Naming baby
Accuracy of information
At the birth registration the Registrar will ask 'what are the
full names and surname in which the child will be brought
up?'
It is important to give the Registrar accurate
information and correct spelling as this will be recorded in the
register and will become a permanent record. Many forenames have a
variety of spellings and this should be decided beforehand.
Surnames
Where the parents of a child have different surnames from each
other, great care should be taken in deciding which surname the
child will have. The surname cannot be altered later except
in certain circumstances.
Forenames
Additions to the register entry can be made within twelve
months of registration to amend the forenames given to the child.
This can be done in two ways and the forms can be obtained from the
Register Office:
- where a child is baptised a Certificate of Baptism may be completed and presented to the Registrar
- where a child is not baptised a Certificate of Naming may be completed and presented to the Registrar
On receipt of either document the names shown on them will be
entered into the original birth registration entry.
Any short birth certificate purchased subsequently will show
the names as stated on the Certificate of Baptism or Naming. Any
full birth certificate purchased subsequently will show both the
names registered originally and those stated on the Certificate of
Baptism and Naming.
These certificates can not be used to alter a child's
surname.