Before your baby’s birth is registered you can choose any name you like with no paperwork - you simply tell the registrar the name you want. You have 42 days (6 weeks) from the date of birth to register in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and just 21 days in Scotland. If you change your mind after registration, you can correct your baby’s forenames once within 12 months using a free official certificate; after that - or for any surname change - you’ll need a child deed poll.
Naming a newborn can feel surprisingly high-pressure, especially when relatives have opinions or you and your partner are still undecided. The good news is that UK law gives you genuine flexibility: there’s a window before registration where the name isn’t fixed at all, a safety net for forename mistakes afterwards, and a simple legal route if you decide to change things later. Here’s exactly how each stage works.
Before registration: you can choose freely
Until the birth is formally registered at the register office, your baby has no legally recorded name. That means you can decide, change your mind, and decide again as often as you like at no cost and with no forms. When you attend your appointment, you simply tell the registrar the forename(s) and surname you’ve chosen, and that name is entered on the register and the birth certificate.
This is the easiest possible time to settle on a name, so it’s worth using the full window rather than rushing. Common reasons parents take their time include:
- Waiting until they’ve met the baby before committing to a name.
- Resolving a disagreement between parents over a first name or surname.
- Deciding whether to use the mother’s surname, the father’s, both (double-barrelled), or a blended surname.
- Choosing between spellings (for example “Aoife” versus a phonetic alternative).
How long do I have to register the birth?
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland you have 42 days (6 weeks) from the date of birth to register. In Scotland the deadline is shorter - 21 days. Registration is free and is normally done in person at a register office in the district where the baby was born. Up to and including that appointment, nothing about the name is locked in, so if you’re still unsure, there’s no harm in using the time available.
After registration: the 12-month forename correction window
Once the birth is registered, the name becomes the child’s official legal name. But the law recognises that parents sometimes change their minds about a first or middle name shortly after birth, so there’s a one-off correction route for forenames only.
Within 12 months of registration, you can add or alter your baby’s forename(s) by completing a “Certificate of Name Given in Baptism” (if the child was baptised) or a “Certificate of Name Given not in Baptism” (if not). The registrar adds the new forename in the margin of the birth register, and any future birth certificate will show both the original entry and the amended name.
A few important limits apply:
- It covers forenames (first and middle names) only - it cannot be used to change a surname.
- It can generally be used once, and only within the 12-month window.
- The original name remains visible on the certificate as a marginal note; it isn’t erased.
This route is specific enough that we’ve covered it in full detail separately. If you’re weighing up whether to use the official correction or wait, read our dedicated guide to changing a child’s first name under the 12-month rule before you decide - it explains the paperwork, timing and how the marginal note appears.
When you need a deed poll instead
A child deed poll is the right route in any of these situations:
- More than 12 months have passed since the birth was registered.
- You want to change the surname - the 12-month correction route does not cover surnames at all.
- You’ve already used the one-off forename correction and want to make a further change.
- You’d prefer a clean change document rather than a birth certificate carrying a visible marginal amendment.
A deed poll is a legal document that formally evidences a name change. It doesn’t alter the original birth certificate - that historical record stays as it is - but it is the proof that organisations accept to update a child’s records: passport, GP and NHS records, school, savings accounts and so on. An unenrolled deed poll is legally valid and accepted by HM Passport Office, the NHS, schools and banks; around 98% of UK name changes are unenrolled.
Surname changes need special care
Changing a child’s surname is the most sensitive type of name change because of parental responsibility rules. In short, everyone with parental responsibility must consent to a child’s name change, and a child under 16 cannot sign their own deed poll. Because the rules and the evidence required differ from a simple first-name tweak, we’ve set this out step by step in our guide to how to change a child’s surname legally in the UK.
What a child deed poll costs - and what to ignore
A professionally printed, unenrolled child deed poll from UK Name Change starts at £14.49, with same-day dispatch on orders placed before 3pm and free Royal Mail Tracked delivery. We’ve helped more than 160,000 customers. A solicitor would typically charge £150-£300+ to draft the same document - an unnecessary expense for a standard name change.
You may also see references to enrolment at the Royal Courts of Justice (£53.05). This is entirely optional. Enrolment publishes the name change publicly in the London Gazette and takes 2-3 weeks, but it adds no legal validity - an unenrolled deed poll is just as valid and is what the vast majority of families use.
(If you’re an adult changing your own name at the same time - for example taking a new family surname - you can do that with an adult deed poll using the same simple process.)
Signing rules and witnesses
For a child under 16, the deed poll is signed by the parent(s) or guardian(s) with parental responsibility, with the consent of everyone who holds it. Each signature must be witnessed by an independent adult aged 18 or over who is not a relative, your partner, or anyone living at your address. Keep the original, wet-ink signed document safe - HM Passport Office, the DVLA and banks all require the original, not a photocopy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my baby’s name before the birth is registered?
Yes, completely freely. Until you register the birth, the name isn’t legally recorded, so you can change your mind as many times as you like with no paperwork or cost. You simply tell the registrar the final name at your appointment.
How long do I have to register a baby’s birth in the UK?
42 days (6 weeks) from the date of birth in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 21 days in Scotland. Registration is free and usually done in person at a local register office.
Can I change my baby’s first name after registering the birth?
Yes, once within 12 months of registration using an official “Certificate of Name Given”, which adds the new forename as a marginal note. This covers first and middle names only, not surnames. See our 12-month rule guide for the full process.
Do I need a deed poll to change my baby’s name?
Not before registration, and not for a forename correction made within 12 months. You need a deed poll if more than 12 months have passed, if you want to change the surname, or if you’d prefer a clean document instead of a birth certificate with a marginal amendment.
Will changing my baby’s name alter the original birth certificate?
A 12-month forename correction adds a marginal note to the birth register, so the original name stays visible. A deed poll does not change the birth certificate at all - it is a separate legal document used to update the child’s records elsewhere.
How much does a child deed poll cost?
From £14.49 for a professionally printed, legally valid unenrolled deed poll, with same-day dispatch before 3pm and free tracked delivery. Optional Royal Courts of Justice enrolment costs £53.05 but adds no legal validity.
Ready to change your child’s name?
If your baby’s birth is already registered and you need to change their name, a deed poll is the simple, accepted route. Order a professionally printed, legally valid child deed poll from just £14.49 - same-day dispatch before 3pm, free tracked delivery, and trusted by over 160,000 customers.
