Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-04
TAKING ANOTHER NAME
REASONS SOME PEOPLE HAVE FOR
MAKING CHANGE. -
Court Official Tells of Frequent Occur
rences and Why It Is
Done.

Custom has made it almost universal for
all male persons to bear the names of their
parents" said an attache of the local court
the other morning. ut seems natural that
it should be so. Nevertheless there is moth
ing in the laws of this country prohibiting
a mans taking another name and no legal
penalty is attached to his doing so. There
is always, however. a possibility of its be-
ing attended with inconvenience, and per-
hapS loss to himself.
Suppose, for instance, Brown assumes
the name of Smith. Relatives whose So
ciety may, peradventure be useful 10
Brown. it is hundred to one that the rela-
tive discovers him under the name of
Smith. So you see when a man changes
his name at a venture it may be all the
worse for him. OF course If he changes
his name to escape detection as criminal
1t may save him from capture or 1t may
not; if not, then he figures in the record
with an alias and that is disgrace A man
may enter into a contract or obligation I'M
der any name he chooses, the law looking
only to the identity of the person.
There is way, however, by which
man may change his name with the sane
ton of the law and that Is the only SAFE
way. But the law requires him to assign
some good reason for the change. Men
have assigned various reasons for wishing
to change their names. Sometimes a man
wishes to drop his right name because it is
Of foreign origin and difficult for an Ameri--
him in his business, as there Is such
thing as prejudice even in this free ana
enlightened commonwealth. Or his name
may have in English an absurd or even
vulgar meaning and subject him to unpleaS-
ant jokes. or it may associate him with
some notorious criminal or be the counter
part of some name which history made
Infamous, or 1t may be misspelled and con-
sequently mispronounced on his entry to
this country.
Names for Orphans.
Frequently infants are left orphans or
abandoned by the father after the death of
the mother. In that case it is a. frequent
occurrence for relatives or neighbors TO take
child and adopt it, giving 1t their own
name. In that case the party desiring to
adopt must apply by written petition to
the court of the place in which he lives
asking leave to adopt the child and change
its name to that of the petitioner. The or
der allowing the adoption and the change
of name must be filed with the court. so
that the real parentage of the child may
be subsequently established II necessary.
"a citizen of the District of full age may
change his name by petition in the same
way. or, If he is under age, his guardian
or his nearest friend may address the petit
ton to the court. When an adult applies
for leave to change his name he must give
his place of BIRTH residence, age and
whether he is married. or single and
whether there are any judgments against
the name which he seeks to abandon. In
case of an infant, a notice Of an applica-
ton to change the name must be served on
the father, or If he is dead and cannot De
found, then on the mother. or If she Is
dead, then on a guardian, or If both par
ents are out of the District and there Is no
guardian, the court may dispense with the
motion or require notice of 1t be served on
anybody 1t may see fit If in any of these
cases the court Is satisfied there are no
objectionable reasons the order is permit
ted granting a change of name. The order
must be filed with the clerk and thirty
days thereafter the new name may be as
sumed. The granting of the notice must
within ten days thereafter be published In
newspaper designated by the court.
THUS the law protects the person who
for good and sufficient reasons desires to
assume q name other than his own. The
order OF the court being recorded. all the
rights of the individual which may subse-
quently accrue to him under his original
name are preserved, his identity being the
view of the law, fully established"