Can I Change My Name in Oklahoma?

First off, you have to be a resident of Oklahoma. You have to file a petition with the court. You have to request a hearing. Before the judge is going to grant you anything, you have to publish that you’re going to change your name for a statutory amount of time. And then you have to change your name after it’s been granted, you have to tell the record-keeping organizations in the state and the federal government that you’ve changed your name. So after you do all that, yeah, you can have a name change.

Now, why would you want one? Well, first and foremost, if you’re doing it to flee from creditors, that’s not going to be allowed. Obviously, that’s fraud. Can’t do that. But a lot of people get their names changed. Of course, when you get married, if you both want to have the same surname. Or after a divorce, if you want to go back to your old surname. If you adopt a kid or a lot of times I’ve done a lot of stepparent adoptions, that’s another reason you might get your name changed.

Now, a lot of people ask me, “Do I need an attorney to do this?” And I always tell people, when it comes to the law, you technically never need an attorney to do anything legal. But it’s kind of like how you technically don’t need a mechanic to fix your car, you can do it all yourself, it’s not illegal, you can do it. It’s just a question of whether you have the necessary expertise to do the job right. Do you have the necessary training? I spent, obviously, years going to law school, I’ve spent a couple of years practicing, and so I’ve got the expertise necessary to walk you through all of this. And it’s also good to know that it’s going to be done right and it’s also very time-consuming. So do you need one? Technically, no. Should you hire one? That’s up to you. Do you want it done properly? Well, you can assure if you hire an attorney it’ll be done properly.

If you’re looking for an attorney to do that, look no further. Once more, I’m Ty Smith, an Oklahoma name change attorney with Wirth Law. You can find me at theoklahomacityattorney.com. You can call my office at 405-888-5400. Be glad to speak to you about this matter or any legal matter.