Child name change

[Cocaworm]

I live in Texas.

I had my son in March of 2001. His father was there at the birth, and signed the parental agreement. Me and the father were never married and when my son was born I gave him both of our last names. Mine first with a hyphne then the fathers last name.

My son's father has never seen him again since birth. I fought for child support for the last 4 years and every time the attorney general would find him to take money out of his paycheck he would quit his job and the process of finding him would start all over.

In August, he keep with one job and I have been getting child support since. But this does not change that he has never even seen my son.

My son will be starting pre school in September, and I would like him to only have my last name when he starts. It is also the only name he knows. I also have another son now, and he has my last name. So by changeing my oldest son's name it would make him the same as me his mother and his little brother.

My question is how do I do this name change, or actually just the name drop off the end...

And do I need his father's consent...

I also have no idea where the father is or how to contact him, I am sure the atternoy general knows how to find him, but after 4 years I am not sure I want to go looking for him.

Also if this means anything for my whole son's life we have lived in the same home and had the same phone number so the father not coming has nothing to do with me, not wanting him too.

Please let me know what I can do so I can start this soon, and be ready by the time my son starts school.

I don't want the poor baby to be confused when starting school and not knowing his last name....

 

[webula]

I am almost positive that...

once he signs the birth certificate, he does need to be informed of the name change, and will have to agree to it. I hope for your sake and your sons, this guy will just do it. If he is not involved with him, what does he care what his last name is! You can always look for a lawyer that does free consultations! You will get your answer. Good luck.

 

[Rushia]

I live in Texas.

I had my son in March of 2001. His father was there at the birth, and signed the parental agreement. Me and the father were never married and when my son was born I gave him both of our last names. Mine first with a hyphne then the fathers last name.

My son's father has never seen him again since birth. I fought for child support for the last 4 years and every time the attorney general would find him to take money out of his paycheck he would quit his job and the process of finding him would start all over.

In August, he keep with one job and I have been getting child support since. But this does not change that he has never even seen my son.

My son will be starting pre school in September, and I would like him to only have my last name when he starts. It is also the only name he knows. I also have another son now, and he has my last name. So by changeing my oldest son's name it would make him the same as me his mother and his little brother.

My question is how do I do this name change, or actually just the name drop off the end...

And do I need his father's consent...

I also have no idea where the father is or how to contact him, I am sure the atternoy general knows how to find him, but after 4 years I am not sure I want to go looking for him.

Also if this means anything for my whole son's life we have lived in the same home and had the same phone number so the father not coming has nothing to do with me, not wanting him too.

Please let me know what I can do so I can start this soon, and be ready by the time my son starts school.

I don't want the poor baby to be confused when starting school and not knowing his last name....

And my question would be: If you didn't want the poor baby to be confused when starting school and not knowing his last name, why then, did you not teach him his proper last name.

Children are a lot smarter than people give them credit for. My son (5) and daughter (3) understand that they have their fathers last name, while I have my husbands.

 

[Cocaworm]

And my question would be: If you didn't want the poor baby to be confused when starting school and not knowing his last name, why then, did you not teach him his proper last name.

Children are a lot smarter than people give them credit for. My son (5) and daughter (3) understand that they have their fathers last name, while I have my husbands.

Because we live with my mother and two brothers who all have the same last name, he just picked up it as being his. I never told him different, I guess because I was hoping I could change this before he ever became the wiser. I did use the other name when he was much younger for daycare and doctor purposes, and of course I still put both it is his legal name... But when you ask him he just says mine. I never corrected him.

I don't want him to be the only person in a household of 6 with a different name I don't want him to feel like he is different and well I guess I haven't gotten the courage yet to tell him.

My son is very smart and I am sure he will understand I just don't want to make him grow up faster then he already is, but I do understand that this is my fault.

 

[Gracie3787]

Because we live with my mother and two brothers who all have the same last name, he just picked up it as being his. I never told him different, I guess because I was hoping I could change this before he ever became the wiser. I did use the other name when he was much younger for daycare and doctor purposes, and of course I still put both it is his legal name... But when you ask him he just says mine. I never corrected him.

I don't want him to be the only person in a household of 6 with a different name I don't want him to feel like he is different and well I guess I haven't gotten the courage yet to tell him.

My son is very smart and I am sure he will understand I just don't want to make him grow up faster then he already is, but I do understand that this is my fault.

To answer your questions:
Can you change your son's name? Yes
Do you HAVE to get HIS FATHER'S PERMISSION ? Yes

If you don't have the courage to tell your son that his last name is different, then how are you ever going to be able to deal with the questions that he will come home from school with- like Mommoy, who is my Daddy, where is he, why don't I have a Daddy like other kids, etc? Being a single Mother is difficult and it takes alot of courage, which I hope, for your son's sake, you gain very quickly.

 

[Rushia]

Because we live with my mother and two brothers who all have the same last name, he just picked up it as being his. I never told him different, I guess because I was hoping I could change this before he ever became the wiser. I did use the other name when he was much younger for daycare and doctor purposes, and of course I still put both it is his legal name... But when you ask him he just says mine. I never corrected him.

I don't want him to be the only person in a household of 6 with a different name I don't want him to feel like he is different and well I guess I haven't gotten the courage yet to tell him.

My son is very smart and I am sure he will understand I just don't want to make him grow up faster then he already is, but I do understand that this is my fault.

Well, then at least I will give you credit for accepting the blame for it.

Ditto what Gracie said though, you do have to go through the father. Don't worry about your son accepting it. Children bounce back quickly. It will be hard to tell him, but as time goes by, as Gracie said, the questions will get harder. It broke my heart to tell my children why their father had to leave. But at least in my case Dad and I get along a lot better apart than we ever did together. Good Luck.

 

[Cocaworm]

he has already ask those question and i have already answered them, i just didn't want him to have a different name as me and his brother when he starts school.

so if i have to have the fathers consent, how do i get that when i can not locate him myself and the attorney general will not give me that info...

 

[Gracie3787]

he has already ask those question and i have already answered them, i just didn't want him to have a different name as me and his brother when he starts school.

so if i have to have the fathers consent, how do i get that when i can not locate him myself and the attorney general will not give me that info...

If the Attorney General won't give you the info, you can try going to the courthouse and look in the CS file to see if there is any address or phone # in there. You can also do on line searches.

Be prepared though, even if you find him, do you really think that he will just merrily say, sure, change my son's name and I will continue to pay CS? I doubt it. My guess is that he will get angry, refuse to allow it, stop paying support and just disappear altogether. It's your life and your choice, but if I were in your shoes, considering the fact that he is paying CS I would let sleeping dogs lie.