Plenty of us go by a name that isn’t on our birth certificate. Whether it is a shortened version of your first name, a childhood moniker, or a completely different name altogether, you are free to use a nickname in day-to-day life across the UK. However, using a name socially is very different from using it on official paperwork.
Everyday Life vs Official Identity
For informal things, you do not need anyone’s permission. You can introduce yourself, sign off emails, use social media, and order packages under any name you like, as long as you aren’t doing it to commit fraud or evade debt.
When it comes to formal contracts and government records, you must use your full legal name. That means the name printed on your birth certificate or passport. Official records include:
Government IDs – Passports, driving licences, and HMRC tax records.
Financial matters – Opening bank accounts, taking out loans, or getting a mortgage.
Travel – Booking flights, where your ticket must match your passport name down to the letter.
Making Your Nickname Official
If you are tired of switching between two names and want your nickname on your bank cards, driving licence, and passport, you can make it your legal name. The process in the UK is straightforward. You sign a deed poll, which is a formal document stating that you are dropping your old name and adopting your new one for all official uses.
GOV.UK confirms that a deed poll is a legal document proving a change of name and that you can change any part of your name, subject to the applicable requirements.
Once your deed poll is signed and witnessed, you simply send copies to the Passport Office, the DVLA, your bank, and your employer to update your files. From that point on, your nickname is officially your legal name. GOV.UK confirms that an unenrolled deed poll requires two witnesses aged 18 or over and can then be used as proof of the new name.
Read more information on changing your name, adding middle names and changing your child’s name.
If you have questions about using a deed poll to change your name, contact DeedPolls.com for deed poll assistance on 020 8150 2010.