I have questions about a name change

i live in nc and was adopted when i was 18, so i signed the adoption papers myself. i also changed my name completely. is it possible or legal to use my birth name even though it is no longer legally my name? can i change my name to include my birth name and my current one? is it possible to do any of this without having to stop using my current name? i have built a life since my name change, but want to use my birth name again. please help

Yes, you can file a Petition for Name Change with your local court.

If you lived in Indiana, you would have to run an ad in a general-circulation newspaper for three weeks, giving legal notice that you intended to change your name.

Once the ad has run and the court gets notice of that, then it will set the hearing for your name change request.

You will have your hearing, at which time the judge will most likely ask you if you are changing your name to try to dodge debts or do some illegal act. If you are not, then the change will be granted, and the court will give you a name change decree, making your name change official.

You can do this yourself, if you don't mind doing a little research.

You can probably find your state statutes online.

Otherwise, it shouldn't be too expensive to have an attorney do it for you.

Good luck!