It's time to finish it. Changing your name will take at least 8 weeks. During this time, we are required by law to withhold tax from your wages. When the period of eight weeks expires, you can file an "Emancipation From Name Change" form with the county clerk's office where you live. This form must be filed before we can send out new identification documents with your new name. The length of time it takes to change your name depends on the number of characters in it. If it's a single word, like "McDonald", it can be done in less than an hour. But if it's a full name like "Michael McDonald", it takes longer. You should allow enough time for the process without rushing it because there could be waiting lists or other delays. People use names as labels. They often feel confined by them and want something else instead. A new name is like a fresh start with all its potential. It is an opportunity to create yourself anew and give yourself a label that fits who you are today. Changing your name doesn't mean that you hate the old one. On the contrary, it means that you value yourself enough to want to tell others about you.