Name changing, we let the terrorists win?

[XPav]

So now that we're married, my wife is changing her name.

When she was born, her parents decided to be confusing, so they called her by her middle name. She does not like her first name, and all documents and what not were signed Middle & Last Name.

So, where it was, "First Middle Maiden", she wants to go to "Middle Maiden MyLastName"

However, the Social Security office informed her that laws passed after 9-11.

1) It is against the law to sign checks and everything else with anything other than your official fist name

2) They can't make it "Middle Maiden MyLastName", they can only do "First Maiden MyLastName" or "First Middle MyLastname", unless you get a fricking court order.

Are these true, or just some local official going "nyah nyah I am a bureaucrat"?

[Gav]

IANAL, but this looks pretty comprehensive:
http://www.soyouwanna.com/SITE/syws/changename/changenameFULL.html

[Demon G Sides]

Just get her name legally changed... I thought we could still do that.

[tromik]

Just get her name legally changed... I thought we could still do that.
You can (http://www.flickr.com/photos/punkjr/698895174/).

[Glenn]

Machfive? Did you ever start the process?

[Machfive]

I came to my senses before I'd begun.

[DennyA]

If you can change your name to Optimus Prime... (http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_fullstory.asp?id=3828)

[triggercut]

I was named after my family's first ancestor to arrive in America, a guy who happened to go by his middle name. Since birth, I've gone by my middle name, even though my first name is absolutely normal and fine. For the last 20 years, I've signed checks from my own account, checks drawn on my business' account, my credit cards and credit applications, and all official tax documentation with my middle name.

I have yet to be imprisoned at Gitmo as an enemy combatant.

[BennyProfane]

When I married (roughly 10 years ago, so pre-9/11) my wife kept her first name, but dropped her middle, moved her maiden name to her middle name, and took my last name. Her choice, I didn't care either way. But we never got any grief about it from anywhere.

[Athryn]

My brother and my boyfriend both go by their middle names rather than their legal first names, and never have had any problems with it either. Obviously for any legal documents they sign their legal names, so unless she wants to be legally known by her middle name rather than her first name, I'm not sure what the problem is?

[metta]

I've had three last names. You can call yourself anything you like as long as it's not for criminal purposes.

[Matt Bowyer]

My father goes by his middle name, and that's how he signs his checks. I don't think he's ever gotten any trouble or confusion because of it.

[secretary]

If she's worried about spooks she can always do the guy thing and sign it
F. Middle Maiden Yourlastname. I totally would if my middle name wasn't an ill-fitting virtue.

[Tyjenks]

So now that we're married, my wife is changing her name.

[snip]

1) It is against the law to sign checks and everything else with anything other than your official fist name

Is this like a "safe word" the two of you have?

[Zylon]

My father goes by his middle name, and that's how he signs his checks. I don't think he's ever gotten any trouble or confusion because of it.
Ditto. I've always gone by my middle name, sign everything with my middle name, never had any problems.

[Robert Sharp]

Actually, my wife and I have been thinking about changing our last names. I'm hesitant because it seems like a lot of hassle...changing everything over and such. Metta, how tough was that?

[metta]

Actually, my wife and I have been thinking about changing our last names. I'm hesitant because it seems like a lot of hassle...changing everything over and such. Metta, how tough was that?

Here in Canada, all I had to do was order a form from the govt. (it can probably be downloaded via the web, by now), fill it out and mail it in with my passport and $144.00. I don't remember it needing a notary signature, or anything like that, but it was a while ago. Now that I think about it, I may have needed to secure signatures from a few people saying they knew me - I used friends. After 6-8 weeks, they mailed me back my passport and my new change of name certificate, which I then used to get all my other I.D. changed.

All the other I.D. was a snap: for Visa and stuff like that I just put a photocopy of the certificate, and a letter asking them to issue a new card, in with the latest bill. The only items that needed a bit of legwork were my social insurance card and health card, because the govt.'s wheels grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly small.

It can take a little while for you to figure out who your new name wants you to be :)

[Matt Perkins]

I'm trying to convince my wife to change our last name to something cooler, like Skaarsgard or something. So far, no go. :)

[Kunikos]

How about Starkiller?

[Orinoco]

If she's worried about spooks she can always do the guy thing and sign it
F. Middle Maiden Yourlastname. I totally would if my middle name wasn't an ill-fitting virtue.

Chastity?

[John Merva]

Here in Canada, all I had to do was order a form from the govt. (it can probably be downloaded via the web, by now), fill it out and mail it in with my passport and $144.00. I don't remember it needing a notary signature, or anything like that, but it was a while ago. Now that I think about it, I may have needed to secure signatures from a few people saying they knew me - I used friends. After 6-8 weeks, they mailed me back my passport and my new change of name certificate, which I then used to get all my other I.D. changed.

All the other I.D. was a snap: for Visa and stuff like that I just put a photocopy of the certificate, and a letter asking them to issue a new card, in with the latest bill. The only items that needed a bit of legwork were my social insurance card and health card, because the govt.'s wheels grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly small.

It can take a little while for you to figure out who your new name wants you to be :)

Max Power

[Dean]

If she's worried about spooks she can always do the guy thing and sign it
F. Middle Maiden Yourlastname. I totally would if my middle name wasn't an ill-fitting virtue.

You're Moxie Crimefighter Jillette?

[Eduardo X]

I have yet to be imprisoned at Gitmo as an enemy combatant.
Maybe you have and nobody knows....