Blog updated: 12 March 2021
Overview: The process of changing a name is often misunderstood. This blog will give a brief introduction.
A couple of quick questions
- Is changing a name after marriage a legal requirement?
- Once I get married, is my name automatically changed?
Let’s start with an answer to the first question:
Is changing a name a legal requirement?
No, it is not! A simple answer but here comes the but ……
BUT, it is socially accepted that a bride changes her name and takes her husband’s family name.
In fact, 80% of brides will take their husband’s name. A small number of newly-married couples may combine their family names, may blend or splice their names (also called meshing) or even the groom takes his wife’s family name.
Included in that number, are about 5,500 same-sex marriages. Changing a name in same-sex marriages is a personal choice and I do not have any indication of the numbers who do or do not.
Of course, there are couples that do not change their names.
This leads to the second question:
Is my name automatically changed?
Before your wedding day, at least 1 month before, your celebrant or wedding officiates at a religious ceremony would submit a Notice of Intended Marriage with the Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages (BDM). After your wedding and marriage papers are sent to BDM for registration, the BDM will issue you with your formal Marriage Certificate.
BUT, BUT, BUT……
This does not mean that your name is automatically updated with government departments, organisations or even Facebook or Instagram. It means that you need to start the process to update everyone and anyone about your new name. This formal Marriage Certificate is the evidence you require to support your applications.
Do you have to change name immediately?
No, not at all. As we mentioned, changing a name is a custom and not a legal requirement.
Many brides change their name when intending to start a family or when the child starts school. This is largely to make it clear to everyone that you are a single family unit.
Changing a name is hard work
Most people have changed address and had to update their personal information with a variety of government departments and organisations. If you take changing address and multiply by a factor of maybe 10, then you have an idea about changing a name.
Why is it so hard? The simple reason is that each company and each government body that has your details must all be notified and they all need to be notified their way.
Changing a name can also be complicated, tedious, time-consuming, frustrating and stressful. Ask anyone who has been through the process.
Who to tell
To change your name means Updating Your World. It means telling all the people that you know, all the organisations and government departments you have accounts with, that you have a new family name.
Banks, passport office, driver’s licence (different departments in different states), superannuation funds, Medicare, insurance companies, health funds, health clubs and then what to do with email addresses and social media accounts.
Do you need to tell everyone?
This is an interesting question, so let me explain.
Typically, yes! If not, you will have some accounts in one name and some in another. Somewhere, sometime, there may be an issue. For example, not changing a name with your superannuation fund may result in “losing” that super, or not changing your name on title deeds if you own a property and then try to get it refinanced, you will end up scrambling to fix.
So, typically, do it now and do it properly.
But what if I am well-known by my maiden name
This is why I said “typically” above.
Some people are well-known by their maiden name such as an academic with published work. Or, you have established a large business network and you are known by your maiden name, or maybe your maiden name is in the name of your business.
In these cases, you need to clearly outline where to change and where not to change. In your private life, you may be known as one name, and in your public life, another name.
NamesPlus can help you.
Videos and more information about changing your name
NamesPlus has a series of videos on YouTube.
The first video is: An introduction to the joys of the name change process
In this video, I walk you through the process. The word “Joy” is used intentionally!!
The second video is part 2: changing your name after marriage
This video is a little more specific to changing your name after marriage.
Also, look at our How To … blogs which gives specific information in relation to changing a name with various government departments or organisations.
Where to next
We believe that changing your name starts with a conversation.
Click here to return to our home page and make an appointment to speak with us.
The consultation is free and there are no obligations. We don’t bite and are quite friendly!
