We are Roswell, Georgia, name change attorneys and it seems like everyone wants to get a name change these days. People want a legal name change for all sorts of reasons. Some people get divorced and want to get a name change, other people just want a name that best reflects who they are and how they see themselves; other folks want to honor an historical figure, a celebrity, even a beloved pet. We've helped people change their names for all different reasons,
Many people simply don't like the name their parents have chosen for them, and Georgia law allows you to choose a name you really like. So instead of having to rely on the “luck” of getting a name you love, you can choose one for yourself.
We've changed many names to honor movie stars, sports heroes, famous musicians, respected politicians and statesmen, religious figures, scientists, even TV and movie characters. Really, isn't it about time you thought of changing your boring name to something that makes you happy and proud and truly reflects who you are as a person?
Is It Hard to Get a Name Change?
As local name change lawyers we are experts at Georgia name changes, so for us it isn't hard, but it does take hard work and expertise to do it right. And it's important to do it correctly so there are no issues and the name change gets done! The details are very, very important.
We make sure all the necessary documents are completed properly and accurately and then correctly filed with the court. We want to make your change of name case go as smoothly as possible.
The Legal Process for a Name Change Under Georgia Law
We handle all of the steps for your name change process. So whether you're in Fulton County, Gwinnett County, Cobb County, Cherokee County, Forsyth County, DeKalb County, or any other county in Georgia, we can help you.
We will draft a petition to change your name as well as the verification of the petition to change name of adult form. These documents are key to the name change process and must be done properly so they are not rejected by the court. We guide you through the entire process – each and every step -- and make sure you sign your documents in the presence of a notary, which we provide for you.
Once we prepare the documents and ensure accuracy and the documents have been signed and notarized, it is time to file them with the court. In the state of Georgia, an adult name change application must be filed in the superior court which has jurisdiction in the county where the applicant lives. We make copies of all your documents before filing them with the applicable clerk of court.
There are court filing fees and there is a publishing fee for the newspaper because all name changes must be published in a specific newspaper that has been court-approved. Once we have drafted all the necessary documents, filed them, and provided the necessary copies the court requires, the clerk will give us an acknowledgement that they have been filed and we will be given a case number.
Then our whole package gets assigned to a judge and we will await a final hearing. At the final hearing we will be with you and we will answer any and all questions the judge may have.
The Publication Requirement
Seven days after the filing of the petition for a name change, the clerk of court will forward our notice to be published in that county's “legal organ.” The term legal organ in Georgia is the “Newspaper or journal that publishes public notice advertisements in one or more of Georgia's 159 counties. Most public notices are required by state law to be published in print by the legal organ publication.” The notice is published once a week for four weeks. If no one objects to the name change, the newspaper will provide us with a publisher's affidavit.
The Final Hearing
We will draft a domestic relations case filing information form which is specific to your county and we will draft the “final order changing name of adult” before your final hearing. These documents are submitted to the court for review.
How Is the Final Hearing Scheduled? What Documents Are Required?
We schedule your final hearing. We contact the judge's calendar clerk that was assigned to your case and schedule your hearing. There are six documents we will draft and take to your hearing.
- The petition
- The verification
- The notice
- The publisher's affidavit
- The final order
- The domestic relations case filing information form
The Judge Decides
A Georgia superior court judge determines if our name change request is valid. Then the judge will sign the Final Order and the clerk will provide us with a certified copy. This certified copy is important because it is a legal document that is proof that you have changed your name and you can provide it to it any person, company, or government entity to prove your name has been officially and legally changed.
Just remember, whether you are changing your name, your family name or the name of a child, the legal responsibilities connected to your previous name still apply.
Here Are Some Famous People Who Changed Their Names
- Vin Diesel (real name: Mark Sinclair)
- Nicki Minaj (real name: Onika Tanya Maraj)
- Marilyn Monroe (real name: Norma Jean Baker)
- Lorde (real name: Ella Maria Lani Yelich-O'Connor)
- Elton John (real name: Reginald Kenneth Dwight)
- Alicia Keys (real name: Alicia Augello Cook)
- Jennifer Anniston (real name: Jennifer Linn Anastassakis)
- Lizzo (real name: (Melissa Viviane Jefferson)
- John Legend (real name: John Roger Stephens)
- Fergie (real name: Stacy Ann Ferguson)
- Woody Allen (real name: Allan Stewart Konigsberg)
- Charlie Sheen (real name: Carlos Irwin Estevez)
- The Weeknd (real name: Abel Tesfaye)
- Bruno Mars (Peter Gene Bayot Hernandez)
- Kirk Douglas (real name: Issur Danielovitch Demsky)
- P!NK (real name: Alecia Beth Moore)
When you want to speak with a Georgia name change lawyer, call us at (678) 712-8561.