Changing a child’s name

There are several reasons you might consider changing your child’s name. You may want them to have a different last name, or perhaps you’ve decided the name given at birth no longer feels right.

You can informally change your child’s name under the age of 16 without needing a specific reason. However, if you want to make it official on documents like a passport or birth certificate, all individuals with parental responsibility must agree to the change.

This page outlines the different types of name changes, how to go about them, and the likely costs involved.

Before changing your child’s name

Consider your child’s best interests

It’s important to carefully consider what changing your child’s name will mean for them. It’s also a good idea to talk to your child about the potential change and take their feelings into account.

Will the name change affect their relationship with the other parent or relatives?
Will it make your child feel more or less secure?
How will your child explain the name change to others?
If you’re thinking about changing your child’s last name to your new partner’s, is the relationship stable enough to make this decision? How would the change affect your child if the relationship ended?

If your child is aged 16 or 17 and you’re applying for an enrolled deed poll, their written agreement is required.

Get parental consent

To formally change your child’s name, you’ll need the consent of everyone with parental responsibility.

If you can’t get everyone’s agreement, you may be able to get a court order. This involves filling out a form (C100) and paying a £263 fee. Before applying for a court order, you must try to reach an agreement.

Keep in mind that you’re more likely to succeed with a court order if you request to double-barrel your child’s last name (combining your name with their other parent’s), rather than replacing it entirely. This is because it maintains the connection to the other parent. You don’t have to use a hyphen, and you can arrange the names in any order.

For more information, see our page on parental responsibility.

Ways to change a child’s name

There are 4 ways to change a child’s name:

Informally
By statutory declaration (an official statement)
By deed poll – this can then be used to change other official documents, such as passports
By changing the birth certificate

If you simply want to start calling your child by another name, like their middle name or a nickname, you can begin doing so at any time. However, to make the change official, you’ll need to follow a legal process. This page explains the different options available to you.

Informal name changes

You don’t need official paperwork to start calling your child by a new name, as long as it’s not done with the intention to deceive or defraud someone.

It’s almost always best to get the agreement of your child’s other parent before making this change. If they disagree, they could take legal action, even for an informal name change. Additionally, if they refuse to use the new name, it could upset or confuse your child, as they would be called different names by different people.

Keep in mind that schools and other organisations may not recognise or use your child’s new name unless it has been formally changed with the consent of everyone with parental responsibility.

Using a statutory declaration

A statutory declaration is an official statement confirming a name change.

While it won’t change the name on your child’s birth certificate, it will make the name change legally recognised. To prove your child’s identity, you’ll need to present the declaration alongside their birth certificate. Most places will accept a statutory declaration as proof of the name change, though some may require a deed poll (explained below).

If you use a statutory declaration to change your child’s name, you can change it again in the future if necessary.

How to get a statutory declaration

You can write the declaration yourself or have a solicitor do it for you. It will need to be signed under oath at a solicitor’s office, and there is usually a small fee involved.

Changing a name by deed poll

A deed poll is a legal document that officially records a name change. While it doesn’t change the name on your child’s birth certificate, you’ll need to present the deed poll along with the birth certificate to prove your child’s identity.

A deed poll allows you to change your child’s name on other official documents, such as their passport. If you later want to change your child’s name again, you can do so by obtaining another deed poll.

A deed poll goes a step further than a statutory declaration. In fact, the deed poll application includes a statutory declaration (official statement) as part of the process.

How to get a deed poll

You can either:

Make an unenrolled deed poll through a solicitor or a specialist deed poll agency.
Apply for an enrolled deed poll from the Royal Courts of Justice.

Some organisations (such as some banks or mobile phone companies) may only accept an enrolled deed poll as evidence of a name change. Check with the organisation concerned to find out what evidence they will accept.

Applying for an enrolled deed poll

You can change your child’s name by enrolled deed poll by filling in the forms on gov.uk. It costs £53.05 to apply.

The application will have to be signed by everyone with parental responsibility to show that they agree, and by 2 witnesses. If you can’t get the other parent’s consent because you don’t know where they are, you’ll have to explain this in the application. It’s important to say how long it’s been since you’ve heard from them, what steps you’ve taken to contact them and give examples of their absence, like not sending their child birthday cards.

Without everyone’s parental consent, you might have to get a court order by filling in a form (C100) and paying £263 to apply. If you’re on a low income, you could be able to get help with solicitor’s fees or ask the court for a fee exemption form. Find out more about legal aid.

Changing a birth certificate

Changing a child’s name by statutory declaration or deed poll does not alter their birth certificate. The birth certificate can only be updated in specific circumstances.

Correcting a misspelled name

If there’s an error on the birth registration, contact the office where the birth was registered to request a correction. You’ll need to provide evidence of the mistake, such as your child’s passport or baptismal certificate showing the correct name.

Changing their first name

You can only make this change once within the first 12 months after registering your child’s birth. Only parents and legal guardians are allowed to request this change.

If your child was baptised in a Christian church, the vicar or minister must complete a ‘certificate of name given in baptism’ form. They may charge a fee for this.
If your child hasn’t been baptised, you’ll need to complete a ‘certificate of name not given in baptism’ form.

These forms are available from your local register office. After completing the forms, send them to the office where you originally registered the birth.

Changing their last name

A deed poll or statutory declaration does not change the name recorded on your child’s birth certificate. A birth can only be re-registered in certain circumstances.

You can re-register a birth in the following circumstances:

To include the biological father’s details on the birth record.
To add the female partner of the child’s mother to the birth record if she is the legal parent.
If the parents get married or enter into a civil partnership after the birth.
If a court issues a declaration of parentage (see below).

The current General Register Office guidance on re-registering a birth to add a father’s details does not state that a child’s surname can be changed as part of this process. If you’re considering changing your child’s surname, contact the General Register Office or your local register office for up-to-date advice.

Correcting the father’s name

If the wrong person was listed as the father on the original birth certificate, you can correct the birth registration.

You’ll need a court order or a DNA test to confirm the child’s biological father. Even if the mother doesn’t agree to the correction, the biological father can request this by obtaining a declaration of parentage from the court (see below).

The child’s name can only be changed if both parents agree.

You can apply to correct the registration online or obtain a paper form from your local register office.

If there’s no father registered

If no father was named when the birth was registered, it may be possible to re-register the birth to add the biological father’s details. Depending on the circumstances, both parents can attend the register office, or one parent may be able to attend with the appropriate documents.

The current General Register Office guidance on re-registering a birth to add a father’s details does not state that a child’s surname can be changed as part of this process. If you are considering changing your child’s surname, contact the General Register Office for up-to-date advice.

If one parent is unwilling to co-operate with the re-registration, there are circumstances where one parent can re-register the birth using an appropriate court order or Parental Responsibility Agreement.

Making a declaration of parentage

A declaration of parentage is when the court decides whether someone is legally the parent of a child. Anyone with a significant connection to the child, such as a parent or grandparent, can apply to the court for this declaration. If the court grants the declaration, it will update the child’s birth certificate and notify the General Register Office.

You can apply for a declaration of parentage online using form C63. The form should be submitted to the nearest family court where the child lives. The application costs £365, but if you’re on a low income or receive certain benefits, you may be eligible for help with the fee.

Date last updated: 18 September 2026