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Your legal name is...?

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Jane10 Sun 09-Dec-18 10:23:43

I have 2 names. A married and professional one and a pen name. On official forms if using my pen name I usually have to claim it as such eg for HMRC or PLR.
I think you can call yourself whatever you like but legally might have to stick to your formal name. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

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Rosina Sun 09-Dec-18 10:10:53

'Not sure if 'Ask a Gran' is the correct thread for this - perhaps there is a legally trained Gran out there who has the answer. We had no answer to what a married woman's legal name is. If you choose to retain your single name, as many do, that presumably has to be legal as you are changing nothing. If you choose to use your husband's name, apart from notifying various organisations that you are now going to be called Mrs. Smith instead of Miss Brown, that is legal too. However, the register is signed with the woman's single name, although she will have gone through a marriage ceremony.
If you choose to change your name you need to do this by Deed Poll for it to be officially recognised for entering exams, obtaining mortgages etc. Also, it is acceptable to change your name without any official input as long as you use your legal name for official purposes. We went round in circles for some time - does anybody know how this works?

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