Legal name changes

When, and if, you need to legally change your name depends upon your circumstances.

A legal change of name:

• Might be needed if you are correcting or amending the name as it appeared in your original birth registration.
• Is not needed for a man or woman to change their surname to a married last name after marriage.

In Alberta, a legal name change may not be required when:

• A woman wants to go back to her maiden name or a previous last name, providing she has not already legally changed her name.
• A husband/partner assumes the last name of his wife/partner. As this is not a traditionally recognized practice, you may find that others will not acknowledge the assumed name. 
• A mother and biological father of an Alberta-born child jointly request to change their child's last name and add the father's information to the child's birth registration. This process is called paternity*. 
• A mother marries the biological father of an Alberta-born child, and they jointly request to change the child's last name. This process is called legitimization*. 
• Parent(s) want to change an Alberta-born child's given name(s). The child must be under 10 years of age. 
• An Alberta-born person who wants to change their given names, is older than 10-years-of age, and has documentary proof supporting the intended name*.

*Paternity, legitimization, and given name changes may be processed as an amendment to the registration under the Vital Statistics Act. (Some restrictions apply; ask an agent for details.

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