If I change my name by deed poll, do I have to make *everyone* use my new name?

As long as you're not doing it to defraud anyone, you won't have any problems other than getting all your stuff updated being a bit tedious.  

People change their names all the time for all sorts of reasons and it's not uncommon for names on wills to be out of date. 

For example, it's not uncommon for women to change their name when getting married and find out their still on someone's will under their maiden name. 

 Generally, the laws around names are sensible and flexible.  

Since you mention it: with your neighbour, I think it might be kind to tell her you've changed your name but it's okay if she wants to call you by your old name. It might do her more harm than good if she hears other people calling you a different name without explanation.

I don't know about the will bit, but as far as a 'genuine' name change goes, short answer is no. even if you did track down and inform every single person who's ever known you by name, there's no guarantee they even would use it. there's no way to compel people to use your legal name - I changed my name years ago and informed all my family and some of them still call me my old name.

I don't know what the deed poll office is, but you don't have to pay for a deed poll by the way. freedeedpoll.org.uk will give you one to print out at home with nice legal-sounding language, but you could write your name change intention on a napkin in crayon and it'd be just as legal. basically in the UK you can go by whatever name you want. as long as you don't use different names for fraudulent purposes, you could have fifty 'legal' names if you want.

With regards to the Will, it doesn't automatically write you out, but you would need to show that you're the person referred to - for instance, the will saying "my son, John Smith", a birth certificate for John Smith, and a deed poll showing John Smith is now Jake Jones. 

https://www.co-oplegalservices.co.uk/media-centre/articles-sept-dec-2018/what-happens-if-a-beneficiary-changes-their-name/

It doesn't get you out of your debts either! 

There's no obligation to go and find everyone you've ever met that you're now called Jake Jones. But you can't start opening bank accounts under both names, for instance. 

It looks like your post is about changing your name. Some basic information that may answer your question is below:

• You do not need to enter into any legal process to go by a different name; you can simply start using the new name. There is no such thing as having a "legal name" in the UK. (This is if you are an adult - for children, the process is more complex, depending on the circumstances.)

• In law, your name can be anything you like, so long as it is not chosen to deceive and commit fraud. However, government agencies such as the Passport Office and DVLA have restrictions on what they will register as a name (e.g. they will typically not accept names that are vulgar, blasphemous or offensive), so you should be careful to ensure your proposed new name will comply with these before changing it, or you may not be able to change your identity documents.

• To evidence your change of name (e.g. to banks or other businesses, or to obtain ID in your new name) and to create a documentary link between the old and new name, you will need to have a deed poll. You can in most circumstances print your own deed poll, sign it and have it witnessed at home for free; further information and a generator for these can be found at http://www.freedeedpoll.org.uk, the UK government also provides guidance here.

• A correctly signed and witnessed deed poll should be sufficient to evidence your change of name to the satisfaction of most commercial and government entities. It is advisable to obtain new ID in your new name.

• Contrary to popular belief and what some organisations may tell you, you do not need to have the deed poll enrolled for it to be valid once signed and witnessed, although since it provides an incontrovertible proof of the change of your name, which may be useful, you can do so if you wish to for a nominal fee. Some organisations may also insist on a deed poll being enrolled before they'll accept it. See here for more information on the process to follow.

• In Scotland - see here

• In Northern Ireland - see here

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

I changed my name, and just provided ID and my deedpoll when a family member left me some inheritance as they wrote their will years before I changed it. It happens a lot when women (and men sometimes) marry and take on their partners second name.

There’s a handy checklist on the deed poll website to help you work out who to tell you’ve changed your name, then the rest I think is purely up to you as long as you have told all official places that require your legal name.

List of who to change your name with

You don't have to make everyone use the new name. If you don't make anyone use it then the change hasn't really happened, but if you're using it in general for most things then it's fine and good. You don't at all need to track down people you know personally, even family members, to inform them of the change.

You also don't have to change your name everywhere simultaneously! You must keep your driving info up to date, and also changing the name on your licence is easy and free and gives you photo ID to back you up everywhere else so it's a good first change to make, but other than that you can generally take your time. Change your name with the obvious important places like your bank and your employer, then after that you can let things trickle in. For example, once an organisation reaches out to you with some annual letter or other then you can inform them that you've changed your name. It's not that stressful, you don't have to remember every possible company ever involved in your life.

If you are listed under your old name as the beneficiary of a will or a pension payout or similar, then you would provide your deed poll as evidence that that's you. Very common.

If you go through Deed Poll your official name will be the new name and everything you do will have to be in that name to be legal, its quite a ballache and can end up being costly

The Internet is full of shady companies offering Deed Poll services and lots of disinformation with it which makes it hard to know there's an alternative

You don't actually need to go through Deed Pool to change your name however, you can do so through a process called Common Usage whereby you simply prove that you are widely and commonly known by a different name to the one on your birth certificate. There's still a lot of time and effort and money here but its cheaper then Deed Poll

This is how people change their names after marriage, simply based on it being common to do that...

Comment removed by moderator

Comment removed by moderator

You can get people to call you anything you want, but for official purposes you use your official name. As for the will part, that is the main purpose of the deed poll - it is an official record of your change of name. You can change your name at any point, but a deed poll makes official things a bit easier usually.

Comment removed by moderator