Editing Name change (section)

{{short description|Legal act by a person of adopting a different name}}
{{for|name changes of places rather than persons|Geographical renaming}}
{{for|information on changing your own Wikipedia username|Wikipedia:Changing username|selfref=y}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
[[File:Navneforandring.jpg|thumb|right|Name change certificate issued by [[Christian X of Denmark]] in 1917]]
'''Name change''' is the legal act by a person of adopting a new name different from their current name.

The procedures and ease of a name change vary between jurisdictions. In general, [[common law]] jurisdictions have looser procedures for a name change while [[civil law (legal system)|civil law]] jurisdictions are more restrictive. While some civil law jurisdictions have loosened procedures, a few remain complicated.

A [[pseudonym]] is a name used in addition to the original or true name. This does not require legal sanction. Pseudonyms are generally adopted to conceal a person's identity, but may also be used for personal, social or ideological reasons.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/pseudonym | title=Pseudonym }}</ref>