Dear PAO,
I was born in Quezon City and was given the name Lisa. However, my parents changed my name and had me baptized with the name Carol because I was sickly when I was a child.

Now all my school documents and identity cards were issued in the name of Carol. Can my name in my birth certificate be changed to Carol?
Carol

Dear Carol,
A first name is the name given to a person upon his birth to identify him and distinguish him among others who may have the same middle and/or family names. As a rule, the name, which a person should use, is the one appearing in his birth certificate. There are instances, however, when the name actually used is different from that which is registered in the birth certificate like when there has been an error in transcribing the name in the birth certificate or, like in your case, the parents later decided to give their child a different name.

Since you have always used your baptismal name Carol and have been publicly known in such name, it would be more practical to apply for the change of your name in your birth certificate from Lisa to Carol than to amend all your existing documents and identity cards to reflect the name, which is registered in your birth certificate. This is allowed by Section 4 of Republic Act (RA) No. 9048, to wit:

“SECTION 4. Grounds for Change of First Name or Nickname. The petition for change of first name or nickname may be allowed in any of the following cases:

1. The petitioner finds the first name or nickname to be ridiculous, tainted with dishonor or extremely difficult to write or pronounce.

2. The new first name or nickname has been habitually and continuously used by the petitioner and he has been publicly known by that first name or nickname in the community: or

3. The change will avoid confusion.”

In order to apply for your change of name, you need to file a verified petition with the local civil registry office of Quezon City. Your petition should be in the form of an affidavit, subscribed and sworn to before any person authorized to administer oaths and shall contain the facts necessary to establish the merits of your petition. It shall be accompanied by the following: 1) a certified true machine copy of the certificate sought to be changed; 2) at least two public or private documents upon which the change shall be based; and 3) other documents which the petitioner or the city or municipal civil registrar may consider relevant and necessary for the approval of the petition. Moreover, you need to have your petition published at least once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation. You also need to submit a certification from the appropriate law enforcement agencies that you have no pending case or criminal record (Section 5, RA No. 9048). Once your petition is granted, your birth certificate shall contain an annotation that your name is changed from Lisa to Carol.

We hope that we were able to answer your queries. Please be reminded that this advice is based solely on the facts you have narrated and our appreciation of the same. Our opinion may vary when other facts are changed or elaborated.