Change my child's name
Ask a judge to change the name of a child under 18.
- Prepare your documents Fill in the forms yourself, or use a guided interview. These sites do not file anything for you.
- File them Upload the finished documents to LITEfile to send them to the court.
Get the forms
- Guided interview Name change for a child (Easy Form) (opens in a new tab) Illinois Legal Aid Online
- Blank form Name change forms (opens in a new tab) Illinois Courts
- Instructions How to change children's names (opens in a new tab) Illinois Courts
- Help page Starting a case to change a child's name (opens in a new tab) Illinois Legal Aid Online
Documents filings like this often include
Your case may need more or fewer. Nothing here is required to start a filing.
About this list
A name change asks a judge to make your new name official. Most of the work is paperwork: a request that says who you are and what you want to be called, notice in a newspaper so the change is public, and an order for the judge to sign. Courts differ about the rest, and yours may ask for something this list does not mention.
This list is a guide, not legal advice. We built it from what cases like yours usually need, so your case may need documents that are not here, and may not need some that are. Only the court can tell you for certain, and the clerk cannot give you legal advice.
Commonly included
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Request for name change
Your name now, the name you want, and how long you have lived in Illinois.
- Blank form Request for Name Change (Minor Children) (opens in a new tab) Illinois Courts
- Blank form Request for Name Change - Child Information (opens in a new tab) Illinois Courts
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Proposed order for the judge to sign
- Blank form Order for Name Change (Minor Children) (opens in a new tab) Illinois Courts
Often included
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Notice of your court date
- Blank form Notice of Court Date for Request for Name Change (opens in a new tab) Illinois Courts
- Proof that a newspaper published your notice A newspaper must run the notice once a week for three weeks, unless the judge excuses you.
May apply
- Motion to skip the newspaper notice Ask for this if publishing your name would put you in danger.
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Request to waive court fees
File this if you cannot afford the filing fee.
- Guided interview Fee waiver (Easy Form) (opens in a new tab) Illinois Legal Aid Online
- Blank form Application for Waiver of Court Fees (opens in a new tab) Illinois Courts
- Instructions How to request a fee waiver (opens in a new tab) Illinois Courts
- Written consent from the child A child who is 14 or older has to agree to the new name.
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Notice for the other parent
- Blank form Statement on Trying to Provide Notice (opens in a new tab) Illinois Courts
Some courts also ask for
- County Division information sheet Cook County asks for this cover sheet with every name change.
- Statement about your criminal history