How to Decide Whether to Change Your Name After Divorce

1. Name Change or Not - Always Move Forward

The end of a marriage can feel very much like the end of an era. Yet as one chapter finishes, the next one is just beginning and, once the emotion of the ending subsides, the thing most women crave is a feeling that they are moving forward.

Thinking about whether to keep or change your name after divorce or dissolution, boils down to which name feels most like positive progression. It’s important to recognise that this may not be the same for every person.

An obvious conclusion is that shedding the name you shared with your ex and reverting to your own birth name or previous surname is the best way to move forward. However for some, reclaiming their original name feels like going backwards. So, some opt to create a totally new name to symbolise a brand-new chapter.

Especially for those that married young, going back to a previous surname feels like reverting to a younger, less mature version of themselves. A seemingly minor distinction between Miss and Ms can often represent a bridge from your younger self to the woman you are today.

If you’ve been married for a long time, you may have taken ownership of your husband’s surname and you don’t want to relinquish your identity. For some, the social standing of remaining a Mrs can offer a sense of security to outside perceptions. It could be that you’ve built a professional reputation with your married name and you want the consistency as you move forward.

Some women want to shed all connection with their ex as quickly as possible and for them to share the same surname as their ex and a title of Mrs does not reflect who they are anymore. Reverting back to your maiden name can be seen as an act of independence and reclamation of a former identity where you feel grounded to your roots and heritage.

Whatever decision you wish to make, it’s important to understand that different options feel like forward momentum for different women. Choose the option that makes you feel like you’re making progress towards reclaiming the life you want to lead. Whether a change of name feels right for your or not, remember there is no obligation to change your name. The choice is yours to make.

2. Take your Time - Changing Your Name is a Big Decision

Going through a divorce is never painless. The range of emotions you’ll go through over the period of splitting up with a partner can feel like a rollercoaster from relief, freedom, guilt, failure, shame, elation, fear, uncertainty – the list is endless, but the one emotion that often overarches the rest is a feeling of being completely overwhelmed.

It’s a confusing, difficult time and one where you will be forced to make some big decisions regarding your relationship, your children and even your home. The one thing you don’t need to decide right away is what to do with your name. There is no legal timeframe to keeping or changing your surname.

The issue of children is one of the biggest considerations in the name changing conundrum – having a different surname to your children can be a tough one to get your head around – and possibly for your kids too. Change is difficult for people, big or small. One solution we frequently see is women option to double-barrel surnames; keeping their married name to ‘match’ with their children’s, then adding their maiden name or even new married name to mark the distinction of their newer self.

Deciding what to be called is a big decision. Give yourself time and space to work through the range of emotions. Make your choice with a clear mind. You are in charge of your destiny. If you wish to revert to your maiden name or change to a different name all together, do it at a pace that makes sense to you.

3. Make the Name Change Decision That’s Right for YOU

The name you keep, shed or reclaim is yours and yours alone so make the decision that feels right for you – and for the right reasons.

There are likely to be a number of considerations that will swirl in your mind:

• The paperwork (do I need a deed poll or a solicitor to change my name?) 
• Timing of the change of name 
• Who do I need to Inform (DVLA, HMRC, Passport Office, etc.)
• Impact on children and potential future relationships

This can all feel overwhelming! NameSwitch can help guide you through the admin side of things but again, you’ll need to make the decision that’s right for you. 

If you stick with a name you feel negatively towards because you want the same name as your kids, your children may soon pick up on your negativity, and it may even colour their perception of their own name. Or if you wince every time you hear your name said out loud, or feel like you’ve been punched in the stomach when a letter arrives addressed to a name you no longer want to bear, it might be your sign to start the name change process.

4. Changing Your Name After a Divorce - Be Kind to Yourself

Divorcing can create some difficult obstacles for you to overcome, from adjusting to parenting solo, to moving house and creating a new life, so it stands to reason that you should make life as simple as possible for yourself wherever you can.

Should you make the decision to change your name, the paperwork involved in notifying the relevant organisations can be enough to put you off altogether, so this is the ideal time to cut yourself a little slack and use the NameSwitch name change notification service to make the process as painless as possible.

We also offer a number of free resources, from name change checklists, to guides detailing, how to change your surname after a life event, [how to change your name on your passport ](<We also offer a number of free resources, from name change checklists, to guides detailing how to change your name on your passport and information on whether you need to change your name by deed poll or not. We are here to help! 

https://www.nameswitch.co.uk/guide/uk-passport-name-change/>)and information on whether you need to change your name by deed poll or not. We are here to help! 

5. Change Your Name After Divorce with NameSwitch 

At NameSwitch, we recognise that you want to invest your time and energy in the positive, which is why we’ve done the leg work for you – we’ve researched hundreds of company policies, processes and forms which we’ve aggregated into a neat, simple and secure online service.

NameSwitch was established to help take the effort out of making the change, by making the process as easy as possible for you and saving hours, or even days, researching policies and processes, writing letters and filling out forms. We use smart, secure automation to populate the forms and letters you’ll need to send out to change your details so all you need to do is sign them and pop them in the post.

If you are ready and want to change your name, let us help you start using your new name today!

FAQ’s

Do I need a deed poll to change my name after divorce? 

To revert to your maiden name after divorce, you will need a decree absolute or final order to serve as evidence of your name change. If you wish to create a new name, or use your maiden name as a middle name, you will need to use a deed poll.

Who do I need to inform of my name change after divorce?

Once you have your official documentary evidence of your name change, you will need to inform various government bodies and businesses such as the DVLA, Passport Office, Financial Institutions, Pension Providers, HMRC etc. NameSwitch has a free name change checklist to help you get started.

Do I have to revert to my maiden name after divorce? 

You do not. You are not obligated to change your name post divorce. If you wish to change your name, the choice is yours to make. Additionally, there is no time limit to changing your name, should you decide to do so down the road.