Family & Safety

A court order is required to change a child's name from the name stated on their birth certificate A legal document with a person's place of birth, time of birth, and parents . You may change the name of a child only if you are at least 18 years old, have lived in Illinois for at least six months, and 

• You are the parent with custody of the child; 
• You are a guardian with legal custody; or
• The child has lived with your family for at least three years and has been recognized as an adopted child in your family. 

If this applies to you, you can file a petition in your local circuit court The lowest level of court in Illinois . You should tell the court the reason for the name change. It will help the judge know why it is in the best interest of the child and why the name change should be approved.

The judge will consider:

• The wishes of the child's parents or anyone who has physical custody of the child (including step-parents, siblings, and step-siblings)
• The wishes of the child and the reasons for those wishes
• The relationship between the child and parents or anyone who has physical custody of the child
• The child's adjustment to home, school, and community

There are fees to change a child's name. The fees will vary depending on the county. Contact your circuit clerk to find out the fees. There may also be a fee to publish a notice in the newspaper. If you cannot afford these costs, you can ask the court to do this for free. Learn more about filing your court papers for free.  There may also be a fee to change a child's birth certificate, which some counties may waive for certain groups.

If the parents or anyone who has physical custody of the child agree to the name change and come to court, the hearing When the parties in a case present their sides of a case to a judge or other officer could happen the day the court papers are filed or as soon as a judge is available. If they are not in agreement, it will take at least eight weeks to change the name of the child.

Please note that if you want to change the name of several people in your family, you should contact the local circuit clerk. You might be able to file the separate requests into a single case.