In California, you can ask the court to legally change your child's name. If you are the only parent making the request, you have to file a petition with the court, let the other parent know about it, and go to a court hearing. If your child’s other parent does not agree, they have the right to oppose your request.
If the judge approves your request, you will get a court order (decree) changing your child's name. The court process generally takes up to 3 months.
Choose any part of the process below to get step-by-step instructions.
Next, you have to serve (notify) the other parent in the proper legal way so that they know about your request.
You must also publish a notice in a newspaper saying that you are asking to legally change your child’s name.
In most cases, you'll go to a court hearing. If the other parent doesn’t agree, the judge will hear both sides and make a decision about your child’s name change.
If the judge approves your request, you'll get a signed decree. You can use this to change your child’s legal documents, like their birth certificate and passport.