Can I change my first name legally in the UK?

The quick answer

Yes. You can change a first name as well as a surname, and an adult deed poll is a common way to document the change. The right evidence and process depend on your age, circumstances and the records being updated. You do not need to be getting married to choose a different first name.

The practical details

Decide exactly what you want to change

Write the complete intended name before preparing documents. Decide whether your old first name is being removed, retained as a middle name or moved behind another forename. A clear final version avoids paying to correct inconsistent records later.

Intention	Example
Replace a first name	Daniel James Green becomes Alex James Green.
Use an existing middle name first	Daniel James Green becomes James Daniel Green.
Retain the previous first name as a middle name	Daniel Green becomes Alex Daniel Green.
Use a nickname socially	Friends use Alex while official records still show Alexander.

Choose the arrangement you want, then use that exact full name consistently on your deed poll and applications.

Your next step

A formal change versus a preferred name

You can ask people to call you by your preferred name, but a social preference does not by itself update a passport or bank record. Decide whether you want an informal everyday name or a documented change across official records.

GOV.UK confirms that any part of a name can be changed, added or removed. It also sets out restrictions on the name and different age thresholds for unenrolled and enrolled deeds. GOV.UK: changing your name by deed poll

If you are under 18, use age-specific guidance rather than assuming every adult process applies. If you were born or adopted in Scotland or Northern Ireland, investigate the relevant recording options too.

The practical details

Age and choice of name

GOV.UK’s unenrolled-deed route starts at 16, while adult High Court enrolment starts at 18. Under-16 changes and any case involving parental responsibility or court orders need the appropriate child procedure. These ages should not be applied to every separate birth-record service.

The public deed poll guidance requires a pronounceable name and excludes offensive names and most symbols, numbers and punctuation. It also distinguishes changes of name from titles. Check the current rules before choosing unusual spelling or formatting. GOV.UK: changing your name by deed poll

The practical details

Choose evidence that fits the change

For a new first name on a British passport, the usual other-name-change route accepts a deed poll, statutory declaration or affidavit, alongside the required supporting evidence. HM Passport Office: other name changes

Minor spelling adjustments and reordering existing forenames have a separate Passport Office route using evidence of the name in use. That route should not be confused with replacing a first name with an unrelated one. HM Passport Office: small changes to forenames

Ask each recipient what it accepts. A document accepted for one record is useful, but it does not prove that every application has exactly the same requirements.

Make your chosen name official

We prepare the deed poll in your chosen name and deliver it ready for you to sign and have witnessed.

Order a printed deed poll What’s included

Step by step

A practical sequence for adults

Choose the full name and confirm the spelling you want on official records.

Check any foreign nationality, travel or specific notification requirements before acting.

Prepare and properly sign the appropriate evidence.

Start updating organisations that can provide useful proof of using the name, such as your employer or bank.

Apply for identification using the correct supporting documents.

Work through your remaining records and keep the evidence linking old and new names.

Keep a simple list of requested, submitted and completed updates. If an organisation refuses, ask what is missing rather than preparing a different version of your name to fit its system.

The practical details

Birth records and earlier qualifications

Keep your deed poll with older certificates so you can show the link to your current name. If you want a certificate reissued or a birth-record entry updated, ask the issuing authority about its particular procedure.

Scotland has an eligible birth/adoption record update service, and Northern Ireland has its own recording arrangements. These should not be presented as the same process as an ordinary adult deed poll in England and Wales. National Records of Scotland: changing your name; nidirect: recording a change of name

The practical details

Make the transition easier to explain

A short, consistent explanation is normally enough: you have changed your first name, remain the same account holder or employee, and can provide the linking document. You do not need to turn every administrative request into a personal account of your reasons.

If privacy is important, ask how the former name will appear in correspondence and who needs access to the evidence. Keep your own archive even after the everyday accounts have been updated.

Your questions answered

Frequently asked questions

Yes. A name change can affect one part of your name without changing the rest.

You can change the order of your forenames. Check each recipient’s evidence rules; the Passport Office has a specific route for some small forename changes.

An ordinary personal name change is not limited to marriage or divorce. Specific restrictions and identity checks still apply.

Keep the evidence linking your names. Historic records may remain in the former name and need that link when you use them.

Check the detail

Sources for this guide

Guidance and reference pages

Use the relevant organisation’s instructions when submitting your documents.

Prepared for your next step

Your new name. Your deed poll, taken care of.

We prepare the deed poll in your chosen name and deliver it ready for you to sign and have witnessed. Individually prepared and checked, with free UK delivery.

Order for £14.95 See what’s included

The quick answer

Decide exactly what you want to change

A formal change versus a preferred name

Age and choice of name

Choose evidence that fits the change

Make your chosen name official

A practical sequence for adults

Birth records and earlier qualifications

Make the transition easier to explain

Frequently asked questions

Can I change only my first name and keep my surname?▾

Can I make my middle name my first name?▾

Do I need a special reason to dislike my first name?▾

Will my old documents stop identifying me?▾

Sources for this guide

Guidance and reference pages

Related guides

Can I change, add or remove a middle name in the UK?

Personal name change

Can a family member witness my deed poll?

Your new name. Your deed poll, taken care of.