OK, so I have hated my name since, like, forever and I am twelve right now and so I am wondering what are the legal steps to change a name, especially in Florida. Here are some questions:

How old do I have to be to change my name without parental permission? Some say 21, 18, or even sixteen.

Does there have to be a court order?

How long will it take for the paperwork to get processed?

Basically, I need some FAQ. I'm completely clueless on this. And please don't say I am too young to make this big of a decision and my name is very pretty and unique and all that stuff. Next year in seventh grade, I am going to tell my teacher's my name is pronounced Ree-an-nay and say I go by Ria. And I went by Renee that last two years even though I positively hate Renee but not as much as Reine (rainy like in rainy day.) But Ria is a cute nickname. So yeah...

If I do get my name changed, what are all your opinions? I want to keep it unique but pronounceable. Here was what I was thinking:

Zoe (with the dots)
Alia
Bethany
Aira

MN:
Mai
Elizabeth
Rose
Destiny, Hope, Faith, along those lines.

Thanks for answering my questions, everyone! And remember nothing is going to change my mind since there are only two reasons why I haven't had a breakdown yet about my name: It means queen; and it's always good to have a unique name for when I'm a published author.

I'm not sure the exact age you have to be, but I would assume that it's whatever the legal age is in your state. After I got married I had to go to the Social Security office to apply for a new social security card. I needed a valid form of i.d., my birth certificate, and marriage licence. Once you get your new card with the name change then it's legally changed. I got mine back in about 2 weeks.

I like Zoe and Bethany. Maybe look for other interesting names that mean queen or something similar. Adelaide means nobility, as does Heidi.

Have you considered using your current first name as your middle name? Then if you ever change your mind you have it there and if you don't change your mind it's not your first name. It would probably be more practical.

I think Ria is an acceptable nickname for Reine....especially if you prefer it.

Anyways...

Different states have different regulations...but GENERALLY...

You'll need to first file a petition to the courts (which state you live in depends which court you file at). This will need to explain WHY you want to change your name, and include a statement that says you are NOT trying to change your name to get out of debt or for any illegal reason. In some states, there is additional forms that you will need to fill out.

You'll then get a court date, where a judge will make a determination. There are other steps, of course...and MOST states require you to place an add in the paper making a statement to the public regarding the change. There will be several fees throughout the process.

Once the name change is legal, you'll use the documentation you receive to request a new birth certificate, social security card, passport, etc. You'll have to pay for some of these, too.

If you decide to do this while you'll still a minor, you'll need parental consent. OR you could basically take your parents to "court", and can legally change your name as a minor if a judge decides in your favor.

There's a lot to it. Contact your county court for specific laws for your jurisdiction.

Oh, and the age depends on the state, too. If your state recognizes you as an adult at 17, then that's when you can legally change your name without parental consent. If your state says you're an adult at 18....you get the picture.

How do your parents feel about this? Do you like your middle name?

I don't mean to make light of your situation or feelings, so please, don't be offended, but almost everyone (especially 12 yr olds) want to change their name at one time or another. I wanted to change my name at that age to Stephanie, Tiffany, Cindy, or Pam. Soooooo glad I didn't! By the time I reached 18 yrs of age, I loved my name and still do. In fact, I was making a comment today on Babyhold of how much I love my name, and how grateful I am to my parents for naming me what they did.

If you decide to go through with this, I would suggest you hire a lawyer just to make sure it's done legally and correctly. If you decide to do this on your own here's a link for more info.
http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4925227_legally-change-name-florida.html

By the way, my top 2 favorites from your list are Zoe Elizabeth and Bethany Rose. Good Luck!

I tried for a year when I was 7 or 8 to get all my friends to call me Daisy. It didn't work. When I was ten, I decided my nickname looked fat so I INSISTED it be spelled with an i because it looked thinner. When I got older, I wanted people to call me Raine but no one would go for it.

You will change your mind about your name and your nickname probably 50 times in the next few years.

It is expensive, it's super complicated especially when it comes to changing school records and such, and it won'r change much, there will still be people who will call you Reine.