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In reply to the discussion: Icelandic girl fights government over right to use her name; only ‘approved’ names allowed [View all]happyslug
(14,779 posts)No state that I know of, the laws in many states follow what we do in Pennsylvania, a person can change they name at any time as long as they do it consistently and for non-fraudulent purposes AND you do NOT have to go to court to do this (THis was the Common Law Rule as to Names).
Now, in my home state you MAY go to court to change your name, but it is NOT required and has never been required. Other states require you go through their court system to change a name (and some states require you to go through the Courts to change a name on a birth certificate). Pennsylvania does not.
Now, when it comes to Bureaucracies (i.e. Schools) they often have difficulties with the above. They want any child to use the name on the Birth Certificate, even through that is NOT the law in Pennsylvania. Thus it is Schools and other similar bureaucracies that are the biggest obstacles to changing a child's name without a court order.
Now, Pennsylvania does require ex-Felons to go to court to change their names and requires the permission of both parents for the Courts to change the name of a child under 18, but that does NOT restrict the child him or herself from using a different name then the one on the child's birth certificate. Thus a child, like any other resident of a state that has rules like Pennsylvania, can change they name at any time as long as it is done for "consistently and for non-fraudulent purposes".