Changing a name after registering baby

[Wiggy29]

I've heard that you have a year to change the name after registering, is this correct?

We weren't sure of ds's name even on the day we registered but we ran out of time, now, a few weeks later, we're still really unsure and never use his name and when other people use it, it doesn't sound right.

Any idea how we go about this and the implication it would have when you register passposts etc? Would he be destined to a life of explaining why he had a name change?

[nextphase]

if done before a year, I think it is a new birth certificate, no implications for later in life.

see here for more guidance

[Wiggy29]

That's great, thank you. I had a look and that seems to be right.

[TheMummyBean]

Hi - We did this!

I named my daughter Isobelle - but never referred to her as that, we always called her Belle. It got to the point where if people called her Isobelle it would drive me crazy! To me she was Belle! So we decided the only way to stop people calling her that was to change it. We had to go down to the registry office again. They issued her with an amended long certificate - which still says Isobelle Rose Lawrence at the top, with an amendment of Belle Rose Lawrence at the bottom - and a new 'short' certificate which just says Belle Rose Lawrence. I am so so glad I did this! She was never an Isobelle, and I will think long and hard about the name of baby number two to get it right first time :)

I haven't yet applied for her passport and am hoping she won't have to note down her original name in paperwork in the future, but it was easy to change her name at the doctors, just had to take along the new certificate!