Name change

3

I want to change my name in uni but not officially (as in putting in a preffered name) as i dont want my parents to know. If i js tell people my new name will i run into any issues such as ppl finding out or lecturers using my real name. Ive never done it in secondary due to registers and things like that. Does anyone know if i could get away with just telling ppl a different name that i preferred to be called by?

Reply 1

MrBayo9

8

I believe in as much as it does not affect the name used in the initial document you registered with. It is fine. If what you intend to make an overhauling change, there will be an issue as your name is your identity You will assume a new identity from what you have been and you will also need a legal document to back the change.

Reply 2

Bloppbloopbloop

OP

3

Original post

by MrBayo9

I believe in as much as it does not affect the name used in the initial document you registered with. It is fine. If what you intend to make an overhauling change, there will be an issue as your name is your identity You will assume a new identity from what you have been and you will also need a legal document to back the change.

No i dont want to make any official changes js telling ppl a new name and having them call mw that whilst all my official documents have my real name. Thx for the answer :smile:

Reply 3

Scotland Yard

Universities Forum Helper

20

I understand what you want to do. People will generally respect the name you'd like to be called, but it is likely that at least some people will find out your "official" name at some point, whether that is because a lecturer accidentally calls you by your official name or you're on a university computer system that for some reason displays your real name instead of your preferred name and someone accidentally sees... I'm not saying it's going to happen, but it's a possibility - note that people will in all likelihood continue to call you by your preferred name. Would you be OK with that?

Reply 4

martin7

20

Original post

by Bloppbloopbloop

I want to change my name in uni but not officially (as in putting in a preffered name) as i dont want my parents to know. If i js tell people my new name will i run into any issues such as ppl finding out or lecturers using my real name. Ive never done it in secondary due to registers and things like that. Does anyone know if i could get away with just telling ppl a different name that i preferred to be called by?

There's a number of factors here:

First, it's common courtesy to call people by the name they introduce themselves as. If someone says to me when I first meet them, "Hi, I'm John" then I would call them John. If I found out later that their first name was something different I wouldn't really care -- lots of people go by a name other than their first name. (Some people go by diminutives, e.g. "Johnny" instead of "Jonathan"; by a middle name (or derivative of it) rather than by their firstname; by a nickname; and in some cases students choose an "English name" where they might expect English speakers to horribly mangle their actual name.)

Second, universities will normally provide a way for you to tell them what name you're "known as" (or they use a term like "preferred name"). That's where you tell them how you want to be known as in informal contexts. Generally you'd expect them to then use that for most purposes -- class lists, emails, etc. But for official things (e.g. degree certificates) they would use your full name. The university may well have a policy on when they use your "known as" name, and when they'd use the "official" name.

Be aware, though, that if a university sends you stuff in the post they might address it to either your "known as" or your "official" name -- possibly depending on how formal it is.

Name change

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