Name Change Lawyer Based in Greensboro

Whether you seek a name change following marriage, divorce, adoption, or out of a desire to change your birth name, at Arthur & Kirkman we stand ready to help you navigate the process. Our name change attorneys regularly represent clients in connection with requests to change their name or that of their child.

There are several legal options for obtaining a name change. In addition to changing one's name through a name change petition, names can also be changed by an adoption decree or through an application by a widow or divorced spouse to resume a maiden name, name of a prior deceased spouse, or name of a prior divorced spouse if children share the former divorced spouse's name. Each type of name changes has a very different process.

Once you become legally married, you may elect to use your spouse's last name or a hyphenated last name combining your birth last name with that of your spouse's last name. An order of a court or other approval is required to do so. However, if you elect to use your spouse's last name following your wedding or a hyphenated version, you should notify the DMV to have your license changed; the U.S. Department of State to have your passport changed; the Social Security Administration; along with the Board of Elections to change your voter registration.

If you took your spouse's name or hyphenated your name as a result of your marriage and you are divorced and your desire to resume your prior name, upon formal approval of the Court you may resume a prior name. Most commonly, this type of name change is done in connection with the divorce proceedings. However, if you are not certain at the time of divorce whether you might wish to resume your prior name, you can do so at a later time. At Arthur & Kirkman, we can help you resume your name following divorce. In addition to resuming a maiden name (birth name) following divorce, a spouse can request to resume use of the last name of a deceased spouse or the last name of any living prior spouse with whom she has a child in common. If you wish to resume your name after a divorce, we are here to help you do so.

At Arthur & Kirkman, we also regularly help clients change the name showing on their birth certificate. If you desire to change your birth name, we stand ready to help you. Generally, outside of marriage, divorce, and adoption, an adult can request and receive an order directing a name change once in their lifetime in North Carolina. The process of petitioning the Court for the change of your name involves making a public notice posting for the time period required by law, various state and federal background examinations, along with obtaining required sworn statements from character witnesses. Our experienced team at Arthur & Kirkman help you from start to finish.

When an adult or child is adopted, the Court can order the name of the person who was adopted to be changed. If the Court does so, it will notify the State's Vital Records and a new birth certificate will be issued reflecting the new name of the adoptee. If you are interested in adoption, contact our office to discuss the process.

Generally, there are two ways to change a minor child's name, through a process known as legitimation or through the traditional name change petition process. In the traditional name change petition process, both of the minor child's parents must agree for the child's name to be changed. If you desire for your child's name to be changed, contact us at Arthur & Kirkman by calling (336) 274-7898.