Changing a name by Deed Poll hit the public consciousness once more on Saturday night, when viewers of the X Factor saw a performance by a contestant called ‘Storm’. Simon Cowell said, ‘I’m not going to call you Storm any more…. What’s your real name, the name you were born with?’
The contestant revealed that he had changed his name by Deed Poll from ‘Lee Gardner’ to ‘Storm Lee Gardner’.
Changing a name by Deed Poll is legally binding and the contestant had every legal right to insist on being called by his new name. The name change by Deed Poll took place when Storm was 16 years old and so he wouldn’t have needed parental permission to change name.
If a minor wished to change a name by Deed Poll the situation becomes more complicated with permission for the name change required from every party deemed to have parental responsibility. The contestant has claimed that he changed his name by Deed Poll name because he was being bullied at school, but there are many different reasons for people changing name by Deed Poll. Some people change name by Deed Poll after marriage or divorce, others change name to signal a break from their family and many more change name to signify a new start.
For the vast majority of Deed Poll name changes where the person wishing to change name is over 16 years of age the process is straightforward.
Simply visit our completely free Deed Poll name change download and follow the three easy steps to make your Deed Poll name change legal and officially recognised.
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