Changing adopted child's name?

Wundt

It is up to you, and when you adopt you will be asked specifically if you want to change their names. So, the decision to change the name or not is a matter of opinion. Many people on this site will tell you not to do it, but no adoptee I have evern know has ever expressed an issue with their adopted parents changing their name.

We left our older son's first name unchanged because he was 3 and he had a nice name that fit him well.

Our younger son was only 11 months and had a very strange name. No one reading his name could pronounce it correctly. Between his age and to avoid a lifetime "how do you pronounce your name?" question, we changed it.

Just a Mom

You can change a child's name when you adopt no matter how old you are. Hell, I changed my own name at the age of 27. You can always change a name. The question is, should you. I kept all of my children's first names, let them pick out their own middle name, and we all changed our last name (including my partner and I).

I don't agree with changing first names, but I am just some nameless person on the net:)

Kassy

Zuzu's a great name. Zuzu was the youngest daughter of Jimmy Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life. Do you remember that movie, and his frantic search for Zuzu's petals in his pockets because what would he do if his daughter was gone? I wonder if the girl's mother was thinking of that Zuzu.

And the real life Zuzu has something in common with your soon to be niece. She was orphaned and sent to live with people she'd never met (far away relatives).
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16327981/

But yes, legally, they can change her name if they want to.

aloha.girl59

Yes, you can change an adopted child's name at finalization. For that matter, you can change a biological child's name at any time as well!

I adopted my son through foster care when he was 2-1/2. His given name was a made up name and was rather girly-sounding. My (then) husband and I decided to change our son's name upon finalization of his adoption and began calling him by the new name as soon as we brought him home with us. He had been in foster care since birth and because his foster family spoke only Spanish, they were unable to pronounce his name as it started with an 'sh' sound. They called him by pet names, like babas and mi hijo, so he didn't really know his name.

If I had known then (5 years ago) what I know now, I don't think I'd have changed my son's name, even though I really love the name we gave him. It doesn't seem to have caused him any trauma and he says he's glad we changed it, but he's only 7. It's really up to you, but think of the child and all s/he is losing by being adopted (first parents, familiar surroundings, extended family members, family culture and history, and maybe even a language) rather than yourself.

celtic.piskie

Her name is zuzu. I like it, it's pretty and unique.

Subconciously she knows that name, people look at her and say that word. Why are they saying a different one?

Please, don't take everything from this little girl.
At least let her have something that is hers.

You can double barrel it if you want, and call her a pet name if they don't like Zuzu. But I love it !

Gershom

zuzu is the name she was given. It should be honored as a part of her. You wouldn't want to trade in her arm if it had something on it that wasn't "normal" right? You wouldn't want to give her a face lift, or something else to change her from the way she is. Her name is a part of her. Its hers. If she wants to change it when she's older thats her choice.

My name was changed when I was adopted at 6 months old, and one day, i'll change it back. I'm pretty annoyed that the state told them they should change it and didn't even tell them my real name.

PhilM

Please don't.

Despite all the attempts, nothing will make the child "as if" your biological child. If he or she has a name, that is a connection to a past that has been taken away. Don't strip that away, too.

There are other, more important, ways to form a bond with an adopted child. Let this be something he or she can keep of her origins.

myst1998

Why would you want to do that?

Randy B

Regardless of the age of the child there is always a possibility to change the name at the time of the adoption. Of course, the older the child is the less likelihood there is of the child wanting that done but the fact still remains, it's possible.

mr. domestic

Yes you can as you have alredy heard.
Some people are asking why would you do that.
I think one reason would be for the child to feel part of a family as he/she grows up. It's up to the adopted family to make that child part of their family as if he/she is one of their own but also keep that childs history as much as possible. I assume it would be easier growing up if your peers would not always have to ask, "why is your name different than your brother and parents?"
Not to be ashamed but to also not have to feel like an outsider.
Just my opinion, please don't attack. :)

Zeena

Of course they can change the name.

They can change the name at 10 years old.

Maybe they can keep that name as a middle name just so she has something from "birth".

monkie_jo

yes
it doesnt matter what age the child is
when they legally become yours you can give then the name you choose.
i have 6 adopted brothers
my parents gave all but one a new name
even the the one that was 10 and coming from haiti
we kept his hatian name as a first name and gave him a middle in which he goes by

Jennifer L

You can. But the better question is whether you should.

ETA: I'm talking about changing the first name, not the last name.

momof3boys

Yes you apply to the courts for a name change once the adoption is granted.

figuresk8r@rocketmail.com

You can change any name at any time. And our daughter was thrilled that we changed her middle name - you should see the face she makes when she hears her original middle name (she's 10 and her adoption was final just before she turned 2 - we never considered changing her first name, but it suited her so well).

m'smama

You can legally change their name no matter what age they are, but it's not a good idea to change the child's first name if they are old enough to know what it is already. At 10 months, it wouldn't affect them, so if you want to change it, go ahead!

Cat

When I'm old enough I'm going to adopt a little girl and re name her Whitney cos I really like that name. Thanks 4 telling me its legal :)

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