You might wanna check with your local notary public or whatever the American equivalent is (court officer of some sort).
But...I know in Canada you can only change your name legally after you turn 18, unless your family changes their name...ie your father changes his name thus changing his children's names (all children's full names must be included in the court documents).
You can spell your name any way you like on things where it doesn't matter...ie school papers (although not on your actual school record) and so on...but things like driver's license, passport and other legal documents would have to have your birth name (as it appears on your birth certificate).
So...if my name is Ayanna Jane Smith (It's not but I'm using this as a reference point)...on non-essential papers I could spell it...say...Ayanna Jayne Smythe (simply because I really like the letter y)...but...I couldn't sign it that way at a bank or on court documents etc.
Does that answer your question?
|