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Getting Social Security to change my middle name to my maiden name

  • I got married. I’m trying to change my name so my maiden name becomes my new middle name and I drop my given middle name entirely. It’s harder than it looks. For both personal and professional reasons, it’s important to me to keep my maiden name as part of my legal identity. I sent in an application to the Social Security office to change my name to FirstName MaidenName HisLastName, making my maiden name my new middle name and dropping my given middle name altogether. The new social security card I got back says FirstName MiddleName HisLastName. When I called to see if it was fixable, the woman on the phone told me “You can’t just change your middle name like that” and said the only way to do it would have been to apply for a card that says FirstName MiddleName MaidenName-HisLastName. I clarified, “Must it have the hyphen?” She said yes, it must have the hyphen. I feel like this isn’t true at all (based on Google research before I decided how to change my name), but obviously there wasn’t much point in arguing with her. She said I could go to the local office if I want and see if they can help me there. I’m afraid that showing up with a social security card that now has my married name on it, and *just* asking them to change the middle name to my maiden name, is going to be significantly more onerous than getting them to do it from the beginning. Getting them to change my last name *again,* so that it includes both my maiden name and married name (hyphenated!), also seems kind of unlikely. However, one possible point in my favor is that I copied the entire application before I mailed it in, so I do have proof that my request on the application I sent in does not match the card I got back. My questions: 1) Is it really true that you can’t change your middle name to your maiden name as part of a run-of-the-mill marriage name change? 2) Is it worth the time to go plead my case at the local office, or will this be completely fruitless? 3) If/When I do visit the local office, how should I present it? Any particular strategies that will make things go more smoothly?

  • Answer:

    Nearly every woman I know who has changed her name upon marriage in the last 6 years did exactly this, including myself, and it was a complete non-issue. I would go in person and politely raise hell.

the turtle's teeth at Ask.Metafilter.Com Visit the source

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I have Firstname MiddleName MaidenName HusbandsName with no hyphen. Yes, it can be done. edit: I did not make my maiden name my middle name. I simply have two last names, with a space in between. They seemed to understand that distinction.

joan_holloway

If all else fails, you can quite easily get a court document to change your name to whatever you want. http://family.findlaw.com/marriage/how-to-legally-change-your-name.html Once you have that court document with your new name exactly as you want it, it shouldn't be any problem at all to take it down to the SS office and get the change made there.

flug

All I had to do was show them the completed marriage paperwork that had my new full legal name on it.

Jacqueline

It's harder in some states than others. When I investigated this in New Jersey, I was told that to change my middle name, I'd have to go through the same court process others would if they wanted to change their first or entire name. Maiden-to-middle wasn't something I could achieve just by bringing my marriage license into the DMV. It wasn't that important to me so I let it go.

kimberussell

On a related note, my son't birth certficate reflects what I consider to be his full name: First Middle Mom'sLast Dad'sLast. We sent his birth certificate to SSA and his SS card says First Middle Dad'sLast. So, they dropped his second middle name (and chose which one to drop). Jerks.

Pax

Not very helpful today, but fwiw my mother did this in 1986, so it was possible then at least.

crazy with stars

I did this all the way back in 1991, a year after I was married, so yes it is possible and, as you can see from the rest of the comments here, not at all unusual. We were in Michigan then, if that helps. Good for you for sticking up for yourself and going to the office to get this done! Please come back and let us know how it works out!

blurker

getawaysticks, I followed the instructions https://faq.ssa.gov/link/portal/34011/34019/Article/3749/How-do-I-change-or-correct-my-name-on-my-Social-Security-number-card?: printed and filled out the application form and sent it along with my marriage certificate, birth certificate, passport, and previous social security card (originals). All the documents, with the exception of the previous social security card, came back about two weeks later, and the new social security card followed about a week after that. I thought doing it by mail would be less hassle than going into the office. Heh. Anyway, I'm going to bring all the documents into my local office next week and see if they can help me out. Thanks again everyone for all your answers!

the turtle's teeth

I did this in 2000 and honestly it was more of a hassle to go from First Maiden HisName to First Middle Maiden after the subsequent divorce. I'm wondering how you did this without being in person in the first place? I had to change my name this year and you had to go in the office.

getawaysticks

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