Adopting a child is a continuous journey of touching on several aspects of their life to ensure they truly feel like family. One of these aspects involve deciding whether to change their name to strengthen their feeling of familial inclusivity. If you are thinking of changing the name of your adoptee, here are some things you should know:
A gist of the requirements
While the requirements for changing a child’s name may vary depending on the county or court, some of the basic requirements you may need to accomplish include the following:
- Documentation: When petitioning for a name change, you need to provide certain documents, such as the adoption decree, the child’s birth certificate and proof of your identity and residency.
- Publication: South Carolina generally requires that a notice of the name change be published in a local newspaper, although the court may waive this requirement to protect the adopted child’s safety and privacy.
- Consent: If your adopted child is 14 years old or older, the court may require their consent to change their name.
The complete submission of these requirements does not guarantee an approved name change. Your petition will still undergo a certain process.
How the process goes
Changing your adoptee’s name requires filing a petition with the family court in the county where you reside. Depending on the circumstances surrounding your situation, a court hearing may be necessary for the judge to consider the name change request. During the hearing, the judge will consider whether the name change is in the best interest of the child. If the judge approves the name change, they will issue a final decree that legally changes your adopted child’s name.
Leaving little to no room for error
While name changes are typically a fast legal process, it still requires careful research and planning, especially in special cases wherein the involved child is adopted. To minimize the chances of errors during the application, it may benefit you to seek guidance from an experienced family law attorney to ensure you are making informed choices.
