{"id":374331,"date":"2017-11-22T13:17:50","date_gmt":"2017-11-22T18:17:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ability-fl-prod.internetbrands.com\/ability-law\/state\/mississippi-law\/how-to-change-your-name-in-mississippi.html"},"modified":"2024-03-29T10:04:13","modified_gmt":"2024-03-29T15:04:13","slug":"how-to-change-your-name-in-mississippi","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/mississippi-law\/how-to-change-your-name-in-mississippi.html","title":{"rendered":"How To Change Your Name and Gender Marker in Mississippi"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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How To Change Your Name and Gender Marker in Mississippi<\/h1>\n
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\n By Lark Lewis, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Laura Temme, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

If you’re getting married, divorced, or going through a gender transition, you may be curious about how to change your name or your gender marker on important documents.<\/p>\r\n

This article addresses how to change your name in Mississippi, whether due to marriage, divorce, or other reasons. The article also discusses how to change your gender marker.<\/p>\r\n

The process you’ll need to follow for changing your name will depend on the reason for the name change.<\/p>\r\n

Changing Your Name When Getting Married<\/h2>\r\n

Most name changes happen when getting married<\/a>. While there’s no legal requirement to take a spouse’s name, it’s still pretty common. Spouses can join their names, hyphenate them, or agree to another name change.<\/p>\r\n

Like most states, Mississippi allows marrying couples to change their name when applying for a marriage license<\/a>. Fill out the application form with the new name, noting your former name, and submit it along with all other required information<\/a> to the county circuit court’s office clerk.<\/p>\r\n

Eventually, you’ll get a certified copy of your marriage certificate. Keep that document. You can use it to update your Social Security card, driver’s license, and other vital records.<\/p>\r\n

Changing Your Name When Getting Divorced<\/h2>\r\n

When marital bliss gives way to a divorce, resuming a former name<\/a> is a common choice. There’s good news and bad news here. The bad news is you’ll have to go through what can be a long, painful, and often trying divorce proceeding<\/a>. A marriage is a legal union, and you need a divorce decree to dissolve it legally. The good news is you can take your name back as part of those proceedings.<\/p>\r\n

Changing your name back to what it was before marriage or at birth is usually routine. The court handling your divorce can include an order in the final divorce decree.<\/p>\r\n

Petition for a Name Change<\/h2>\r\n

Your last option is to petition the court for an order changing your name. This is a more involved process than filling out a marriage license or changing your name as part of a divorce. But it’s there for any name change and can be used anytime. This is the process you’ll need to follow if you’re transgender and changing your name as part of a gender transition<\/a>, for instance.<\/p>\r\n

Mississippi law gives the chancery court of the county where you live the jurisdiction to hear a name change petition<\/a>. You need to be an adult over 21<\/a> to file the petition. Expect to do the following:<\/p>\r\n