Christian names - again

[Jillie42]

I didn't want to threadjack the other thread on this subject but can I ask a general question on the subject?

I realise that you can call yoursefl whatever you like unofficially but I've always assumed official documents required you to put your registered birth name down.

My dad was always called George but he was registered as Harry William and it was H. W Davis that all official correspondance was addressed to him.

Is there no legal requirement for this to be the case?

We've assumed that our missing Sidney Dilley would have had to have his real Chrisitian name (whatever that is) on his marriage certificate and the birth certificates of his children. And on electoral registers I assumed you would again have to give your official name.

Can someone tell me whether that is the case?

[toni*]

My mum and dad are not married and when my mum was in receipt of child benefit she was required to do so in her 'maiden' name although she uses my dads name for all other purposes.(electoral role, DR's bank accounts)
she does not have a passport but assuming she did this would have to be in her maiden name also, i have checked this for other reasons.
her driving licence i belive to be in her 'maiden' name

a friend i went to school with sister had both her mothers and father surname on the passport   

[aghadowey]

My husband has 3 Christian names and is known by the second one. Driver's licence is in 2nd name, passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate & voting cards in 1st name and other documents vary. For signing checks he uses initals of all three names.

[Jillie42]

So it's not actually illegal to use a "false" name on official documents?

[Bee]

So it's not actually illegal to use a "false" name on official documents?

Probably not, as long as you are not doing it for illegal purposes/defrauding someone.

[Jillie42]

I'm having a bit of trouble with this concept. I suppose in this day and age when names and D/O/B are computerised and you can't deal with a company without them checking your identity, the idea of using a different name to the one on your birth certificate seems really weird.

If you went through a marriage ceremony using a name that wasn't technically yours - would you then still be in a legal marriage?

If the mother's or father's name on a child certificate was not the one they were registered at birth with would their child still be technically legitimate?

If the name on your electoral card wasn't the one you were regsitered with at birth would that then be fraud?

[KenCalgary]

To add to the soup my Dad had his names reversed while in the Army during WWII and my father-in-law was given a completely different set of Christian names. These "new" names became official the rest of their lives.

[M.R. Dien]

So it's not actually illegal to use a "false" name on official documents?

In the United Kingdom it is not illegal to change your name to whatever you want provided you are not doing so to avoid or evade any legal responsibility. That said there are a number of institutions which require "official" proof of a change of name and for this a court order or equivalent is required. (In Scotland the legal system is different and "technically" all you are required to do is write and inform the relative agencies of your new chosen name.)