Is Dropping Jr. from Name Considered a Legal Name Change?

[Sweety_tweety]

My Dad recently when to the Delaware DMV to get his licensed renewed. His birth certificate has Jr., but his SSN, W2’s and his current driver’s license does not. He has never used Jr. in his name. He was told they may rescind his driver’s license. The DMV said he must file with the SS Office that he goes by two names. My father has lived in this country for 70 years. I find it hard to believe that dropping Jr. from a name is considered a name change. I am all for more security, but I think this is insane. Any advice??? Thanks!

 

[minkydog]

My Dad recently when to the Delaware DMV to get his licensed renewed. His birth certificate has Jr., but his SSN, W2’s and his current driver’s license does not. He has never used Jr. in his name. He was told they may rescind his driver’s license. The DMV said he must file with the SS Office that he goes by two names. My father has lived in this country for 70 years. I find it hard to believe that dropping Jr. from a name is considered a name change. I am all for more security, but I think this is insane. Any advice??? Thanks!

That's what my DH was told. He's a Jr too, but he hasn't used it since his dad died in 1984. Doesn't matter. For matters of Social Security and the DMV they require his full name, Jr included.

 

[minnie mum]

If Jr. is on his birth certificate then that is a part of his full legal name. He doesn't have to use it for day to day communication, but for things like SS, DMV, passports, etc, he absolutely needs to use it.

No different really than my DH. His birth cert. lists him as Louis Michael, but has been called Mike by everyone since birth. Signs most documents Michael. But when it comes to DMV and passports, he has to give his full and legal name. I don't see any big deal here.

 

[indygirl99]

My sister always spelled her name Joanne. When she was in college and was getting all her paperwork together to get a passport to do a semester abroad she found out her birth certificate had her name spelled Joane.

She had to go to court to get the birth certificate corrected and refile with SS. And she still 30 years later has problems with her SS and Medicare filings.

I would think with Jr there would be a need to distinguish between 2 people with the same name except for the Jr part.

 

[Sweety_tweety]

I have read that is normal when the Sr. passes on, the Jr. just stops using Jr. Yes, I agree that they should all match. But I think it is poor handling of the situation to tell him they are going to rescind he license. It is only a problem after 70+ years. I just think this is just a little extreme.

 

[Sadie22]

Due to the PATRIOT Act, State and Federal ID and Social Security records must now match.

I was able to go to the DMV with the deed to my house, various bank statements, whatever was considered acceptable proof in my state that the name I use has one word less in it than what Motor Vehicles has had on my records since my marriage. They removed that word so that my driver's license would then match what my Social Security records had said since my marriage. It was a common law name change and I did not have to file for a name change through the court system.

 

[Acklander]

Due to the PATRIOT Act, State and Federal ID and Social Security records must now match.

I was able to go to the DMV with the deed to my house, various bank statements, whatever was considered acceptable proof in my state that the name I use has one word less in it than what Motor Vehicles has had on my records since my marriage. They removed that word so that my driver's license would then match what my Social Security records had said since my marriage. It was a common law name change and I did not have to file for a name change through the court system.

Didn't know that was part of the patriot act. There was a typo on my drivers license about 10 years ago (middle initial is wrong). I've asked a couple of times about fixing it, but the process is so daunting that I've never had it fixed. Now about half my stuff (drivers license and bank accts) are with wrong middle initial - and half my stuff (paycheck, passport, social security) are correct. No one seems to care. Jury duty notices come with the wrong initial.

 

[Sadie22]

The requirement stems from the intent of the PATRIOT Act but I think it's actually in the REAL ID Act and various state statutes. Some years back I went to renew my license and was told that before the next renewal, I would have to prove with certain paperwork that the name on Social Security records was the one I had been using continuously, and that they would then change my driver's license to reflect that name. If I had not been able to do that, I would have had to file paperwork with the Court system to request a legal name change to that name. Otherwise I could not have renewed my driver's license.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I kept my maiden name and added my husband's name when I married.

All my legal documents have all 4 names.

However, I've noticed that thanks to people keying my name into documents - over which I have had NO CONTROL - my legal name, although it has the same names in it arranged differently.

So, say my full legal name is Snarling Yipping Fox Coyote (with Fox Coyote as my legal last name).

Some documents have Yipping Fox as my middle name and Coyote as my last name. Some documents have Yipping as my middle name and Fox Coyote as my last name.

I have no idea when or if this will catch me up and if I knew who originally did this to my name, I'd be ticked at them!

ETA:I just figured it out. My DL lists Coyote as my last name, but has Fox in there as well. BUT, this is because in Louisiana you can put your maiden name on your DL. . .or you could when I got married. And you could on your College diplomas and etc because so many of us where I'm from have ALWAYS done it that way!

I bet people outside the state just didn't know how to cope with this.

 

[Kate S.]

I have a question and don't know where to post it so... My husband was named after his father... legally Jr. but, a few years ago, his dad changed his entire name. So does my husband still have to be legally Jr.?

 

[JaxDad]

Ima Zombie, Jr.

 

[mom2rtk]

I sure wonder how Minkydog is doing these days. I miss seeing her here.

 

[Allison]

I have a question and don't know where to post it so... My husband was named after his father... legally Jr. but, a few years ago, his dad changed his entire name. So does my husband still have to be legally Jr.?

Sure. Unless he wants to change it. That is his legal name. It has nothing to do with his dad's name.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

OOOO A zombie thread.

Send Junior to us and we'll make III a junior with no legal hassles.
Sincerely, the Zombies.

 

[Floridaman999]

I sure wonder how Minkydog is doing these days. I miss seeing her here.

They are still reading every now and again from the looks of things:
Last seen May 22, 2019

 

[mom2rtk]

They are still reading every now and again from the looks of things:
Last seen May 22, 2019

So strange. The last post I see from her was almost 2 years ago. Anyway, hope @minkydog is doing well.

 

[Floridaman999]

So strange. The last post I see from her was almost 2 years ago. Anyway, hope @minkydog is doing well.

Yeah, the last post was in 2017, but it looks like someone is at least logging in at times. Hope they are doing well also.

 

[mummabear]

It is a good case for people choosing to name their children including a jnr to leave the junior off the official paperwork, it is silly to have a 80 year old j r.